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by vibrolax 3740 days ago
What you are calling "analog-era call quality" was likely mostly digital call quality, with only the local loop being analog. Before digital carrier facilities and switches like 4ESS, 5ESS, etc. became ubiquitous on the PSTN, there was plenty of analog noise on local and long distance calls, as well as delays, echo, crosstalk, and other artifacts. I remember a marked improvement in voice call quality throughout the 1980's. I believe wireless voice quality will increase organically as the bandwidth available for wireless digital services grows.