Severe interference with conference microphone system

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Level 1

10 points

Severe interference with conference microphone system

So, I hope this is not a problem with all iPhones, but I had mine in a public meeting the other night, and there kept being this weird noise coming over the microphone in the meeting when people were speaking at the podium. I thought nothing of it, until I got back to the office, and put my iPhone next to my landline. About every 15 minutes, I'd hear the same sound coming out of the speaker on my landline phone's speaker phone. I think it's probably when the iPhone is checking mail over the Edge network, but this is a big problem if it's common to other iPhones. I need to have my phone on in public meetings, and it will be very embarassing to have that strange sound coming across at every meeting. Anyone else notice this?

Lots and Lots of Macs, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Jul 9, 2007 7:32 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 9, 2007 7:41 PM in response to deadesq

iPhone causes some crackling noises on my speakers at work tho only in close proximity.
I wouldn't call it severe tho.

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Answer 2

deadesq Author

Level 1

10 points

Jul 9, 2007 7:50 PM in response to Josh Hurd

Mine has a little when it's close to my phone, but in this meeting, EVERYONE noticed it--it was loud enough to drown out the person speaking. I can handle a little interference--my Treo did that with my speaker phone. But this is a bit much.

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Answer 3

mswlogo

Level 1

14 points

Jul 9, 2007 8:36 PM in response to deadesq

You bet they all do, mine does it too.

The person at the Mic probably had GSM phone too. The interference is a consistent pattern.

They (all GSM phones) all do it.

It totally amazes me this is the "Global Standard".

FYI, Verizon/Sprint CDMA phones do not do this.

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Answer 4

Dizzy D

Level 1

42 points

Jul 9, 2007 10:13 PM in response to deadesq

Yeah, my 900 MHz baby monitor receiver goes crazy every 4 minutes or so. Such loud buzzing that I think it's going to wake the baby up in the other room. It only lasts for a few seconds at a time, but it sure is annoying... Totally periodic too, so I know it's the iPhone sampling some date over the GSM netword.

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Answer 5

deadesq Author

Level 1

10 points

Jul 11, 2007 6:09 PM in response to mswlogo

That explains it--I was on CDMA before--never had the problem. This old dog is learning new tricks, I guess. Thanks for the reply.

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Answer 6

Jim Wick

Level 3

725 points

Jul 11, 2007 6:14 PM in response to deadesq

Yes I get that with every GSM phone that I have had.

When I had a Nextel phone through work I could tell that a call was coming through by hearing the computer speakers crackle first then the phone would ring.

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Answer 7

Jul 11, 2007 6:56 PM in response to deadesq

I've had GSM phones for almost 10 years now, and they will all do this.

HOWEVER, the iPhone is FAR worse than any other one I've used before. Much louder than other phones, even at a few feet away.

My guess is that the iPhone uses a notch or two higher RF output than what would normally be called for. Or it's WiFi?? Either way, it is distracting.

On the other hand, the reception, voice quality are better on iPhone than others. My friend with AT&T had a Treo and a RAZR that would drop out contantly and ALWAYS drop the call at a certain location... now, voice does not drop out except in that 1 location, but it doesn't drop the call, at least!

Aaron

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