Skype 4.0 Promises Improved Call Quality; Will It Deliver?
Version 4.0 of Skype (download here) has arrived, with a host of new features including full-screen video calling and a revamped instant messaging system. While a few new bells and whistles sound nice, what I’m most interested in about the new Skype release is the claim that “call quality is substantially improved.”
After all, the main reason to use Skype is for free calls with other members or low-cost calls to landlines or international numbers. But lately, the actual call quality has been extremely poor for this user, along with most people I know that use the service. Echoes, multi-second interruptions, and dropped calls have been frequent, rendering the service virtually useless for business calls. So how is Skype addressing call quality issues in the 4.0 release?
According the company, “the new audio codec achieves wideband audio quality using 50% less bandwidth than previously required. Moreover, it introduces super wideband audio that delivers crystal clear, richer and warmer sound to those using a compatible headset and a high quality broadband connection. The bandwidth manager interacts with the codec to adjust quickly to fluctuating bandwidth conditions to produce the most reliable sound.”
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