Alongside the series of announcements earlier this week, Google Fi made official HD calling. Its absence has been a long-standing and noticeable complaint from subscribers.
A new Google Support page provides more details. Google Fi users have been noticing the icon in the weeks leading up to the announcement.
- “HD Voice provides wideband audio for a rich, full sound during your calls.”
- “HD+ Voice uses the latest technology for amazing sound and reliability.”
HD Voice requires that both people on the call be on networks that support Voice over LTE (VoLTE), Voice over 5G (VoNR), or Wi-Fi calling.
For HD+ Voice, Google just says “both callers need to be using devices and networks that support this feature.” The GSMA notes how this “offers twice the audio frequency bandwidth of HD Voice” through the 3GPP Enhanced Voice Services (EVS) codec.
On Android, you will see an “HD” icon at the top of the calling screen after you’re connected. It doesn’t appear during dialing or ringing, while it will show up in call history after the fact. Those on iOS will not see an indicator, but “your call may still use HD or HD+ Voice quality.”
- On hold: If you place an HD/HD+ call on hold, the icon will remain visible.
- Conference calls: If you merge a call with someone on a non-HD capable line, the icon will disappear for the duration of the conference call. The audio quality will be determined by the lowest common denominator of all active participants.
- Network changes: If you move between networks during a call (e.g., from VoLTE to a non-HD network), the icon will disappear if the new network doesn’t support HD Voice.
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