[txchad]

I'm having the same problem! The email and data in the 7100g are great, but the phone background noise is horrible!!!

[xsw]

Those of you on this thread, who say they've never experienced or heard of this problem (especially the guys who have nothing to do but post 600+ messages on this board), must hide in the closet all day (in which case, you should use the land line).

If you don't own a car, get one and talk w/ your fancy blackberry while driving. If you've never been to the airport, go there. If you've never been to a restaurant, try eating out. Leave yourself a voicemail from somewhere other than your closet. You'll hear what I am talking about. This is my 3rd 7100g. They all do the same thing. I've been up and down California (600 mile stretch)--it's NOT the network. I've tried it using my FREE Nokia phone without noise issues.

[matt2meyer]

Same problem here with my TMobile 7105t at the Flyers game last week. Person calling couldn't hear anything but background noise...

[goldbergs]

This is a similar thread for the 7000t How can RIM continue to ignore the hundreds of complaints? All 710x phones have the problem.

[Brad00111]

Originally Posted by xsw

Those of you on this thread, who say they've never experienced or heard of this problem (especially the guys who have nothing to do but post 600+ messages on this board), must hide in the closet all day (in which case, you should use the land line).

If you don't own a car, get one and talk w/ your fancy blackberry while driving. If you've never been to the airport, go there. If you've never been to a restaurant, try eating out. Leave yourself a voicemail from somewhere other than your closet. You'll hear what I am talking about. This is my 3rd 7100g. They all do the same thing. I've been up and down California (600 mile stretch)--it's NOT the network. I've tried it using my FREE Nokia phone without noise issues.

I dont live in a closet. I make a majority of my calls from my car and have never had 1 complaint about background noise, and I even ask people on occasion how they can hear me. The rest of my calls are made in a regular working environment. Granted I am not on a tarmac of an airport standing behind a 747 ready for take-off.

Originally Posted by goldberg

This is a similar thread for the 7000t How can RIM continue to ignore the hundreds of complaints? All 710x phones have the problem.

This is obviously NOT a universal issue as there are some of us whom have no problems with their 7100g. That isnt to say there is a bad batch out there that people are getting, or maybe it has to do what software you have installed on your handheld, I dont know I am not a tech.

Now I do agree, that if people are seeing this issue I would hope RIM would address it, and it looks like they have with the 8700 and hopefully going forward.

[xsw]

Originally Posted by Brad00111

I dont live in a closet. I make a majority of my calls from my car and have never had 1 complaint about background noise, and I even ask people on occasion how they can hear me. The rest of my calls are made in a regular working environment. Granted I am not on a tarmac of an airport standing behind a 747 ready for take-off.



This is obviously NOT a universal issue as there are some of us whom have no problems with their 7100g. That isnt to say there is a bad batch out there that people are getting, or maybe it has to do what software you have installed on your handheld, I dont know I am not a tech.

Now I do agree, that if people are seeing this issue I would hope RIM would address it, and it looks like they have with the 8700 and hopefully going forward.

[xsw]

Maybe you don't drive fast enough, because if I am doing <35MPH, there is no noise problem either. I have a 2 year old Mercedes E class and a Chevy Suburban. Both are very quiet cars at high speeds. OR maybe the people you're talking to on the other end are deaf. Try calling your land line and leaving yourself a voicemail while driving at >35MPH. Do the same from a typical cell phone, and tell us the difference.

RIMM Engineering and Quality has actually confirmed this. Their audio team is working on the issue, but there is no firmware upgrade that helps. The problem is that this is their first speaker phone. They made the mic circuit more sensitive as required if you are on speaker. However, they don't turn down the gain when you're not on speaker. That's the problem. It's hardware, hence no firmware fix. I use my phone 3200 minutes a month. I proactively ask the person on the other end if they hear background noise. I get a "yes, noisy" response every one of those 3200 minutes, if I am not sitting in my office with the door closed.

I doubt you have a "special" phone with a different mic circuit than what RIMM put in, because RIMM agrees that all the phones they make all exhibit the same issue.

Don't get on the tarmac, you might get run over, in which case you won't be able to post on this site anymore.

[xsw]

I started a new thread called: Background Noise Problems? Email the RIM CEO here.

