Urgent – Intermittent Audio Drops on Orbi RBE973S WiFi 7 (Firmware v9.13.2.1)

I am currently experiencing intermittent audio drop issues during Microsoft Teams calls on my Orbi RBE973S when connected to the WiFi 7 network, running the latest firmware (v9.13.2.1).

This is extremely disappointing, especially for a flagship Orbi WiFi 7 system positioned at a premium price point. I expect stable and reliable performance for basic business communication use cases such as Teams calls. While the network connection itself remains active and does not disconnect, the audio drops intermittently during calls, making it disruptive and unreliable for work.

When firmware v9.13.2.1 was first released, the issue appeared to be resolved. However, after a few weeks, the same symptoms returned.

Importantly:

• The issue only occurs when connected to the WiFi 7 network.
• When I switch to the IoT network (2.4GHz / 5GHz, presumably WiFi 6), the problem disappears completely.
• When using my 5G mobile network, Teams calls are perfectly stable with no audio interruptions.

This strongly suggests a problem related specifically to the WiFi 7 implementation rather than my ISP or devices.

For comparison, I have installed a TP-Link WiFi 7 (BE19000) router at my parents’ home, and it has not experienced any audio drop issues since day one — despite being significantly more affordable. This makes the situation even more frustrating given the premium pricing of the Orbi RBE973S.

I respectfully request that Netgear investigate this issue urgently and provide a permanent fix. A flagship WiFi 7 product should deliver stable, enterprise-grade reliability — especially for real-time communication applications.

I sincerely hope this issue is acknowledged and addressed as soon as possible.