[Asterisk-Users] super high bandwidth codec

[Eric Wieling aka ManxPower]

Dean Collins wrote:
> I've just gotten off a skype conference call and it pisses me off that
> the quality of skype is higher than my asterisk calls. 
> Is there such a thing as a super high bandwidth codec?

Asterisk does not support "wideband" codecs as far as I know.  Most 
telephony gear expects most calls to be handed at some point by a PSTN 
channel (FXO or FXS) or by a VoIP hardphone.  The highest bandwidth 
those devices support is ulaw or alaw.  Hardphones COULD support 
wideband codecs, but I don't know of any that actually do.

Of course, if all legs of a call uses a wideband codec, like if you are 
only using Softphones, then in theory you could use a wideband codec. 
Skype, which until recently didn't even support PSTN or hardphones might 
very well use a wideband codec in order to fool users into thinking it's 
a better product.

NOTE: CVS-HEAD allows you to specify more options for codecs.  SpeeX 
might be able to be set for wideband mode, but that won't make much 
difference if your hardware/software doesn't support it.