Amazon Echo Connect Once Again

[WinniWoman]

So, we have had this device for a year or so now, but still have an issue that we can't seem to get resolved with Amazon.

When we make or receive calls, we hear the other party loud and clear but they cannot hear us! Everyone says we sound like we are very far away in a tunnel. This defeats the whole purpose of having the Connect as it is suppose to work like a speaker phone.

Alexa makes and receives the calls just fine. She answers and she hangs up when we tell her. But the issue is the callers or the people we all can't hear us.

And-once I get up to take the handset, since the other person can't hear me- there is no way I know of to even have Alexa hang up from her end while allowing me to take the call via the handset without the entire call being blasted all over the house through the Echo device speaker.

So, I end up having to tell the person I will call them back so they will be able to hear me much better.

Anyone else have this issue?

 

[isisdave]

Nowadays, you can call others who have the Alexa app on their phone, or who have an Echo, just by saying "Alexa, call so-and-so." I think she has a separate list of contacts, as I can call some but not others. Also, you can tell her "Alexa, call 212-555-1234" and she'll do that.

There's "drop in on" that you can use to connect to other Echo users too. I'm not sure how that's different from the "call" feature.

Maybe you don't need Connect any more.

 

[WinniWoman]

Nowadays, you can call others who have the Alexa app on their phone, or who have an Echo, just by saying "Alexa, call so-and-so." I think she has a separate list of contacts, as I can call some but not others. Also, you can tell her "Alexa, call 212-555-1234" and she'll do that.

There's "drop in on" that you can use to connect to other Echo users too. I'm not sure how that's different from the "call" feature.

Maybe you don't need Connect any more.

Yes I know. That is how Echo Connect works. I tell Alexa to call so and so and she calls them- either on their cell phones, or their home phones, or a business phone- whatever. (I do not know anyone personally who has an Echo device I can call directly to). The Echo Connect allows people to call my landline and connects the call. Also, when calling out it is using the landline number. The Echo still uses the contacts on your cell phone list with the Echo Connect.

Without using Echo connect, the Echo uses your cell phone number to make the calls. I am not sure about the receiving part.

With Drop in- we have a DOT upstairs so- let's say my husband is upstairs and I am downstairs, I can tell Alexa to "Drop in" on the DOT and then communicate with my husband upstairs- like having an intercom. I am thinking you can do this also with other people you know who have the ECHO but not sure. But to me, that would be a bit intrusive.

 

[silentg]

I don’t have Echo,Alexa or any of those..but family and friends do and like it.
Just seems like an intrusion to me.

 

[Talent312]

I don’t have Echo,Alexa or any of those..but family and friends do and like it.
Just seems like an intrusion to me.

It's simply a tool, personal digital assistant, which stays in the background.
What's intrusive are TV's (we have 4 for just us 2), phones and computers.
.

 

[Phydeaux]

I'm going to go out on a limb here, and suggest anyone that has one of these devices eves-dropping in their home has never read George Orwell's classic, 1984.

Aside from that, is placing or receiving a phone call using a phone really that difficult? IMO, just another example of a solution searching for a problem.

Sorry, can't help with your problem. I tend to spend my money on more practical and useful things, like a gasoline powered turtle neck sweater, fur sink, or cheese straightener.