3360 Volume FADES (?) and no Volume Control when on line with 800 AT&T

[DEZLBOY]

Hi - can you help out a newbie?

Just charged new 3360, and noticed two volume problems (?). Or is this normal?

1. Incoming Volume Fading: When speaking at home last night the signal display was full at 4 bars and did not waiver. When speaking with my Mom's landline, her voice faded several times for 10 or 20 seconds or so, then rose again to normal. When it faded, I could use the volume control to bring it back up. The fade also happened when listening to AT&T 800 customer "help" recording. The fade was "just as if" I had turned the volume down - but I did not touch those controls.

But, driving to work, I listened to same AT&T recordings for a full 20 min with no change in volume. So, is fading volume a "normal" reception thing, even when at full signal strength - that maybe just effects my reception at home? (or some other places, yet to be found?)

2. NO Volume Control Bars: I also noticed that when on the phone to AT&T 800 number whether listening to the recordings, or going thru the touch tone menu to speak to a live person, I can not access the volume controls. Hitting the SCROLL buttons which normally brings up the volume bars did nothing. Is that because the 800 number to AT&T disables those controls? When speaking to my Mom (a non 800 number) the volume bars worked fine.

NOTE: I am wondering if I do have a bad phone and the volume fading in and out AND the fact the volume bars couldn't be accessed when on line to AT&T is a symptom?

Thanks! a bunch.

[tylerdurden]

I don't know about number 1, but for #2, your problem may be easily solved. When you have numbers punched in after you dial (as when you're using a phone menu system) the phone is in a different "mode". To get back to the normal mode, hold down the "clear" button (the button above the red phone) until all the numbers are cleared off the screen, then try to adjust the volume.

Hope this helps.

[DEZLBOY]

Originally posted by: tylerdurden for #2, <snip> To get back to the normal mode, hold down the "clear" button <snip> until all the numbers are cleared off the screen, then try to adjust the volume. Hope this helps.

Tyler,,,,it worked! Thanks! As for the fading....maybe someone else can tell me if that's "normal".

thanks again.

[bobolito]

The way you described the fading is absolutely not normal. A weak signal strength will not cause fading even less if strong. It will cause garbled voice for a fraction of a second or no voice at all. I suggest using an earphone and see if the fading continues.

[mrEviltheCat]

I had a problem similar to #1 for a while with my phone. My problem mostly existed while I lived in an area that had electricty poles with LOTS of wires(to the point where walking by them there was a huge buzzing sound), I would have the volume drop for no apparent reason while in the area and then it would come back up eventually when I was away from the lines or sometimes not until I ended the call and called again, and this was with 4 bars of signal. So you might want to see if there is anything that can interfere with your signal in the area because ever since I moved to an area where the power lines are in shielded tubes underground I have had no issues with the volume changing itself.

[DEZLBOY]

Hi Everyone...I appreciate all your responses, and wanted to give you an update. I've only had the phone for four days and only used it four times - so can't say the fading problem won't occur again, but it hasn't repeated itself since the first day.

Here is one optimistic theory. The phone is fine, but it was operator error. I noticed that while holding the phone I was rotating it (for comfort, I guess?) as my elbow would move around. What I mean is...while keeping the phone "near" my ear, the earpiece would move off the opening in my ear to my ear itself - and when that happened the sound was "faded."

So...maybe, I was causing the fading out and back in - just by moving the earpiece(unrealizing it) away from the ear opening. At least, I can repeat the symptoms by doing that.....not to say it still isn't the phone itself...