Tag Archives: HD Voice

AT&T to Launch LTE Calling on May 23rd

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Call quality is long overdue for an improvement.  Several carriers have proposed solutions, but AT&T may be the first solution available for use.

It’s been a long time coming, but improved voice quality is finally coming to some US carriers.  Despite the rapidly improving data speeds being offered, voice calling has been nearly unchanged since the advent of the cell phone, or the advent of the landline, for that matter.

Starting May 23rd, AT&T is enabling LTE calling for parts of various states in the midwest United States.  Specific regions within Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin will be the first to be enabled for the new LTE voice service, but the coverage will obviously expand from there.  AT&T has not unveiled an official release plan yet, but these build outs normally extend from the initial launch areas prior to adding new regions.

The only phone that will initially support the LTE voice is the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini.  The choice of such a mediocre device suggests the initial release is also a beta test of sorts.  The Galaxy S4 Mini did not post amazing sales numbers, so the carrier can ensure that only a small number of people initially have access in order to mitigate any hiccups in the rollout.  Newer and more popular phones will be able to be updated down the road to support LTE voice as the service proves itself.

HD voice calling may sound like overkill to some, because voice quality has always been the same, but so much range and clarity are lost during transmission that even a little background noise or interference can make it extremely difficult to understand the person on the other end of the phone.

AT&T will be the first to market with improved voice calling, since Sprint’s HD Voice solution isn’t slated to be in place until July this year.  Hopefully improved voice calling catches on quickly across all carriers, but with all the legacy cell phones still in use today, networks can’t change voice service too quickly without impacting customers using older phones.

If all goes well, thousands–or hopefully millions–of subscribers will have access to HD voice or VoLTE services by the end of the year.

Source: Engadget

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Read more on Walyou, Sprint To Launch Nationwide HD Voice in July, FCC Encourages Exploration of VoIP Networks

Sprint To Launch Nationwide HD Voice in July

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With all the new mobile technology out, we tend to get distracted by data speeds and other features, but it’s about time voice got an upgrade.

Although the feature isn’t entirely new and it was announced over two years ago, massive cellular infrastructures take time to update, so there’s often a delay before we can use the newest network side technology.  Sprint has been doing some major work on its network and is finally ready to officially launch HD voice in more than the handful of networks it is currently available.

During his keynote speech for Oracle Industry Direct in Boston, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse made the announcement that HD Voice for will be launched for Sprint customers nationwide in July of this year.  Hesse said “voice is still the killer app,” and early test have supported this, with HD Voice carrying vocal audio over 7 octaves as opposed to the four octaves we’re all used to.  HD Voice sounds even better than a landline.

Traditional voice calls take about 8,000 audio samples per second and broadcast and limits call frequency to anywhere from 300 Hz to 3.4 kHz, while the human voice transmits anywhere from 75 Hz to 14 kHz.  HD Voice is much more in line with our voices, transmitting a range of anywhere from 50 Hz to 7 kHz, or more and takes 16,000 audio samples per second, resulting in voice audio sounding much more like it should.

Sprint isn’t the only US carrier implementing HD Voice.  T-Mobile has also enabled some markets, but like Sprint, it’s not fully enabled.  Verizon and AT&T also have plans to enable HD Voice on their networks later this year.

Not all HD Voice networks are created equal, though.  There will likely not be any interoperability between any two carrier’s HD Voice network, meaning most people will only gain the benefits of high quality voice when talking to people who use the same cellular provider.

VoLTE technology was recently encouraged by the FCC  and serve as a much more robust alternative, solving many issues, such as carrier interoperability.  Most carriers, including Sprint, are looking into VoLTE technology, but it doesn’t have widespread adoption yet.

