Telecom Lead Africa: Airtel has launched mobile HD voice services — one of the most significant improvements in voice communications in the past two decades — in Africa.
Mobile HD Voice uses Adaptive Multi Rate Wideband technology (W-AMR, standardized by 3GPP), enabling high-quality voice calls in supporting mobile networks and an improved user experience.
It provides significantly higher voice quality for calls between mobile phones supporting the feature, and is market reality on numerous GSM, WCDMA-UMTS, and LTE networks today.
According to the results of a recent survey, 96 percent of customers are satisfied with HD Voice calls.
Airtel becomes the third operator to launch a mobile HD voice service in Africa.
GSA’s latest Mobile HD Voice: Global Update report confirms that HD Voice services are commercially launched in almost 60 percent of EU member countries.
The new report shows how operator investments in mobile HD Voice extend far beyond Europe. HD Voice services are commercially launched on 45 GSM, 3G/HSPA and LTE mobile networks in 35 countries and territories: Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong S.A.R., India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, The Netherlands, Poland, Réunion, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Uganda, and UK.
Mobile HD Voice services are offered by competing operators in 10 markets – Austria, Canada, Croatia, France, Poland, Slovenia, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey and UK.
More than 80 HD Voice enabled mobile phones are launched by many leading manufacturers, including products for professional broadcasters. Many new phone models are delivered with HD Voice (W-AMR) activated as default. Demand for HD Voice is increasing and many operators are working to maximize HD voice handset availability.
Mobile HD Voice enables high-quality voice calls because it reduces background noise often heard on a regular call. Airtel customers on 3G networks will experience a significant improvement in their voice communications as the new service will enable them to hear better in noisy environments.
To enjoy the maximum benefits of this new technology, both the calling and the called party need an HD-Voice compatible mobile phone. However, improvements in call quality are also perceived when using an HD voice-enabled phone to call a non-HD Voice phone.
picture source: .livemint.com
