T-Mobile USA's network modernization effort has enabled it to offer improved in-call voice quality and the operator is promoting the new capability via a 30-second YouTube clip.
The clip lets listeners hear the difference between the clarity of sound quality of HD Voice, featured in the first part of the clip, with standard non-HD service in the last part.
At this year's International Consumer Electronics Show, T-Mobile announced HD Voice is now available on its HSPA+ network nationwide for customers with compatible handsets, such as the HTC One S, Nokia Astound and Samsung Galaxy S III. Both parties to a call must have a compatible handset for an HD Voice call to work. The operator said multiple vendors, including Ericsson and Nokia Siemens Networks, were involved in its launch of HD voice technology
Almost all commercial voice over LTE (VoLTE) launches worldwide are expected to eventually support HD Voice. Though HD Voice does not require an underlying LTE network, T-Mobile is unique among U.S. carriers in that it launched HD Voice prior to introducing LTE, which it plans to launch later this year. T-Mobile claims to be the first U.S. wireless provider to launch HD Voice nationwide.
In April, Sprint Nextel (NYSE:S) introduced the Evo 4G LTE handset featuring HD voice and said it would become the first U.S. carrier to offer nationwide HD voice capability beginning in late 2012 as part of its Network Vision upgrade. However, CNET reports that Sprint has completed only one HD Voice trial market, though the users can see a few more markets open up in the coming months.
AT&T (NYSE:T) is expected to launch HD Voice later this year, probably in the third quarter. Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ) told CNET that it will offer HD Voice in 2014, sometime after the operator shifts voice service to its LTE network via VoLTE and is assured it can offer a consistent quality of service for HD Voice users.
MetroPCS (NYSE:PCS) was the first U.S. operator to launch VoLTE, and Ed Chao, the operator's senior vice president of engineering, has said, "We can turn on HD voice. We can turn on simultaneous voice and data services. It's just software to add new services."
For more:
- see this TmoNews article
- see this YouTube clip
- see this CNET article
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