Smartphones continue to improve in the "smart" areas: better screens, faster processors, more memory, etc., but there's not been a lot of innovation in the phone aspect of those devices. HD voice technology can change that, but since its introduction in 2009, hi-fi calling was only available on GSM networks... until now. Ericsson has just made the first HD voice call via CDMA -- made possible by a new Enhanced Variable Rate Codec Narrowband-Wideband (EVRC-NW for the awkward acronym-loving crowd). The codec delivers sound in the 50Hz - 7000Hz range, which makes traditional calls limited to the 300Hz - 3400Hz spectrum sound like they're coming from a drive-thru attendant at your local Mickey D's. So far, the tech's limited to the lab, but here's hoping Ericsson lets it roam free to deliver the dulcet tones of our friends and family sooner rather than later.
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Ericsson makes Industry's First HD voice call on CDMA
Mar 17, 2011
· HD voice technology successfully demonstrated on CDMA technology
· HD voice significantly increases voice quality, intelligibility and decreases listening fatigue in mobile networks
· Enhances the CDMA operator's ability to deliver differentiated voice services and improves the subscriber experience
Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) has successfully completed a CDMA wideband High Definition (HD) voice call using the Enhanced Variable Rate Codec Narrowband-Wideband (EVRC-NW) codec, demonstrating a technical first for the CDMA industry. CDMA HD voice delivers speech in a wider spectral range of 50Hz to 7000Hz, which increases voice quality, intelligibility and decreases listening fatigue, even in environments with high background noise.
Ericsson leads the industry in introducing new technologies with superior voice quality. Ericsson consumer research shows that voice quality provides a key differentiator between operator networks by improving subscriber retention and increasing mobile usage.
"We have demonstrated the first high-definition CDMA voice call in the world over an Ericsson network utilizing the new EVRC-NW 3GPP2 standard codec and ensuring interoperability with existing functionality while easing the rollout of future wideband services." says Surya Bommakanti, Vice President, Product Area Core, BU CDMA Mobile Systems, Ericsson. "This is the starting point of a voice quality revolution that will significantly enhance CDMA networks as we know them today."
The Ericsson CDMA development team in collaboration with Qualcomm Incorporated has reached this important milestone by successfully completing HD voice calls in a lab environment on a CDMA voice network.
Ericsson is continuously enhancing its CDMA product portfolio to bring superior voice capabilities to market for the benefit of CDMA subscribers and operators.