Please go find that thread and email the RIM CEO to prompt him to fix it. I am tired of complaining and not getting any results.

[rattleme]

I had the 7100g with cingular and had the same noise problem. I had it replaced and the first call I made was the same problem. Recently I had a chance to grab a 8700c and the first call I made, THE SAME PROBLEM. I thought maybe the 8700 might have some fix, but I was wrong.

[aristobrat]

It'd be interesting if you could somehow use either phone on another GSM network (T-Mobile?) and see if it sounds the same.

[Move]

Aristobrat - This is definately an issue. The only way for your VP to complain about the sound would be to either have someone call him from a 7100G or to have one of his callers complain. My guess is that not too many people who talk with the VP will have enough nerve or time to complain about his phone sound quality.

I know that in my situation the sound became too unbearable. My customers would ask me to put my phone on mute during conference calls because no one could hear anything over the noise.

I use a corded headset which is an improvement. Most corded headsets seem to be rinky-dink though. I'm actually using an Xbox Live headset until "The Boom Version 4" is available (ETA 11/29/05 after months and months of delay).

Anywho, the noise issue is there with the 7100G (if not with all of the 7100 series). My question is how widespread is it? Most of us "nerdy" types pick up on the nuances and flaws of technology. We see enough of it that we complain (deservidly so) when we do see it happen. Some people might not be savvy enough to react to many of these issues. Maybe they do not understand the power they have as a consumer.

Unfortunately in today's day and age of cellular technology we still have to think about phone/call quality. One has to wonder if we all wouldn't be better off just using the "bag" phone, because if I want to watch tv I will watch it at home.

[ricam78]

Same problem here. I get the "wind tunnel" comment from my wife on a daily basis as I am driving home. I am hoping a fix or a utility that someone makes that will allow me to tweak my mic sensitivity.

[devon_ojas]

same problem here. living in new york this phone is pretty much worthless as a handheld phone. would make the difference between the best and the worst phone I ever owned.

[mike_187]

i bought a new 7100g a couple of days ago, i upgraded to 4.1 right away. i have to say i have no problems. i love it as a phone.

[ricam78]

Originally Posted by mike_187

i bought a new 7100g a couple of days ago, i upgraded to 4.1 right away. i have to say i have no problems. i love it as a phone.

I have 4.1 also and still have the issues

[Liv]

Hmmm. Wow, that is a huge issue. I am trying to figure out which blackberry to buy (for me slimmer is better, I am 5'0 and have small hands) I need to find out if it is a universal 7100 or if it is just mainly the "g" - I guess I will have to decide if I want to try my luck and get one of the phones that does not have those problems

[Evangelist]

Greetings, Liv!

I have a 7100i and have absolutely no problems with background noise. I have asked many of my frequent contacts and they complimented the phone voice quality and indeed indicated that my phone voice was clearer than before with my 860i. I did a double-check by calling my home answering machine while I was at loud, really LOUD, music concert and honestly, when I checked the message at home, I couldn't hardly hear the background of loud music at all!!! Buy the 7100i with confidence!

God Bless!

Rick
Embrace His Grace

[NickFLZ]

I have the 7100t and have had the same problems since day one. People ask me to call them back when I am back in my studio or when I get home. If I am in a mall, forget it -- no one can hear me. You can't shout to get over the background noise either because the microphone on the 7100 distorts VERY easily. A collegue of mine has this phone as well; sometimes when I talk to him and he so much as laughs loud it distorts. I work in audio so maybe I am more sensitive to these issues but I agree there needs to be some kind of noise cancellation built into these phones. Hell, the free phones sound WAY better than this thing.

[gumbyj5]

I have a 7100t and have all the same problems listed above. It is very annoying. I have allready got a new phone from t-mobile and the problims still persisted.

What do you guys think the chance of me convincing t mobile to let me upgrade to the 7290 minus what I padi for the 7100t is?

Thanks

[angelot]

I've had the 7100G since last May and am having the same problems. I also have an Acura and when using the Bluetooth in the car, I've noticed that the volume has to be up mich higher than my old T608 phone on Sprint to hear people.

Does anyone think the 7130 from Verizon would be better? I am thinking about making the switch...