| VoIP systems have slowly integrated itself into | | | | crisp, higher clarity of sounds to each call. HD VoIP |
| mainstream telecommunications systems for personal, | | | | technologies now boast voice sampling of 8, 16 and 32 |
| commercial and industrial use. This is due mainly to the | | | | kHz increments, which can mean big changes in the |
| cost-effective communication solutions that VoIP | | | | communications experience. |
| networks offer individual or corporate users for their | | | | With HD Voice, users can hear a wider range of |
| internal or external telecommunications needs. | | | | sounds, enabling them to distinguish words and letters |
| However, many are still holding out on their transition to | | | | more clearly, particularly in conversations with people |
| VoIP-based communications mainly due to concerns | | | | with unfamiliar accents. This would be beneficial for |
| with regards to voice quality. Businesses and | | | | businesses engaged in frequent conference calls, |
| professionals rely much on clear, concise and precise | | | | making such communications easier to understand, |
| communications with their clients, suppliers and | | | | less stressful and more productive. Comprehension is |
| co-workers. It would not be productive for business | | | | easier thus increasing the ability of staff members to |
| users if they have to repeat words or spell-out letters | | | | process and retain relevant information from their |
| in words because the phone lines could not capture | | | | conversations and teleconferences. With wideband |
| the whole range of frequencies of human speech. | | | | technology, calls are more realistic--not like the |
| Enter wideband or HD VoIP technologies. These new | | | | "canned" sounds that people usually get with standard |
| and emerging systems are promising far superior | | | | phones. |
| voice quality than any standard telephony systems | | | | The only drawback with HD VoIP systems is that you |
| can ever provide. The following discusses what HD or | | | | can only get the full range of benefits if both ends of |
| wideband VoIP is and how it can benefit businesses, | | | | the line have the HD or wideband capable VoIP |
| professionals and personal users of VoIP systems and | | | | systems. If the recipient does not have the same |
| networks. | | | | codec, the voice call will be downgraded to standard |
| HD VoIP, Its Benefits and Current Limitations | | | | voice quality. However, as the HD standard spreads, |
| Wideband VoIP technology is also called HD Voice or | | | | more and more users will soon be able to experience |
| HD VoIP in the industry and refers to the systems and | | | | and benefit from the high quality audio that HD VoIP |
| technologies using a voice codec that delivers audio | | | | phones can provide. |
| superior in quality to traditional PSTN phones, cellular | | | | Current and Future Trends with HD VoIP |
| phones and standard VoIP calls. This is possible | | | | As cellular networks slowly move towards 4G |
| because HD VoIP systems can capture twice the | | | | technologies, the use of wideband telephony and HD |
| capability of standard phones in capturing the sound | | | | voice will also increase as users can make use of the |
| spectrum for voice frequencies. | | | | technology on their mobile devices. With the increase |
| Standard phones or PSTN systems can only capture | | | | of VoIP usage over land-based and cellular networks, |
| from 300 to 3,300 Hz (3.3 kHz) of the human voice | | | | mainstream mobile users of VoIP systems can fully |
| sound spectrum. Wideband telephony using the G.722 | | | | enjoy the full range of features that wideband VoIP |
| standard telephony codec for wideband can capture | | | | systems can offer them. |
| up to 7 kHz of the sound spectrum, thereby providing | | | | |