Source: Engadget, Wired

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Verizon expanding San Francisco Innovation Center, currently working on cross-carrier HD Voice support

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Verizon expanding San Francisco Innovation Center, currently working on crosscarrier HD Voice support

2011 sure doesn't feel like that long ago, but it's evidently long enough for Verizon to realize that demand for innovation is booming in Silicon Valley. Not quite two years after the company cracked open the doors to its San Francisco-based Innovation Center, it's already looking to expand. During a briefing today at its other Innovation Center -- the one located just outside of Boston -- we were told that plans are underway to expand the SF facility. Presently, the Waltham, Mass. center is the vaster of the two, and it's Verizon's goal to stretch the California edition to (roughly) match the original location.

We were also told that the company has looked at a variety of other cities where potential Innovation Centers could be planted, and while "three to four" undisclosed metropolises are in play, the company wants to nail the execution of its first two before hastily expanding into new locales. According to Praveen Atreya, director of Verizon's Innovation Program, there's just too much involved in the incubation and launch process to not devote the proper amount of manpower to it. In other words, there's more to launching a product than just design and manufacturing; a lot of TLC goes on in order to make something have a successful shelf life.

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SuperTooth launches the $199 Disco Twin and $89 HD Voice at CES (video)

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SuperTooth launches the $199 Disco Twin and $89 HD Voice at CES video

Gallic Bluetooth audio house SuperTooth wants you to buy its Disco speakers in pairs to better show off its stereo prowess, not to mention make a little more cash. That's why it's outing the Disco Twin here at CES, a $199 pair of noisyboxes that offer discrete left and right stereo -- each pumping out 16 watts of RMS power. You'll be able to squeeze up to four hours of juice out of each one if you use them to host a (short) rave, or up to 10 hours in more serene circumstances. At the same time, it's also releasing the HD Voice, an $89 hands-free car kit that clips to your sun visor and will even pair with your phone using voice commands. The company isn't ready to say when the pair will be available, but we can't imagine it'll be a long wait.

Continue reading SuperTooth launches the $199 Disco Twin and $89 HD Voice at CES (video)

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Orange begins first HD Voice calls between countries, decides clarity knows no borders

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Orange HD Voice on Nokia phones

Orange was one of the vanguards of high-quality cellphone calls, having kicked off HD Voice with a Moldovian launch back in 2009. The premium chatter has always stopped at the border, however -- even two Orange customers couldn't see the improvement if they were in different countries. The carrier is bridging that gap with claims that it's the first to support improved voice on the international level: starting today, Moldovans and Romanians on Orange can give each other a ring and expect the extra-smooth calling they're used to from local conversations. We don't yet know if and when other countries will hop on the bandwagon. We've reached out, but it's possible that any upgraded links between other countries will come only from case-by-case negotiations. Those in Bucharest might want to track down any relatives in Chișinău for a quick chat in the meantime.

Continue reading Orange begins first HD Voice calls between countries, decides clarity knows no borders

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Orange begins first HD Voice calls between countries, decides clarity knows no borders originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 22 Oct 2012 11:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bring the noise! Sony confirms HD Voice support for Xperia T

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DNP Sony confirms HD Voice support for the Xperia T

In the fast moving world of smartphones, giant HD displays just aren't enough anymore. The new hot commodity in the land of mobile is "HD Voice." Sure, the technology isn't exactly brand new, but using it over post-3G high speed networks is. The selling point here is high quality noise cancellation, which allows a phone's user to be heard clearly in the noisiest of environments. The latest device to hop on the bandwagon is Sony's Xperia T. When describing this feature, the herculean consumer electronics maker got downright emotional saying, "you feel closer to the person you are talking to." While we're not too sure about that, HD Voice did impress during our ears-on session. The major caveat here is that this feature requires that both parties have HD Voice capable handsets. So, until this concept becomes more mainstream, Xperia T owners' phone calls are likely to be close, but no cigar.

