My wife's phone (a 3g 16gb) is having the same issue - the "gsm buzz" during calls. Sounds like a speaker when you hold a phone next to it while you're getting a text message. Except it's on the phone itself while you're making a call, and it's drowning out my voice.

Me personally, I only sometimes hear it on my end, but the other end of the line (whoever we're talking to) says it's sometimes not there, sometimes there but not a big deal, and other times they can't hear anything but the buzz. Pretty consistently, if she gives it a good shake, or thumps it in her hand (holds the phone in one hand, and bumps her hand "vigorously" with the other, not thwacking the phone against the table) the buzz goes away for a while.

I've done some more digging around. Many have suggested rebooting/restoring/reflashing the phone. It doesn't work (at least, it didn't work for me, and most other threads that said "Try a restore" didn't report any success). I restored to 3.1.2, then upgraded the baseband, and the bootloader, and it didn't make any difference. I also thought it was the wifi being on at the same time, but that made no difference as well.

I don't think it's a software issue. I can't think of any software bug that would give way to hardware interference of this level. Personally I think there's a loose connection or some shielding which isn't applied as well as it should be. I'm preparing to take it apart to take a look, and possibly compare it to another, see if anything looks out of place.

Frodfigu - if you can hear anything well at all, I'd say it's not the speaker. Mine also has it when I'm on speakerphone, which I believe uses a different speaker on the other end of the phone. This makes no sense.

Further reading (most are not very helpful, just recognize you're not alone):

http://www.everythingicafe.com/forum/iph...

(suggestion to try a new sim, or that it's a mic issue)

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.p...

http://iphone-chat.org/strange-noise-ove...

http://iphone-chat.org/interference-soun...

http://iphone-chat.org/buzzing-noise-com...

http://iphone-chat.org/help-iphone-inter...

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.p...

http://www.macworld.com/article/60389/20...

(especially the part about magnetic cases. that's certainly not my issue, but it might help someone else.)

http://modmyi.com/forums/general-iphone-...

I'm going to try the sim chip thing tonight, since we're on the same carrier. then make as many calls as i can to test it out.

Cheers & Good Luck.

Hi!

I had the same problem. What 100% helps is changing the dock. That means a new dockassembly (Loudspeaker,Mic,Antenna,USB plug). That solved the problem. Maybe it is enough to change the antenna on the backside of the dock. But a new dock isnt that expensive on ebay or somewhereelse. For germans try www.i-phoneagain.de

best regards

Daniel

have you tried to restore your phone in iTunes?

no guarantee this will fix your particular problem, but worth a try at least as first step. my brother's iPhone 3G suddenly started getting bad noise/interference during calls, and in his case a restore seemed to fix the problem.

Sasa - No, I'm afraid I don't know. It could be anything from static electricity having shorted something out, to that gold prong I described above not making contact anymore. It's even possible you had it in your pocket with a thumbtack or a metal shaving from something having rubbed off, and it got stuck. Mine was doing it when I bought it, so I haven't a clue. I just know that $20 in parts and an afternoon in work and I got it all working.

What kind of water damage? Do you know what happened? Have you tried charging it from a wall charger and a computer?

Cheers.

I have the same problem as described here and have tried almost every suggestion I could find on this subject. Nothing really helps. Until I ran into a problem of low speaker volume. One suggested that maybe the phonejack is dirty and there is a shortcircuit in there.

I thought, let me try if I hear the buzz also on earphones. It wasn't in the earphones. When I removed the jack, it wasn't on the earspeaker anymore also.

Can it be some dirt in the earphone jack? Worth to try.

John - There are two answers here already. One, that worked for me, is to replace the dock connector at the bottom of the phone. The other, that worked for Trilaphis, is to open it up and blow out the earphone jack. Give those a shot.

Solved. It is the dock connector with the antennes!!

Same problem here. Just started at a certain point make noise during call. Replaced speaker, no success. Cleaned earphone jack, no success. I finally opened the iPhone and took the dock connector out. Inspecting the dock connector, I noticed that there was dirt around the connector. Actually there was sand (silicium, quartz) sticking between the black housing and (what I think are)antennes. I guess the sand comes from keeping the iPhone unprotected in your pockets. Silicium and quartz are electric sensitive. I cleaned it away with a brush and small screwdriver.That really helped. No noise during calls anymore. My guess is that some sand grain punctured an antenne or made a short circuit to the housing of the connector.

So, try cleaning dock connector around the connector housing.

Yes, i've tried, i also have 3.1.2 firmware version should be the top speaker, because if during a call I pulse "speaker" button or connect the headphones I don't hear this noise/buzz.

So, how change the top speaker if this is the problem?

Thank you very much for you answers.

if everything they say doesn't work, try purchasing a new antenna, or ever a new speaker. that should do the job after you have updated the firmware

Trey - Is the antenna a seperate module? I don't see it listed on the ifixit parts listings. That won't require a complete logic board replacement?

Cheers.

yes, the antenna is separate on the 3g. If actually a flew cable. ifixit might not have it yet but they do have a image of it on here. it actually on the the speaker buzzer at the bottom of the iphone along with the dock connector flex able.

