Manila, Philippines – November 28, 2012
Nokia Siemens Networks enables crystal clear voice quality
Smart Communications’ customers in Mega Manila, including the Bulacan and Rizal provinces, will soon enjoy unmatched mobile voice quality. The company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), has deployed Nokia Siemens Networks’ Wide Band Adaptive Multi-Rate (WB-AMR)* functionality which enables it to offer high-definition (HD) voice services to subscribers. Pilot implementations of this new feature have already been completed in Makati, Taguig and Rizal.
Nokia Siemens Networks is deploying the WB-AMR software feature in Smart Communications’ 3G network, and will do so later in its 2G network. The upgrade process is simplified by requiring only software updates for the network, and results in subscribers of Smart Communications benefiting from improved voice call quality.
The upgrade can be compared to the difference between AM and FM radio. High-definition voice makes it easier for callers to distinguish commonly misunderstood sounds such as “s” from “f”, “m” from “n”, and “p” from “t”.
“In HD voice-enabled areas, callers with HD voice-capable handsets running on 3G will be able to hear the difference instantly,” said Rolando Peña, head of technology at PLDT. “Nokia Siemens Networks’ WB-AMR functionality lets us deliver significantly superior voice quality. This reaffirms our commitment to implementing innovative services aimed at providing the best communications experience to our customers in the Philippines”.
“This particular engagement with Smart Communications further strengthens Nokia Siemens Networks’ resolve to provide an innovative edge to its customers”, said Markku Nieminen, head of Smart Communications customer team at Nokia Siemens Networks. “Our WB-AMR technology, tailored to ensure an unprecedented communications experience, marks another step forward in our vision to create smarter networks for the future”.
Smart Communications recently launched its Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile broadband network supplied by Nokia Siemens Networks. Using the 2100 MHz frequency, the LTE radio access is based on Nokia Siemens Networks’ Single Radio Access Network** (RAN) and takes full advantage of the hardware concurrently used on that frequency for HSPA. The LTE throughput speeds are faster than in the 3G HSPA networks and latency is improved considerably, bringing top-of-class Internet access and rich communication experience to mobile subscribers. This is complemented with the simultaneous deployment of Virtual Antenna Mapping (VAM) in the 3G layer, a unique feature offered only by Nokia Siemens Networks. It enables doubling transmit signals to maximize the usage of multiple power amplifiers, thus further enhancing 3G coverage and throughput performance.
In addition to providing WB-AMR, LTE and VAM, Nokia Siemens Networks is also supplying its NetAct network management system for consolidated and effective monitoring, management and optimization of Smart Communications’ network across all radio technologies. Nokia Siemens Networks’ Intelligent Self Organizing Networks*** (iSON) capability will be used for increasing automation and speeding up the rollout as well as optimizing Smart Communications’ LTE network.
To share your thoughts on the topic, join the @NokiaSiemensNet discussion on Twitter using #LTE and #mobilebroadband.
About Smart Communications, Inc.
Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is the Philippines’ leading wireless services provider with 50.9 million subscribers on its GSM network as of end-June 2012. Smart has built a reputation for innovation, having introduced world-first wireless data services, such as Smart Money, Smart Load, Smart Padala and the Netphone. Smart also offers 3G and HSPA+ services, and the country’s first and only LTE network. Its Smart Link service provides communications to the global maritime industry. Smart Broadband, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary, offers a wireless broadband service, Smart Broadband, with over 1.63 million subscribers as of end-June 2012. Smart is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Philippines’ leading telecommunications carrier, the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company. For more information, visit http://www.smart.com.ph.
About Nokia Siemens Networks
Nokia Siemens Networks is the world’s specialist in mobile broadband. From the first ever call on GSM, to the first call on LTE, we operate at the forefront of each generation of mobile technology. Our global experts invent the new capabilities our customers need in their networks. We provide the world’s most efficient mobile networks, the intelligence to maximize the value of those networks, and the services to make it all work seamlessly.
With headquarters in Espoo, Finland, we operate in over 150 countries and had net sales of over 14 billion euros in 2011. http://www.nokiasiemensnetworks.com
Media Enquiries
Nokia Siemens Networks
Cordia So
External Communications, Asia Pacific
Phone: +852 97475873
E-mail: cordia.so@nsn.com
Media Relations
Phone: +358 7140 02869
E-mail: mediarelations@nsn.com
Smart Communications
Ramon R. Isberto
Head, Public Affairs Group
Phone: +63 2 511 3101
E-mail: rrisberto@smart.com.ph or publicaffairs@smart.com.ph
Notes:
* Wideband Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) technology uses speech compression techniques to enhance audio bandwidth and provide a highly improved sound quality. HD Voice offers a significant improvement in the audio quality of voice calls. The reason for this is similar to a transition from an AM radio receiver to a near CD-quality sound. This is done by using new audio codec technology that allows transmission of a much wider speech audio bandwidth usage of 50-7000 Hz compared to the current bandwidth of basic service (300-3400 Hz). It transmits frequencies used in voice calls clearer than before and eliminates background noise to a large extent. As a result, the sound is much clearer, including a feeling of presence and transparency, providing a new level of user experience in voice service.
** Nokia Siemens Networks’ Single RAN including the Flexi Multiradio Base Station provides a future-proof, easy and cost-efficient path to LTE in both FDD and TDD spectrum bands via a simple software upgrade. Besides the Single RAN that supports GSM, 3G, FDD-LTE and TD-LTE, the company’s LTE telecom infrastructure offering also features the Evolved Packet Core, including Flexi NS (Network Server) and Flexi NG (Network Gateway), transport solutions, network management system, Self Organizing Networks (SON), the award-winning Voice over LTE (VoLTE), provisioning and charging solutions and a range of professional services to plan, install, maintain and operate networks. For more information, click here.
*** Nokia Siemens Networks’ industry-leading SON Suite is part of its Liquid Radio and is based on hybrid architecture with intelligence residing both in the distributed network elements and in the centralized NetAct Operations Support System (OSS). This ensures that all areas of SON i.e. self-configuration, self-optimization and self-healing are addressed efficiently in an unparalleled way with the highest level of automation and richest set of features commercially available for use today.
At the core of SON Suite is the market leading multi-technology, multi-vendor NetAct network management system and Flexi Multiradio Base Station supported by core network solutions. The SON Suite bypasses time-consuming manual processes in network operations to improve operational efficiency. This is done through introduction of automatic network configuration for handover processes, self-healing for secure uninterrupted end-user services coupled with minimizing the need for drive tests. It also helps operators introduce new technologies and expand networks faster with the proven industry-leading SON Plug and Play feature for automated Base Station network integration that was launched in September 2009. Nokia Siemens Networks SON Suite provides operators with reliable and scalable automation features for fast time to quality.
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