Pixel 3xl drops calls after half hour

[Jengoddard]

My pixel 3xl drops every call (made or received) after exactly 29 minutes and 50 seconds. I don't know if this is related to phone settings, network or what so wondered if anyone had had similar issues or knew of a fix. It's a real pain in the backside as currently working from home and means I get cut off in every conference call!

[EL1234]

"I was assured by the representative that Vodafone and all other providers using the same manufacturer equipment (e.g. Nokia, Ericcson, Alcatel, Huawei or whatever Vodafone uses on their network) are waiting for a release of a software update that is meant to address this issue."

Can't see how all other providers have this problem when if you Google it the only one that comes up in this country is Vodafone.

Reddit has similar posts for Sprint and AT&T in the US.  This one doesn't mention the network (https://www.reddit.com/r/Oppo/comments/ul2tw6/phone_calls_keep_dropping_after_exactly_30_minutes/), but someone else mentioned they had the "exact same issue" on Vodafone in the UK and the thread seems to be full of Vodafone users confirming they too have the problem (and that they've never been able to get it fixed).  There are two people who cited the workaround of getting Vodafone to turn off WiFi calling at their end as well as on the phone itself (a workaround that seems to be impossible to do for Lebara / Voxi etc.).

There are similar posts on the Sony forums where the only network named seems to be Vodafone.  This is purely a Vodafone issue, it is not an issue for other networks in the UK - or if it is, no one is complaining about it publicly!

ETA: unless they mean those other providers that piggyback off Vodafone, e.g. Lebara, Voxi, Talkmobile?

[Rob_Bull_001]

... And as I said earlier,  in a previous version of the MyVodafone app, there was a slider button where you could disable wifi calling at the Vodafone side.  When I had this same issue 3 years ago it was fixed by disabling the WiFi calling in both the Phone app options and in the MyVodafone app slider button. 

However, whereas I can still disable WiFi calling in the phone, that slider button no longer exists in the Vodafone app,  but the app says that WiFi calling is still enabled since the date of my contract renewal.

I will try again with customer services to get it disabled again and will report back. 

[PayPro]

@Rob_Bull_001, WiFi Calling and 4G Calling are one of the same feature on the Vodafone platform; in other words you can’t have one without the other. Whilst turning this feature off on the platform may seem like a fix, it really isn’t acceptable because when Vodafone switch off 3G your phone will try to connect at 2G for voice calls and that is likely to create capacity problems potentially leading to busy tones.

Anyone in Plymouth and Basingstoke areas will lose their 3G next month in February 2023 with the entire UK being switched off by December 2023.

You have a 4G device and you should reasonably expect it to connect at 4G for both data and voice.

[mdc1983uk]

@EL1234  Ha yeah exactly what I did. While the problem may be something to do with the Qualcomm chipset the fact remains the Qualcomm chipset did work for me and many people on Voda and continues to work for everyone else that isn't or has jumped ship. Everyone says it either appeared out of nowhere or after they did a contract upgrade or renewal. My own phone worked fine for 2 months. It had a Qualcomm chipset in when I brought it and it still does now 🤣. It worked for 2 months then didn't. How is that a manufacturer problem?!

[mdc1983uk]

Anyone getting any luck with this problem yet?  Just seen a more recent article that Voda/Three are in more and further talks to merge their networks!

Would be nice if they did and took over the Three systems that don't have this problem but I'm starting to get concerned when I see 51% stake by Voda. Surely they won't merge and bring this problem to Three customers.....

As someone said Voda are already starting the 3G network shutdown... Three started as a 3G only network. There is absolutely no way if they merge that the Voda 2G network can handle all the Three customers that's don't have VoLTE enabled. No chance!  And the Three customers known as data gobbling greedy people won't tolerate a 2G connection while making a call!

Whole thing needs to be rethought out I reckon. I see the concern by bringing the total number of actual MNOs down from 4 to 3 would be less choice for consumers and possible price increases. BUT both Three and Voda run second cheaper alternatives already ie Smarty and Voxi. EE are the expensive ones nowadays by quite a margin. And EE made things really interesting when they merged Orange and TMobile years ago and that roaming system didn't go so well. It took them years to rationalise the network into one. Someone with a weak or slow Orange signal would remain on that until signal dropped completely before it would roam across to a faster TMobile one. I really hope the plan isn't for Voda to shut down 3G, piggyback off Threes 3G for a year or so until they shut it down as well!! I can see it coming 🤣

[KayleighH]

Still no resolution I'm afraid, and when I contacted social media again I was told they would contact me in a week with an update. They did contact me, but to tell me unfortunately there was no update. I just honestly think they do not know how to resolve the issue, which is especially worrying if considering a merger with another network. 😕

[Gemma]

@mdc1983uk - so that we can look to get this raised for you as a 'Non Location Specific Network Fault' case, please come and talk to my team through Social Media. We'll need examples of the calls dropping from within a 72 hour period. 

@KayleighH - I understand it's frustrating and it must feel like nothing's being done. Any cases that have been raised are being looked into. I've just searched our social platform, using the name you've registered to the Community with and can't find your conversation. Please message us there and we'll check for another update. 

[PayPro]

@Gemma , the same old drivel keeps being dished out.

I'm sure @mdc1983uk can answer for himself but if you read the history you will learn that he is no longer a Vodafone customer due to this ongoing saga!

[mdc1983uk]

@PayPro @Gemma  Well said. I left back in August last year but am keeping an interest because if this merger happens and the problem comes back on my Three contract I'll be fuming, know exactly who to blame and where to point Ofcom.

First it was manufacturer problems for them to sort, then some equipment in the network (being removed by 2021 iirc), then a Qualcomm chipset problem, yet you are still collecting examples of the fault?! Non location specific fault lol yet the affected phones are still for sale on your webstore!!

[Gemma]

@mdc1983uk - I'm sorry this was my mistake for missing that you've left.