Sure Signal - Call Audio Quality Issues

[Retired-George]

This issue has the following symptoms:

• Poor audio quality on both outbound and inbound calls
• Particularly affects customers using a Virgin Media cable connection

If you’re only experiencing poor audio quality one-way (for example, the call sounds fine to you, but the person you are calling reports poor quality), then this is most likely due to insufficient bandwidth on your broadband connection and is not an issue with your Sure Signal.

Troubleshooting:

If the person you are calling can’t hear you, this is usually caused by low upload speeds.

If you can't hear the person you've called, this is due to low download speeds.

Check if your broadband connection meets the minimum requirements.

Please run the broadband speed checker.

If your connection fails any part of the test, this indicates an issue with your Internet Service Provider and you’ll need to contact them to discuss this further.

Your connection speed will vary throughout the day, so we recommend running it at various times to get an accurate reading.

Check for planned maintenance.
Planned maintenance can cause periods of downtime, so check the forum for any planned maintenance. If there is, this will be announced at the top of the Sure Signal forum.

Reset your Sure Signal:

Sure Signal version 1

• Connect device to internet and power supply

• Press and hold down the reset button (located near the internet port) until end of the process which will be indicated

• Remove the power cable at back of the unit and wait for five seconds

• Reconnect the power cable back to device

• Wait for the LED sequence to flash from top to bottom and back to top

• Wait for five seconds

• Release the reset button

• Within 10 minutes, all the 4 LEDs will start to flash in sequence – 1^st & 3^rd then 2^nd & 4^th then 1^st & 3^rd – with the sequence repeated. This sequence indicates the start of the factory reset procedure.

Sure Signal version 2

• • Connect device to internet and power supply
  • Press and hold down reset button – located near the internet port
  • Wait for all the LED (power + 2 white LED) to light up for few seconds (power LED will always remain lit)
  • Wait for five seconds
  • Release the reset button
    
    
  • Within 10 minutes, 2 white LEDs will start flashing continuously – power LED will always remain constant in addition (unless there is an issue with local connectivity)

Sure Signal version 3

• • Connect device to internet and power supply
  • Press and hold down reset button – located near the internet port
  • Wait for 20 seconds
  • Release the reset button
    
    
  • All the LEDs will temporarily switch off for about 10 seconds. The power LED will then light up and remain constant whilst white internet LED flashes continuously.

The Sure Signal will be back online in around 1 hour.

Move Your Sure Signal Away from the Router
Sometimes the Wi-Fi signal from the router can interfere with the 3G signal from the Sure Signal and this could result in poor audio quality.

In order to prevent this from happening, please ensure that your Sure Signal is moved away from the router as far as the cable will allow.

If you’re still experiencing poor audio quality, post in this thread and we can look into it further.

Thanks,

Jenny

[bobsta]

Paffman,

This won't be a popular opinion on here... but my recommendation would be to unplug the SureSignal and never plug the darned thing back in again.

I gave up trying to get mine to work a couple of months ago, having rejigged my network to be setup just the way the SureSignal needs it (PPPoA not PPPoE). I have a stable 900kbps upload speed but the performance from the SureSignal box was never consistent. I could test it and it would be fine... then a few hours or days later it'd be back to garbled gibberish - which is frankly embarassing when you're using the phone for business calls.

I've just learned which rooms in my house get a usable signal (don't look at the bars - judge it on the call quality) and I make sure I always go there when a call comes in or I wish to make a call. The results have been consistently much better than with the SS enabled.

It may be that you live in an area with such poor coverage that this isn't an option for you... in which case you have my sympathy. Maybe try another network?!

[Paffman]

Thanks for that bobsta. Unfortunately living in a dip I don't get hardly any signal with any network. When I am away from home and can get a signal the outbound calls are great with no problems. I was with 3 for years, great company and phone deals, but only one place in the house that would receive 1 bar and if you went near it or tried to answer it, you lost the signal. Now I am self employed I need a reliable mobile phone. When I found out about VF and the SS I thought my prayers were answered and changed network and bought a SS (£50 - I don't know why that want to charge £100 for a little SS that you have to plug into a mains socket at ground level) and things have been great for a few years, then the underwater sounding outbound calls...

I think I have done just about everything except buy another SS, it's a pity I can't get a loan one to try, but I know it's not that simple. Trouble is no other network has a SS type unit to boost the signal, if 3 did I would change network like a shot...

Fingers crossed I will get an answer form a VF forum member.

[Retired-Dave]

Hi Paffman,

I can't see that we've had your Sure Signal serial number in this thread, so can you post that for us so we can check things at this end?

Also, can you try a fresh reset of the Sure signal to make sure that it's picked up properly following the change of Home Hub?

Dave

[Paffman]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your reply.

Just run through the 'fresh reset' for me please and is it OK to post my SS serial number here or can you give me a link to sent it to you?

Cheers,

Steve

[Sukhi]

Hi Paffman

Yes you can post your serial number on the forum :).

I think what Dave meant is a factory reset see how to do this below;

VSS Factory Reset

* Hold the reset button till all the lights come on or flash (about 30 seconds)
* Keeping the rest button held, remove and re-insert the power lead
* Once all the lights come on or flash, release the reset button
* The VSS should come online within the hour

Thanks

Sukhi

[Paffman]

Hi Sukhi,

I'll try the reset, my serial # is 40110921372.

[Retired-Kay]

Hi Paffman, 

I can see your Sure Signal has updated with our servers this morning. Can you confirm if it's working? 

Thanks, 

Kay

[Paffman]

Hi Kay,

When you say that my SS has updated with your servers, what do you mean?

I have tried using my mobile to leave a message on my answer phone and it is still a bit hit and miss. Do you think the SS has a problem, do you think it's over the hill and need replacing?

Steve

[Sukhi]

Hi Paffman

Thanks for getting back to us. This means it made contact with our servers.

It’s possible it could be faulty in which case we can look to repair it. See here for ways to do this.

Can you test it with a different connation altogether? Maybe take it around to a friend’s house? That’ll let us know if its faulty

Thanks

Sukhi

[Paffman]

Hi Sukhi,

I don't know anyone with a SS, the only way I could get one without buying a new on at £100 is via a well known auction site and take a chance that it works. Is it a lot of trouble registering the newish one then if no better rergistering the original one? Don't suppose a VF store would have a load SS to try?