Good to hear that I am not alone in this. Static noise (buzzing sound) happened when I switched to T-Mobile signal. While roaming to AT&T, calls were crystal clear. Since January 2010. there is no roaming agreement between T-Mobile and AT&T and I am stuck with T-Mobile's "buzz" signal. I took the phone apart, checked connections, put everything back - still static noise present but improved WiFi significantly. I am getting new sim-card from T-Mobile and let's see if it helps. Looks like the problem is with providers signal or antenna's reception.

Hello, I was experiencing the same problem. I'm sitting here at work so I couldn't start tearing the phone apart so I tried Max's suggestion about the cleaning the earphone jack. It worked! after blowing the earphone jack out with air the noise is completely gone. easy fix this time.

I am have the same thing happen to me its like sitting your phone next to the comp speaker anyone got a fix? :<{

just out of intrest how many are jailbreak iPhones

mine is?

JOHN YOU ARE A LEGEND!!!!

THAT NOISE HAS BEEN DRIVING ME INSANE FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS!!!!

it was the gold connector, it seems there is two about with a space of about 1 cm between them, they looked liked they were touching but the one closest to the bottom of the phone looked the be the SLIGHTEST bit bent away from the metal frame, i pushed it hard up against it, closed everything up, and NO NOISE!!! (as of yet haha)

thank you SOO much!

I had the same problem. I tried several things and then pushed firmly on the bottom right hand side. The noise stopped (for now). I really seems to be a loose connection inside. I did not want to open the phone yet. Is it easy to open? Maybe someone can post a photo and point out what to clean?

go here and have a look http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fF0DF-mb...

i have done it there is a small clip on the bottom right push it in a bit

*do this at your own risk lol dont blame me if you do it wrong*

After i changed my i phone because of the noise all the caller were being bothered from coming out from my i phone 3gs(as if i am standing next to electronoc device)i got a phone replacement.

but after restoring the old data to the new phone from itunes i got the same problem back to my new phone.

i need help to know which setting or program is causing that.

thanks in advance

John, Could you please tell me which part you mean by 'dock'? When opened, should I look at the bottom parts, or the top ones? (I want to check my 'grounding wire', and I can't seem to figure out where I should find it).

i have a good answer !

beat your iPhone several times on a Soft Seat (chair) that's it!

that because something replace in your iPhone ,i guess Speaker has been move from main station.

Hi All, just thought I would add my "two peneth"...

I can assure you that restoring or upgrading downgrading software will have no effect on the issue your experiencing. The sound the caller hears from this phone, is the kind of noise you will get if you place you phone next to some amplified speakers. The noise is in effect the phone transmission being fed back into the audio stages of the phone.

I called my house from from my problem 3G and put the house phone on speaker so I could hear it... this was after a non OEM dock didnt fix the problem.

No amount of pressing banging had any effect on the noise, I should point out that I bought the phone, repaired it and jailbroke it on 4.2.1 from day one, I have never changed this.

Something I noted did effect the noise... turn the phone upside down, ie your speaking into the speaker and listening to the mic, noise ceases... turn the phone on its back, noise goes.

Stranger and stranger, when the old dock was in I could get rid of the noise by pressing on the bottom right corner, I hoped the new dock would fix this, interesting that pressing on the right corner did not work with the new dock... note to self - swap the old dock back in...

This is when I made the discovery, I should point out I havent solved it yet, when using the phone if I hold it at fingers length (ie my palm is not near the back of the phone, ie near the back of the dock connector) then I have no noise, if I hold the phone normally I get the noise. I can make the noise come and go by touching my palm or the side of my finger against the back of the phone (this with no pressure whatever)

I think (when the OEM dock was in) its a poor connection that means the SWR of the antenna is bad, this causes HArmonics in the radiated signal, some of which is heard as the noise. Try it, let me know what you find, I am working on a Permanent fix on this as its driving me Nuts.

Hope this was of some interest

whenever i call without handsfree there is a noise like buzzzz . . . but with handsfree everything ok. . . .wot should i do

Initially it was weird gizz noise that emits suddenly. Even when the phone is untouched. Later the noise became frequent and finally the speakers were off totally. I replaced the dockassembly. It helped for few days (4 days) and then the problem is back. I have reassembled the dock assembly parts and this time it helped me for 2 days only.

The problem comes with sounds not working and it works after restarting the phone and then after doing this for couple of times, even restarting doesn't work.

Started to hate iphone.

- Praveen

Hi

I've been reading this thread with interest as I have been suffering from the same issue. I have now managed to solve it in a manner which I find slightly disturbing. I tried system restores via itunes as well as different jacks etc however

When I hold the phone against my right ear/cheek I get interference, when I switch to the left I do not. I have metal plates on my right cheek bone as a result of a broken cheek bone :s if this is obvious to others then fair enough but it kinda freaked me out a bit !

Tim

I have a habit of putting my iPhone in my pocket upside down. This apparently has, over a few months time, caused lint and debris to collect in the earphone jack. I've jammed my buds in a few times so it was good and packed in.

It occurred to me that the earphone jack is rigged to take a microphone input from the iPhone ear buds. I figured if there was fouling in the socket that it might be causing the problem. (Possibly a short across the microphone and earphone connections.)

Sure enough after some careful surgery with a paper clip, and some compressed air, I cleared the impacted debris. Calls are now crystal clear!