Samsung Galaxy S4 mini — Samsung S4 Mini, two weeks ago I replaced my SIM, now my phone has voice echo issues

  • Replies:2
Job Vink 1
Job Vink
  • Forum posts: 1

Dec 6, 2016, 1:50:31 AM via Website

Hi,

I hope anyone can help me.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S4 mini and a mobile contract with a monthly package of 100 MB data and 300 mobile minutes. About half a month ago, my contract ended. I decided to renew it using the same provider, but I had to upgrade to the now next-to-minimum package of unlimited mobile minutes and 1,5 GB data. They also sent me a new SIM for me to enjoy the fastest 4G internet available for my phone.
But now, when people call me they tend to hear themselves twice, as an echo. They hear me fine, though. Also, the problem is not mutual, I hear both of us fine. Some of them can ride it out during our phone call, but most of them tend to hang up due to concentration problems.
As I am writing this post, I'm starting to realize the problems began occuring about two weeks ago, when the renewed contract with my provider started. The voice echo occurs both when I call people and when they call me. It can be both a land line and a mobile phone line on the other end. I'm thinking the echo has something to do with certain settings of that new SIM.
When I google this problem, I find dozens of wild urban legends about voice echo being related to governmental or criminal wiretapping of a phone. Can anyone confirm these are the case? Or are they indeed urban legends?

Thanks in Advance.

— modified on Dec 6, 2016, 1:56:05 AM

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Serena Carter 5
Serena Carter
  • Forum posts: 14

Dec 6, 2016, 10:19:21 AM via Website

Perhaps it's something to do with your speaker...

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Gebhardt B. 2
Gebhardt B.
  • Forum posts: 3

Jan 2, 2017, 8:51:03 AM via Website

Hello Job

sad to see that this forum - or is it just the S4 mini section thereof - is so quiet and not only on this subject. I am new around here and still hope this may be a case of end-of-the-year lethargy.
As to your request I dare to assume that your trouble may be the result of bad bandwidth, VOIP or codec settings (server side). I did not venture to look for the urban legends you might have been referring to or any other legends but chose to consult the net on a possible codec or provider issue having to do with echo cancellation since I was wondering why there was no reference to neither codec nor compression in your text whereas those popped up in my mind as possible causes.
Let me remind you of Wikipedia etc.. Apart from that I passed by vocal.com/echo-cancellation/echo-control/ and read

Due to the limited processing power of most mobile devices, the advance signal processing required for voice quality enhancements (VQE), such as echo cancellation, have to be performed at a centralized network location.

If that is still state-of-the-art - i did not see how old the article is - then what could one do except switch the provider?
Being no electronics expert however I would not dare to decide and try to answer to the point. If feasible try to make a recording of the sound we are discussing so maybe somebody else can decide on the technical cause. Doesn't your provider have a help line?

Just my five cents. Hope you can find or already found the reason. Do not forget to post the eventual solution here!
There is no use in a web full of questions without answers, would you agree?

Happy NY then:)
Gebhardt

— modified on Jan 2, 2017, 9:12:35 AM

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