AboutSpencer Holcombe Expertise I have been in the telecommunications arena for several years. I've worked in traffic,installation,repair,customer service,fraud,national and major accounts. I Started with Pacific Telephone,went to American Bell, AT&T Information Systems, AT&T Communications, Pacific Bell-SBC - AT&T. I can answer most questions of a service or equipment nature-excluding cellular. From jacks, wiring, phones, to custom calling services, local to long distance.
Experience Bell System and post divesture work for AT&T and Local operating companies. Service rep-to Fraud desk.
Organizations Telephone Pioneers of America
Publications PTM mag. Connections, Update, and other company publications. Also have expert status at AskME.com
Expert: Spencer Holcombe Date: 3/24/2005 Subject: Volume of My Voice on Other Phones
Question I have a fairly consistent problem when talking to other people from my home landline. They claim that they have trouble hearing me. I hear them fine. I seem unable to adjust the volume of the outgoing signal, and sometimes it literally seems to require me to hold my mouth artificially ON the little microphone hole, and to virtually shout to be heard (not quite, but so loudly that I must reduce the volume of my ear speaker in order to tolerate the sound of my own voice). This has been a problem with more than one phone, so I wonder if this could be something with my line (which is DSL, but otherwise a standard line with Qwest). Is there a signal booster that I could acquire to improve the loudness of my voice for those on the other end of the line?
Answer I doubt it is your line, although you may want to try switching your dsl filter for that phone with another in the house. I suspect it's your TELEPHONE itself, and judging by your discription of "the little microphone hole" would bet u have an electronic mouthpiece (electret).These can degrade over time, and I know of no "fix" that is cheaper than buying a new telephone. Before you do, try switching the phone with the problem, with one that you KNOW works' If you can be heard, you'll know it was the telephone itself, and need to replace it. Spencer
