News - Orange trials HD voice in the UK

[HEXUS]

Bristol, Reading and Southampton are the first places to try-out the next generation audio technology.

Read more.

[amdavies]

Scratch 'n' Sniff HD anyone ?

[cameronlite]

It just isn't necessary to upgrade to HD calls. Could we not understand what she was saying before?

It does sound better, it also sounds like a different recording...

[watercooled]

It sounds better but I don't think I've ever seen it as a problem. The poor microphones in some phones on the other hand...

[cameronlite]

isn't there already strain on the networks? (Not retorhical)

[TAKTAK]

Yes please

[ultrasbm]

Talk about jumping on the HD bandwagon..............psh.

[directhex]

How about better reception & lower internet latency instead?

[abaxas]

H w ab ut they f x their network fir st befo e they do this?

Why bother with 'HD' calls when there are loads of places you cant even make a call from?

Also the 1second -> 2 weeks delay on txts is just stupid in this day and age.

* I live in the country so mobiles are not exactly mobile

[Saracen]

Like, it seems, everyone else that's posted, I'm struggling to see the point. As long as I know who it is, and can hear and understand them, what's the point of anything beyond what we've got? After all, I'm not going to pay for a phone call to play someone music.

Maybe there's some service, or some point I'm missing, but it strikes me as a technology solution in desperate search of a problem.

Oh, I suppose if voices are clearer and there is no attempt to charge a premium for this, then okay. But there's nothing wrong with the voice quality that matters right now, in my view, because I can still hold a comfortable conversation and it does not impede communication.

[aidanjt]

What a complete and utter waste of bandwidth. Wireless carriers are already whining about data bandwidth usage. What's going to happen when voice calls get needlessly more bloated?

[miniyazz]

What a complete and utter waste of bandwidth. Wireless carriers are already whining about data bandwidth usage. What's going to happen when voice calls get needlessly more bloated?

*ahem*

HD Voice uses the WB-AMR (Wideband Adaptive Multi-Rate) speech codec to deliver significantly enhanced sound quality while utilising the same network resources."

Although presumably they could use similar methods to keep sound quality the same while reducing network resources.

[Kumagoro]

Personally I think its a good thing.

[Percy1983]

As long as no premium is charge and its just phased in with new handsets etc, then go for it.

Will I 'upgrade' my trust W880i, hell no.

[baius]

Could we not understand what she was saying before?

Your joke's better than mine, but I'll still have a go.

A quote (not ver-batum): "You need HD content for your HD TV to really shine".

So, following on from this will smokers (who can have croaky voices) not be aloud to use Orange's service?

• "Both high-definition lungs and a high-definition voice-box are needed for a user to use our 'HD Voice' service."

(*Note: I have never smoked. Thankfully.)