Orange is the first carrier to offer international HD voice calls to enrich end-user experience

Following  the launch of HD voice services between Orange Moldova and Orange  Romania in October 2012, Orange has now gone further by making the  service available to third-party operators and service providers via the  Group's international voice hub.

For end-users, high-definition  voice reduces background noise and the "hisses and crackles" often  heard on a regular call. By providing crisp, clear sound quality,  callers benefit from a much richer sound that is even capable of  conveying emotion and creating a greater sense of proximity between  callers. In an international business environment, HD technology  minimizes the effects of local accents and improves comprehension  between multicultural speakers.

Harnessing the power of a full-IP world to boost international traffic and improve service quality

Through  this service, Orange manages the complexity of routing HD-voice traffic  across multiple networks on behalf of third-party operators and service  providers. By using a single IP interconnection point and full-IP  routing, Orange ensures end-to-end, high-definition service quality. HD  voice is based on WB AMR and G722 protocols and is compatible with both  fixed and mobile networks.

HD voice offers the most significant  improvement in voice communications in two decades and allows operators  and service providers to increase their own value proposition for their  customers, whether they are using 2G, 3G or 4G networks. According to a  GSMA survey(1), approximately 40% of users questioned say they would  change their calling behaviour to make longer calls, more calls or both  if they benefitted from HD voice quality. For business customers, HD  voice is also available on IPX via a Multiservice IP eXchange offer.

Orange confirms its leading position on HD voice

As  the world's first operator to launch international HD voice, Orange  aims to make HD voice a reality worldwide. Today there are over 120 HD  enabled handsets and over 50 HD networks worldwide(2) out of which 15 are  Orange. "Orange is the first operator to offer HD voice communications  across national borders and this will dramatically improve the quality  of international calls. HD voice has become a must-have service for  operators and service providers that will enable them to increase their  revenues and offer their customers significantly improved quality of  service," says Alexandre Pébereau, Executive Vice President,  International Carriers, Orange.

To find out more about Orange's wholesale solutions: http://wholesalesolutions.orange.com/

1/ Adaptive Multirate Wide Band Version 1.0, 28th December 2011
2/  Mobile HD voice is already available in the following territories: Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mauritius, Moldova, The Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, the UAE, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the USA and the Philippines.

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