Dropped calls

newcavanman

Ive noticed that all interviews on RTE and Newstalk these. days dont seem to use ordinary phone lines, but instead use Zoom or some other form of internet based line. Lately it seems, that in an awful lot of these interviews, the line drops. Im guessing this has something to do with contagion. Knowing this is so likely, why do producers persist in using these systems instead of the old fashioned phone line?
I know i find it very frustrating when halfway through a conversation is prematurely ended

Tork

I wonder how many people still use landlines? Especially now that mobile packages are dirt cheap and you sometimes have to go out of your way to even have a landline.

pm1977x

I was going to start a thread on this, about a week ago I happened to be listening to the radio on and off for about 8 hours, every show (all RTE) had at least one dropped call, and it's something I've noticed more and more the last few months, it's farcical how often it happens at this stage.

elperello

I think there may be a presumption against using mobiles.

So often there will be background noise, wind or network issues and producers have become wary of mobiles.

As mentioned above landlines are gone from many homes which is where people are working from now.

So they go for the web based telephony hoping for a better result.

Truth is that if the interviewee is in a relatively quiet spot in their own house where they know the signal is reliable then the mobile may be the better option.

newcavanman

Tork wrote: »

I wonder how many people still use landlines? Especially now that mobile packages are dirt cheap and you sometimes have to go out of your way to even have a landline.

I dont mean mobile lines it sounds like they are using Zoom or WhatsApp or similar. Whatever it is, they are very unreliable

Tork

newcavanman wrote: »

I dont mean mobile lines it sounds like they are using Zoom or WhatsApp or similar. Whatever it is, iuts vwey unreliable

Yes, I agree that all these sorts of methods can be unreliable. But I think it still comes back to many people not having landlines any more. Calling them on mobile would be better but mobile has its moments too. I can't remember when we last had a regular landline at home. I think if we did use the phone number the broadband provider supplied, it'd be some sort of VoIP thing.

Sleeper12

Someone on another forum posted a link to a Gerry Ryan show from about 12 years ago. What jumped out at me was the clarity of the calls. The quality has been slowly dropping I think

Tork

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Someone on another forum posted a link to a Gerry Ryan show from about 12 years ago. What jumped out at me was the clarity of the calls. The quality has been slowly dropping I think

I remember that comment. Maybe it was you who said it? Also, I'm guessing that many of these callers would have been using wired phones rather than cordless ones. They could be ropey too.

RINO87

Had radio 1 onoatnof the day yesterday while doing a few bits and pieces. They had an absolute nightmare of a day with the phonecalls. Every section had an interruption

Ger Roe

Tork wrote: »

I wonder how many people still use landlines? Especially now that mobile packages are dirt cheap and you sometimes have to go out of your way to even have a landline.

Some people must still do... I have often noticed that when internet or mobile tech comms drop off air and the call is then restored, usually after a hastily taken commercial break, the conversation more often than not, continues on a phone line, and many seem to be landlines that obviously could have been used in the first place.

Even if mobile phone calls don't actually drop, I find the digital artifact noises can often make the call uncomfortable to listen to. Give me a crisp clear analog landine, any day - both for reliability and quality.

The sound quality of live callers on air these days is often lower than using P&T landlines on a 1970's overmodulated medium wave pirate.:)

Losty Dublin

Ger Roe wrote: »

Even if mobile phone calls don't actually drop, I find the digital artifact noises can often make the call uncomfortable to listen to. Give me a crisp clear analog landine, any day - both for reliability and quality.

Sure it's turned into a digital signal as it travels on the phone network. It's only analogue for the last few yards or so as it arrives to your home.

Ger Roe wrote: »

The sound quality of live callers on air these days is often lower than using P&T landlines on a 1970's overmodulated medium wave pirate.:)

That's true. I've heard the tapes on your Anorak Hour to prove it :pac::pac:

L1011

The main issue with mobiles is that calls that terminate out to a landline end up using the original GSM codec which is ancient. Mobile to mobile calls can use AMR or VoLTE and end up being similar or better than landline to landline, but as soon as it degrades to GSM it's awful

You can usually tell if a caller is landline or mobile quite easily