Telstra Launches HD Voice Network

Telstra has activated HD voice capabilities across Australia, greatly enhancing voice quality and reducing disturbance from background noise. A handset with HD voice capabilities is required. There is no additional cost for HD voice connections.


Ericsson supplied software upgrades for Telstra's core and WCDMA radio access network based on an existing contract between the companies. In addition, the integration of Mobile SoftSwitch Solution (MSS) and WCDMA software was done without interruption to current services.


HD Voice uses Wideband Adaptive Multi-Rate coding (WB-AMR), which provides a wider dynamic range. Over twice the range of voice frequencies are transmitted allowing customers to hear the full range of a person's voice and makes it much clearer to distinguish between similar sounds like ‘S' and ‘F'.


Mike Wright, Director of Networks and Access Technologies, Telstra, said: "Telstra has launched many firsts on the Australian market, including HSPA+ and we are the first Australian operator to commence deployment of LTE, the 4th generation of mobile communications technology. So not only do Telstra mobile customers have access to the largest and fastest national mobile network, they also have access to the latest voice technology."


Johan Wibergh, head of Ericsson's Business Unit Networks, says: "We believe HD voice is an innovation for voice services similar to the shift from standard TV to HDTV. The marked difference in quality is a leap in voice services, and we're delighted that the strong partnership between Ericsson and Telstra has made it possible to create the largest HD voice network in the world. Many recently released handset models have HD voice capabilities built in, such as recent models from the Sony Ericsson Xperia family."


Ericsson noted that close to 70% of global mobile revenues are still linked to voice calls.
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