As long as both endpoints are HD-enabled, calls to iNum numbers will convey a sound quality that far surpasses traditional circuit switched telephony. This new capability adds the benefit of ‘in the room’ sound quality to iNum’s location neutrality and cost savings on international calls.
Prefaced with the ITU-assigned +883 code, iNum numbers refer to the Internet in the same way that +44 refers internationally to the UK and +1 refers to the US.
A call to an iNum number is routed first to Voxbone, which carries it over the expensive, long distance leg of the route before delivering it to the appropriate service provider, which terminates the call to its subscriber.
An HD voice signal cannot fit through the frequency constraints of the plain old telephone service (POTS), a fact that limits the HD benefit to end to end IP calls. However, most iNum calls should support HD voice because most iNum traffic is transmitted by service providers that have migrated to IP or begun operation as VoIP carriers.
“In equipping our iNum numbers with high-definition voice, we are bringing a key piece, a uniform identifier, to the emerging HD ecosystem,” said Rod Ullens, Voxbone CEO. “Many endpoints and a lot of isolated networks, such as Skype, already support HD, but there needs to be a standard way for any service provider to reach a particular HD endpoint. HD-enabled iNum offers the perfect solution.”
Voxbone is beginning its HD support with the wideband G.722 codec and plans to add other codecs in the fourth quarter of this year.