Tests show users accept VoIP speech quality

By CMP News Services
iApplianceWeb
(06/26/02, 01:36:11 PM EDT)

LONDON - In a development that can only accelerate the net-centrification of telecommunications and change the nature of iAppliance design, a research report to be released this week at a meeting of the ETSI indicates that the speech quality of voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) transmissions meet the expectations of today's telecom users.

To be circulated at the meeting of ETSI Project Telecommunications and Internet Protocol Harmonization Over Networks in Bruges, Belgium, the report analyzes the results of special tests for VoIP quality and proves to network operators that the equipment tested will not cause unacceptable voice deterioration.

The tests also confirm the steadily improving quality of codecs, which in time will reduce the difference between VoIP and traditional voice transmissions. They report also indicates that systems and equipment from different manufacturers will eventually be able to interoperate.

ETSI said the results also represent the removal of another barrier towards the creation of next-generation networks.

In tests held earlier this year, T-Systems Nova GmbH Berkom and Head Acoustics GmbH performed speech quality measurements on VoIP equipment from different manufacturers to determine speech quality under specific IP network conditions. The results detailed the performance of different implementations with respect to speech quality. The two companies said the research will prove useful to manufacturers seeking to optimize system design.

The VoIP tests were the second organized by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), and were co-sponsored by Alcatel.

According to Tal Simchony, chairman and chief executive officer of ECI Telecom - NGTS, “ETSI's second speech quality test event allowed us to demonstrate, in an objective and highly respected technology event, that our VoIP technology reaches the level of traditional TDM voice quality.”

Phil Cretch, chief technology officer of Alcatel's Voice Network Activities, added: “The report enables a broad audience to get the current achievable VoIP quality status. The testing event was especially valuable for Alcatel as the impacts of real-life network conditions were considered.”