A new report by GSA (the Global mobile Suppliers Association) confirms that network deployments, using Adaptive Multi Rate Wideband technology, are on the rise since the first commercial mobile HD Voice services were introduced in September 2009 - Based on 3GPP Standards.

The GSA report lists the 18 countries and territories where the services are launched and gives details of a further 9 trials or new deployments.

An important success factor is set to be the availability of phones with HD Voice capability activated as default. The GSA has identified over 30 such devices that are currently available from manufacturers.


Alan Hadden, President of the GSA, said: “The availability of HD Voice on mobile networks is quickly spreading. HD Voice enabled by W-AMR technology is the most significant development in the mobile voice service for many years.”

Specifications

The 3GPP Work Item on Wideband Telephony Service AMR is “WID1625 (AMRWB)”.

The goal of the 3GPP work was to develop wideband speech coding, providing;

• Improved speech quality (exceeding G.711 PCM wireline quality) through the introduction of the wider audio bandwidth (7kHz).

• A wideband speech service with channel robustness similar to that of the existing narrowband speech coders.

• A wideband speech service for existing and evolved systems, enabling efficient wideband speech service interoperation.

• Added flexibility to AMR, which can be used to tailor the speech services to specific operator needs.

At the time of writing this article, eleven (11) 3GPP Technical Specifications are specifically related to this Work Item (WID1625, AMRWB):

Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;

	Spec	Title
	26.171	Speech codec speech processing functions;

Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;
General description|
Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec test sequences|

	26.173	ANSI-C code for the Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec
	26.174	Speech codec speech processing functions;

Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec test sequences|
Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;

26.190

Speech codec speech processing functions;

Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;
Transcoding functions|
Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;

26.191

Speech codec speech processing functions;

Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;
Error concealment of erroneous or lost frames|
Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;

26.192

Speech codec speech processing functions;

Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;
Comfort noise aspects|
Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;

26.193

Speech codec speech processing functions;

Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;
Source controlled rate operation|
Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;

26.194

Speech codec speech processing functions;

Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;
Voice Activity Detector (VAD)|
Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;

26.201

Speech codec speech processing functions;

Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;
Frame structure|
Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;

26.202

Speech codec speech processing functions;

Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;
Interface to Iu, Uu and Nb|
Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;

26.204

Speech codec speech processing functions;

Adaptive Multi-Rate - Wideband (AMR-WB) speech codec;
ANSI-C code|

See also; 3GPP Technical Specifications and Reports (Around 40 in number) which are associated with or affected by the "Wideband Telephony Service - AMR"...Link.

See also; Initial technical report: TR 26.901 – “AMR wideband speech codec;
Feasibility study report” (2000)

About the GSA

Log in to the GSA website and download Mobile HD Voice: Global Update report via

http://www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/info_papers.php4

Related Mobile HD Voice GSA resources:

• World map of commercial network launches: download via http://www.gsacom.com/news/statistics.php4

• Graphic showing announced HD Voice capable phones: map and phone graphic also available as JPEG files www.gsacom.com/news/statistics.php4)

• GSA website: www.gsacom.com

GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association) represents GSM/EDGE/WCDMA-HSPA/LTE suppliers, providing reports, facts, analysis and information explaining market developments and trends. GSA-organized seminars facilitate enhanced dialog between operators, members and developer communities.