Why do modern cell phones have poor phone audio quality?
Mobile phone technology has come leaps and bounds in the last decade. Yet, audio quality for phone calls, specifically messages on hold, is still quite poor on some cell phones. Fortunately, major service providers are taking steps to improve that.
Why is mobile phone audio quality so bad?
The networks that carry our human voices from one mobile phone to another were designed for just that – carrying ONLY human voices. Think of it as a narrow tube designed to carry those voices. It just doesn’t have room in the tube for other sounds.
Messages on hold often include music, voiceovers, and sometimes sound effects. All that extra audio fills the “tube” to the brim, bringing down the audio quality. Jitter, static, and warbling audio is the result. While the voiceover might ring clear, the audio quality can go back down once it jumps back to music.
You might notice that when a company plays a radio station for their message on hold, the audio quality sounds tinny and poor. That narrow tube made for voices is the culprit!
How will it get better?
Fortunately, mobile phone service providers are starting to upgrade their networks! For example, they’re upgrading them to support HD Voice. This technology is not new, but providers are deploying it very slowly. As it rolls out, you might discover that your phone-to-phone call quality will improve, especially if the phones communicating are the same device (like a call made from an iPhone to another iPhone).
If you’re a small business shopping for a new mobile phone service provider, ask them about their HD Voice rollout. Providers will be in different stages of the rollout than others, but more customer demand can help accelerate it.
What if it is not the network?
The carriers are not the ones to blame for poor phone quality. You want to ensure that your business’s phone system is not degrading quality. It could also be an issue with older messages on hold players. If you’re on a VoIP system or looking to switch, shop around for a provider offering a larger codec (a larger pipe for carrying audio). That way, you’ll ensure that human voices, music, sound effects, and all other audio elements come through the pipes loud and clear!
On Air can help integrate your messages on hold to your phone system. We’ll offer insight and guidance to help you ensure the best quality possible for the greetings and on hold messages. We also provide cost-effective messages on hold packages to help you reach and retain your customers when they call your business.