So when I read through all these comments there is no solution yet right ? I’ve asked a new phone to Fairphone or reimburse me completely. Let’s see what they will respond. At the moment they want to send it to repair 
LOL Other well thought solutions here ? I just want to be able to have normal call haha not funny in fact.
Interesting that FP support still suggests repairs. I suppose they don’t think it can be solved by software? I had 2 FP 4 models, both had the same issue. So I’m not so sure it’s an incidental production error.
Has anyone with the problem already upgraded to Android 12 and tried to check if it persists? I know that there isn’t any known way to reproduce the problem, but perhaps somebody already ran into it again with Android 12 running - I sincerely do not hope that is the case… still hoping for a solution…
I had the same problems as described in this thread - the other end could barely understand me and I had crackling noises on my end. Tried all proposed tests, including mic/speaker test, new SIM, turning off 4G calling etc. Carrier is Alditalk via O2 Germany.
I contacted support, who promised an exchange of the phone. I then sent it to Cordon Electronics in Normandy, France (from my location: 1200km one-way). Instead of replacing the phone as promised, I got it sent back without prior contact, set to french as system language. The comment was: “no faults found”. Support told me they had no direct way of communicating with Cordon, instead a specific department would be responsible for the communication with them. They said maybe Cordon sent it back because it was a software error(!?!)
Seriously, before sending it in, I described that the phone passed the hardware check and still had those problems - and all they (can) do is a speaker/microphone check? After all, this error is known since December 2021!
Well, in the end all I could do was send it back again (total mileage: 3600km) for a refund, which I now received just short of two months from the order date.
This kind of “outsourcing responsibility” is something I would have expected from Samsung, but not Fairphone. I have been a customer since Fairphone 1 crowdfunding, but not anymore now, sorry as I am.
I hope everyone affected will get a fix soon, though they seem to resolve it one carrier at a time, since most of the past update release notes said “The network compatibility for several carriers has been enhanced.”
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The difficult thing I guess is, its not necessarily only and overall provider related, else all O2 user would have issues, whats actually not the case.
The Cordon story is really without words and not the first story, however handling this all inhouse at Fairphone will most likely never be feasible.
I have the same issue, also O2 User from Germany. And pretty angry in the meantime. I have a phone and I can’t use it as a phone. I hoped for the Android 12-Update, but nothing changed.
@yvmuell
Sure, outsourcing in itself is not necessarily a problem, but requires smart handling. Sending things back and forth for nothing shouldn’t happen, at least not in multiple cases. A feedback before sending it back to me would have saved two trips at the cost of FP and climate.
What stays (though certainly not intended) is the impression that I only got feelgood, copy-paste replies (“I’m sorry about this situation”) from FP support and Cordon plays the “bad cop” for them.
The issue itself seems to be complex enough. Such a worst-case scenario should get top priority and transparent communication. Even with a limited number of affected users, this is a trust-killer.
In my case, this might cost FP about 4-5 future customers who bought the FP3+ on my recommendation. Had they handled the issue swiftly and openly, I would have bought an FP3+ for myself, but now I will continue with my half-broken phone and see about the Shiftphone 8.
Hi, i wrote a month ago about this problem….several times contact with customer support and they suggest know to send it to france. Just like others wrote above.
I m dutch and my provider is Youfone….
The problem is not every day the same. Sometimes (today e.g.) no problem, last week often problems.
If you do send your phone to France, please let us know if that helped.
That’s something I noticed too.
Even during the same (long!..) call I might have problems at the beginning, then they totally cease (for no apparent reason) a couple minutes later. Which seems to rule out about anything hardware-related (besides maybe temperature). 
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At least my problems seem to have gone after upgrading to Android 12, can anybody else confirm this also helped with his phone? I cannot be absolutely sure since there is no way to force the problem to occur, I can only wait for the counterexample to appear - mathematically speaking
I’m still having problems with people hearing me on phone calls even after the update to Android 12. I’m on Tesco Mobile (O2’s network) in the UK. I’m going to try disabling microphone access in the Google app, then I will try a Vodaphone sim card, and will report back here with the outcome. I contacted customer support over a week ago but haven’t heard back yet.
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I’m in a long, protracted discussion with Fairphone customer support too (for another issue), and they aren’t quick. It took a while (a week? Slightly more?) for them to initially answer, and after sending me some routine suggestions I answered with additional information, after which the person handling my case said he would forward my answers to the tech team, another week passed, I got a new slew of questions I answered, followed another week of waiting, and so on.
So don’t expect them to answer quickly, the client support team is clearly small. They do answer eventually.
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Indeed I have. I have been experimenting and found that the microphone is not at the top or bottom of the phone but on the left hand side. No wonder the person receiving the call can’t hear me properly as how I naturally hold the phone often obscures the mike. I regard this as a basic design failure. At least I now know and so share.
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Greetings!
Every time I put a call on speaker people complain about the sound quality worsening significantly up to the point of me being completely incomprehensible for them. How could I possibly fix that? I’m using a Fairphone 4.
Thanks!
I’ve noticed the same thing. The only solution seems to be buying a new phone unfortunately.
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A12 has worsened call quality for me too. I had little to no problems while on A11, now I constantly get short sound interruptions (like a bad contact) on my side (I hear them, not the person I’m calling), but it doesn’t seems to be a mechanical problem like a bad connection in the phone, because moving or even tapping on the phone doesn’t change anything, and the problem recedes after 3-4 minutes all on its own. Unfortunately most calls are shorter than that. 
Unfortunately I’m a consultant and the phone is my work tool. I can’t afford to tell my clients “sorry, could you repeat, I didn’t get this because I have a Fairphone”… 
Does it happen at the same locations when you missed 5G? sure no solution, however, maybe turn it off to see if its better then? I still dont have issues and never had any unnormal issues. And yes, pain in the a…, however, I would strongly suggest to report to support along with your provider information, especially as the A12 upgrade was rolled out for orange late.
It’s now solidly 4G around here, no hint of 5G, so I don’t really see what I would gain by turning off 5G, but I’ll try it, just in case.
I admit I’m working from home those last weeks, so I’m always in the same (rural) environment. That been said my phone did work just fine here while I was on A11, it would be a hell of a coincidence if the local phone tower went bad specifically the day and hour Fairphone decided to release the Orange France version of their A12!..
Yes, I’ll ask support, but I’m sure it’s totally useless beyond statistics purposes. I definitely don’t expect them to be able to help me beyond playing their support script through (switch it off and on, safe mode, factory reset, send it to Bretagne to breathe some invigorating sea air. Hey, I have the sea here too!.. And as I said, my phone is vital to me. If I have to wipe/send it away for a week, I’ll have to buy a new one first, at this one will sure as hell not be a Fairphone! ).
just a side note: you reap what you saw… if its that bad and vital, I would just sell it and stop those negativity for me and live a happy life without a Fairphone, as the negativity will not at all help to solve something.