A contributing factor to why cellphone service is so universally maligned: 23% of cellphone calls in the US and Western Europe fall below industry minimum standards for call quality, according to a new study published by Ditech. Two of the reasons for poor quality were ambient noise and acoustic echo. While these effects are caused primarily by the device the customer is using, the customer is more likely to blame their network for the problems and terminate service for another provider. This process is known in the industry as “churn,” but consumers may know it better as “revenge.”

Audit of 630 Million Live Mobile Calls Shows 39% Fall Below Industry Minimum Standard For Voice Quality [Ditech via TRAC]
(Photo: clickclickclickcli ck)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.