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Bring the noise! Sony confirms HD Voice support for Xperia T originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 22:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LG’s first VoLTE Bluetooth headset revealed: Tone + packs ‘high-quality’ audio codec

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LG's first VoLTE Bluetooth headset revealed Tone adds

LG isn't short of a few Voice over LTE handsets, but this neck-hugging Bluetooth handset promises to offer similarly crisp voice calls, if the feature's available, without the need to fumble around in your pockets . The Tone + headset totes a pair of in-ear buds, is available in both white and black and will even vibrate in Battle Royale terror style when you receive a call. LG has built in a "professional grade audio codec", the aptX, to improve audio performance alongside that VoLTE compatibility. The headphones can event pair to two devices (even two smartphones) and read out your received SMS messages. You can expect the micro-USB rechargeable Tone+ to last around 15 hours of talk-time, or 500 hours on standby. Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but LG promise to launch the device in the US, Korea and China by the end of the month.

Continue reading LG's first VoLTE Bluetooth headset revealed: Tone + packs 'high-quality' audio codec

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LG's first VoLTE Bluetooth headset revealed: Tone + packs 'high-quality' audio codec originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Sep 2012 03:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint confirms its HD Voice is incompatible with the iPhone 5

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Sprint confirms its HD Voice is incompatible with the iPhone 5

The new, lighter iPhone 5 has a bigger screen, punchier processor, LTE and dual-band WiFi, but if you plan to pick one up for Sprint's network, you can't have it all. Carrier spokesperson Michelle Leff Mermelstein told Phone Scoop that its version of HD Voice will not work on Apple's new wünderphone. While most carriers use WCDMA networks to achieve the greater definition, Sprint uses CDMA 1X Advanced, which unfortunately isn't compatible with the handset. Knowing the feature will be missing prior to launch isn't ideal, but when you're calling your friends to boast about that day-one purchase, a slight drop in clarity isn't likely to kill your geek buzz.

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Sprint confirms its HD Voice is incompatible with the iPhone 5 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Sep 2012 06:01:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SK Telecom deploys HD Voice over LTE, claims title of world’s first

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SK Telecom deploys HD Voice over LTE, claims title of world's first

The little blue marble we call Earth is no stranger to HD Voice -- it's been around commercially since Orange debuted the service over its 3G network in Moldova nearly three years ago -- but the technology still hasn't been officially deployed over an LTE network. That is, until SK Telecom launches the service later today. Doing so will allow the South Korean carrier to snag the crown for world's first before Sprint, which recently announced that its network won't have it until later this year. It's a win-win scenario for the company: HD Voice over LTE is meant to vastly improve call quality and reduce latency for the customers, while lessening network strain and offering new revenue-making opportunities for SK Telecom. What about devices? It hasn't announced any brand new smartphones that can take advantage of the service, but the company's ready to pre-load the Samsung Galaxy S III with software that enables HD Voice capability, and is planning to push an update to current owners of the flagship device. If you're the type of person that still makes the occasional call, this kind of progress should come as pleasant news.

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SK Telecom deploys HD Voice over LTE, claims title of world's first originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SK Telecom deploys HD Voice over LTE, claims title of world’s first

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SK Telecom deploys HD Voice over LTE, claims title of world's first

The little blue marble we call Earth is no stranger to HD Voice -- it's been around commercially since Orange debuted the service over its 3G network in Moldova nearly three years ago -- but the technology still hasn't been officially deployed over an LTE network. That is, until SK Telecom launches the service later today. Doing so will allow the South Korean carrier to snag the crown for world's first before Sprint, which recently announced that its network won't have it until later this year. It's a win-win scenario for the company: HD Voice over LTE is meant to vastly improve call quality and reduce latency for the customers, while lessening network strain and offering new revenue-making opportunities for SK Telecom. What about devices? It hasn't announced any brand new smartphones that can take advantage of the service, but the company's ready to pre-load the Samsung Galaxy S III with software that enables HD Voice capability, and is planning to push an update to current owners of the flagship device. If you're the type of person that still makes the occasional call, this kind of progress should come as pleasant news.

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SK Telecom deploys HD Voice over LTE, claims title of world's first originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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