Evaluation of voice codec performance for the Inmarsat mini-M system

In this paper the method and results of a subjective evaluation are presented which was conducted in order to select a new speech codec for the Inmarsat mini-M system. The mini-M system is designed to provide the next generation of global, notebook-sized satellite terminals for transportable, land-mobile and maritime voice, facsimile, and data communications. Overall, six different codecs operating at a combined source and channel rate of 4.8 kbit/s were evaluated in a series of six subjective tests. From this, it was concluded that one codec was able to deliver performance that is equivalent to, or better than, the IS-54 full-rate digital cellular 8 kbit/s VSELP codec, and was selected for use in the mini-M system.<
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