Callers can't hear us: would signal booster help?

[FridasMom]

We live in an area that generally has good cell coverage from Verizon, but we are having a problem with poor reception at our house - and, curiously, on only one of our phones. Our older model iPhones (4S), which we brought with us from a different area code, work reasonably well. However, people have terrible trouble hearing us on our iPhone SE, which has a local number, so people with landlines can reach us via a local call. The SE works fine from other locations, just not when we're home. What could be causing us to have such a problem with only one phone? Would it help to put a consumer signal booster in our house? Any

[naansalad]

consumer signal booster may not work . will suggest for updated new device .

[FridasMom]

Thanks for the response, naansalad, but it's not very helpful.

I understand the first sentence, but it just raises more question: Why do you think a signal booster may not work? Do you have any suggestions for a different way to fix the problem? Do you have any insights as to what may be causing the problem?

As for the second sentence, I don't understand what you mean. Are you saying you suggest we get an updated new phone? Why? The problem is that our older phones do work, but our newer one doesn't, so why would getting an even newer phone help?

Or are you saying you have a suggestion for an updated new device we could use instead of a signal booster? If so, great, but what is the device you are suggesting?

Or are you saying you would only suggest using a signal booster with an updated new phone? But the phone we are having a problem with is less than two years old.

I really do appreciate your effort to help, but could you please clarify? Permit me to suggest using specific words like "phone" rather than generic ones like "device," and also making sure your sentences have a subject as well as a verb, so the reader can tell who or what is performing the action described in the sentence. Giving reasons for your conclusions would also be helpful. Thank you.

[stef7 · Accepted solution]

The older phone, the iPhone 4s is a 3G device. When you talk on it, it's hitting the nearest tower with 3G technology with 3G frequencies. Normally this is inferior to 4G technology. But you aren't experience call problems with the iPhone 4s.

The newer phone, the iPhone SE is a 4G device. When you talk on it, it's hitting the nearest tower with 4G technology with 4G frequencies. Generally this is superior in terms of voice quality and data transmission speeds, but not always.

Depending on what particular band of frequencies are supplied for 3G and 4G on the tower nearest your home, you might get very good or better service with the older technology than with the newer one, possibly because of tower congestion (you need to provide a ZIP code for a VZW rep to help you further), or possibly because 3G frequencies propagate (travel through space) differently, and penetrate buildings differently than 4G.

Try this simple experiment on your iPhoneSE so you can compare apples to apples (ha ha), i.e. both devices using 3G. Settings | Cellular and choose Enable LTE, and then I believe you want to change settings from Voice + Data to either OFF (4G/LTE will not be used at all) or Data Only (3G will be used for Voice, and 4G LTE for Data).  (you can try both one at a time but I think you'll want to use the "OFF" setting).

Exit Settings.

Cycle Airplane Mode.

Now is the iPhone SE on 3G? Is the phone call performance better now? If so, leave it on this setting while home, and switch back to "Voice + Data" when you leave your home area.

Let me know how it goes.

[FridasMom]

THANK YOU! Such a clear and thorough response. And it sounds totally logical. I wouldn't be the least surprised if there is better 3G than 4G coverage in our area. I'll give your suggested fix a try and let you know.