hd voice

AT&T plans to begin deploying HD Voice's improved voice calling to customers later this year, an executive with the carrier revealed today.

The feature, which has been long touted by the wireless carriers, uses hardware and software components on both the phone and on the network to significantly enhance voice clarity while reducing background noise. The feature devotes more frequency to handle the amount of audio coming in and automatically kicks in when both handsets support it.

Speaking at the VentureBeat Mobile Summit in Sausalito, Calif., Senior VP Kris Rinne said that the carrier's support for … Read more

LAS VEGAS--HD Voice has suddenly become a hot topic at this year's Consumer Electronic Show.

The feature, which significantly enhances call quality by improving voice clarity while blocking out background noise, has been long touted by the wireless carriers. Widely available in Europe for years, the U.S. carriers have lagged behind.

T-Mobile said yesterday that HD Voice was now available on select phones in its lineup. PC Mag reported that AT&T was shooting for a launch some time this year. Now Verizon has stepped in, and told CNET that it would offer the feature in 2014. … Read more

T-Mobile USA said today that it had enhanced its coverage in several cities, allowing unlocked iPhones to tap into the network's highest speeds.

The carrier said it has built out its HSPA+ network in four cities -- Los Angeles, San Diego, Denver, and Virginia Beach, Va. -- utilizing the 1900MHz spectrum. That's important because the iPhone is compatible with 1900MHz, but not the other frequencies that T-Mobile uses.

In total, T-Mobile's 1900MHz footprint covers 46 metro area and about 126 million people.

T-Mobile also fast-tracked the carrier's 4G LTE plans and plans to cover 100 million … Read more

LAS VEGAS--As attendees arrive today for four days of innovative developments in consumer technologies, a related revolution is also getting attention at CES. At today's Broadband Unlimited conference, representatives of the communications industries and others were unified in calls for an accelerated transition from outmoded legacy copper phone lines to new networks that would treat all traffic as IP packets from end to end -- what has sometimes been called the "Internet Everywhere" network.

"If 'The Graduate' were being remade," according to Daniel Berninger, a pioneer in voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications and now … Read more

I gave high marks to the original SuperTooth Disco bookshelf speaker when it dropped into stores last year, but I took issue with its inability to travel and of course, the lack of true stereo sound.

This year, the company will take to CES again to announce a portable listening solution called the Disco Twin that includes two separate speakers, giving you option to perch them wherever you like.

Wireless Bluetooth channels stream music to each device powered by 16 watts of audio juice, and the company's legacy "bass reflex system" in the back keeps the low … Read more

It's finally here. The white iPhone 4 has hit the market. So what should you do with that pesky-old black one?

Since Apple first unveiled the white iPhone last June when it released the iPhone 4, consumers have been clamoring for the white device. But soon after the iPhone 4 went on sale, Apple confessed that it had production issues with the white version. Some consumers chose to wait as Apple pushed back the availability date again and again. And now finally, nearly a year after Apple introduced the iPhone 4, the company started selling the white version this week.… Read more

Telecommunications company Ericsson has placed what it calls the first-ever HD call over a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) network.

HD calling, also known as wideband audio, has been available in Europe for some time over different network technology. Rather than calls being placed over the current 300Hz to 3400Hz spectral range, HD calls run on the 50Hz to 7000Hz spectral range. The result is a much higher quality of sound that improves fidelity of the human voice, which ranges from 80Hz to 14,000Hz. HD voice calls use the Enhanced Variable Rate Codec Narrowband-Wideband codec.

"This is the … Read more

BARCELONA, Spain--Jabra debuted its latest hands-free calling solution for cars at the Mobile World Conference this week. The Freeway improves upon the previous Cruiser2 model and is expected to deliver higher voice and audio quality.

Three speakers in the Freeway create a Virtual Surround Sound for incoming calls, according to the company. Jabra also added a second microphone to help counter background noise from wind and other vehicle passengers. The visor-mounted Freeway uses an embedded motion sensor to automatically turn on and off when it detects the car in motion. New voice-activated features enable the driver to make, accept, and … Read more