France Télécom / Orange First Mobile Operator to Offer HD Audio on 3G Phones

[mkrishnan]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/technology/17voicehd.html?ref=technology

BERLIN — France Télécom has become the first mobile operator to transmit voice calls and audio in high definition, part of an effort by telecommunications companies to improve the quality of cellphone conversations.

France Télécom, whose mobile unit is Orange, rolled out the network in Moldova this month. The country was chosen because it has France Télécom’s newest third-generation network, which can accommodate the technology.

“We need to provide our mobile customers with a better voice experience,” said Yves Tyrode, the head of France Télécom’s Technocenter research division. “That’s why we’ve invested in this technology. Because we think it will differentiate us.”

...

Since 2006, France Télécom has sold HD voice to its fixed-line broadband homes in France, where it has 500,000 customers. The company plans to expand the offer to all 13.4 million of its European customers by 2015.

The introduction of the technology in Moldova was its first delivery of enhanced audio to mobile customers. France Télécom said it would expand its availability to other customers as it upgrades its wireless networks over the next five years.

The audio quality of the typical phone call has not changed significantly since the first industry standards were set in the 1930s. Most phone systems still transmit sound frequencies from 300 to 3400 hertz, a fraction of the range of the human voice.

With HD audio, France Télécom is transmitting in a range of 30 to 7000 hertz at its Orange Moldova subsidiary, where it is the mobile leader with 70 percent of the market. The effect is roughly similar to the difference between AM radio and CD quality sound.

France Télécom chose Moldova, the poorest country in Europe, because the subsidiary has the newest network of the group — a 3G, wireless broadband network that began operating in November, built by Huawei of China.

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But bringing HD audio to mobile networks faces hurdles. Wideband audio’s technical standards for fixed-line and wireless networks are different, preventing their interconnection until equipment to make them compatible is developed.

There is also a lack of mobile devices for HD voice. In Moldova, Orange is selling the only HD audio phone on the market, the Nokia 6720c, for 4,299 Moldovan lei, or $385. To experience the improved sound, the caller and the person being called must have such a phone.

...

In an era when time spent doing calls vs. all other activities on phones is going successively down, it's an interesting gambit, but it sounds like it will deliver nice functionality for users. Certainly even compared to landlines, the sort of average call quality on cell phones is still lacking. Now maybe you can sing over the phone and have someone really enjoy it.

 

[jav6454]

So technically France Telekom is trying to replicate Graham Bell's same sound quality?

When Bell invented the telephone:

"Mr. Watson I need you in my office please" Loud and clear.

Today:

"Can you say that again?" Accompanied with static, grabble and low volume.

Mobile phones today:

"yes.... *static* ... and ma....... *drop*" Pathetic.

I applaud the decision to make the quality better. At least we can finally feel what Graham Bell heard for the first time using a phone.

 

[mkrishnan]

I applaud the decision to make the quality better. At least we can finally feel what Graham Bell heard for the first time using a phone.

That's probably being at least a little cynical. If the promise literally came true, though -- and the call quality on phones was comparable to an audio CD... that would be quite the difference.

P.S. Are landline calls where you live really that bad? Unless VOIP is involved, mine aren't anything generally like that. They sound pretty good.

 

[jav6454]

That's probably being at least a little cynical. If the promise literally came true, though -- and the call quality on phones was comparable to an audio CD... that would be quite the difference.

P.S. Are landline calls where you live really that bad? Unless VOIP is involved, mine aren't anything generally like that. They sound pretty good.

My landlines are not that great. I work at the Chem Stockroom in college and I hate to have to place an order simply because either:

1. Call is static ridden
2. If there is no static, then I barely can hear the other person
3. The other person speaks Engrish and the phone transmission is delayed by a 1-1.3 second lag.

That can be frustrating enough to throw the phone to the wall.

Skype when I call home on the other hand beats a landline by far....

 

[mkrishnan]

That can be frustrating enough to throw the phone to the wall.

That can be really annoying... but it's probably because of the internet telephony tech at the call center and not because of the actual phone system....