Just a thought on the timing...

The primary reason for the QECs is to report back to their respective governments, upon arriving in Andromeda ... plus periodic status updates on how exploration and colonization is going.  From an operational perspective, if none of the QECs worked ... and that is highly possible ... it would concern those in charge of the Ai.  The inhabitants of the Ark ships most likely knew of the Reapers, prior to departure and if ALL the QECs were silenced ... it would seem ominous ... but turn the Arks around and head back? No, they are not going to head back to the MWG because of this.

So ... let's say each Ark ship has two QECs (if you like, we can make it 20 or 200 ... IDC) ... in this example, one QEC has it's paired companion on the Citadel ... maybe in the Councilor's office for the race the QEC is meant to serve. The other Ark ship QEC is on the home world for the race it is intended to serve.  Unless they were moved at some point, the QECs on the Citadel are toast.  Similarly, QECs on Earth, Palavin and Thessia are toast. Surkesh ... I don't know. Maybe the Salarian's QEC survived ... or we simply don't see what happened to Surkesh and it is no better off than the others.  Tuchunka ... don't know and frankly, I don't think the Krogan will care. Maybe I met different Krogan in my plays-through.

With respect for "ETs" need to phone home, the Ark ships seem to include families ... so who are they so desperate to call?  I'm having trouble thinking that Krogan are going to give a flying pyjak about calling home. As far as the Asari are concerned, Samara was just fine not having any contact with two of her daughters for hundreds of years. Since time will not have passed, from the perspective of those in stasis, it won't seem any more than, "a few minutes" since they left. I doubt they will be hankering for a call, because of any sense that "it's been such a long time" will not be there.

The lack of dial tone (i.e. the QEC not having anyone pick up on the other end) might cause concern, but if these folks left before the Reapers arrived, they would not necessarily jump to the conclusion that the Citadel and all the home worlds were destroyed.  But even if that is what they feared, they're not going back. By the time they got back, NO ONE they knew will still be alive. No Krogan, no Asari. Certainly no humans, Salarians or Turians. So exactly what would they be going back to, a Shepard memorial?

If individuals are non-functional because of their "feels," put them in charge of cleaning latrines on the Ark trip ... no clean, no eat.  If they are too disruptive to the Ark, the crews, the Andromeda Initiative or a threat to the survival of others, rapid cranial insertion of a micro slug, accelerated using miniaturized mass effect fields should be sufficient to alleviate the problem.  Wet cleanup on aisle six.