We are delighted to announce support for High Definition (HD) Voice on the Simwood network.
For those unaware, HD Voice like HD TV offers substantial quality improvements over ‘standard definition’. HD Voice delivers more than twice the clarity of a POTS call due to offering more than twice the frequency range.
The PSTN limits audio frequency to a range between 300Hz and 3kHz. HD Voice increases the top-end of the range to 7kHZ to 20kHZ.
That additional clarity translates into more natural communication, with less repetition, and less effort expended on comprehension. For our customers that translates into longer duration calls and a point of differentiation. It also finally kills the VoIP vs PSTN quality argument stone dead as VoIP now has potential to transcend PSTN quality, not merely match it.
To support HD Voice both ends must support one of a new range of wideband codecs such as G722, AMR-WB and G.711.1. That of course excludes calls to and from the PSTN and limits compatibility to VoIP to VoIP calls. However, for on-net calls between Simwood customer networks and calls into and out of the Simwood network which are exchanged with peered networks, HD is an option.
For the time being we are offering HD on a request basis for all Simwood numbering – on enabled numbers we will offer HD codecs on calls where the other end is HD capable. For termination you may offer us HD codecs immediately and we will accept them where the destination is HD compatible. Naturally, your own equipment and your subscribers need to be HD ready too.
Applications based on HD Voice are already emerging and Simwood is pleased to partner with the leaders. By example, ZipDX, a “next-generation” audio conferencing provider based in Silicon Valley, California, has been supporting HD Voice since the company first started offering service in 2008 and has selected Simwood to serve their UK customers. Enhanced audio quality makes a big difference on conference calls, where participants are often struggling to identify voices and understand accented speakers. With an HD Voice conference call, the fatigue that is often suffered after a lengthy meeting disappears, because the brain doesn’t have to work overtime recovering the audio information that is lost over a traditional connection.
By teaming with Simwood, ZipDX can offer UK callers a seamless HD Voice experience. The connection will automatically be in HD Voice when possible, but will revert to legacy audio for those using a traditional mobile or wireline phone. No special dialing is required because Simwood completes the call in the best possible way. In a “mixed mode” conference, the ZipDX bridge lets HD callers hear each other with highest quality, while still allowing others to participate via the conventional PSTN.
HD Voice is clearly the future of telecoms and we’re delighted to be a part of it. We hope you’ll share our excitement.
Thank you for your continued interest and please do not hesitate to contact us with any queries.
