Echo suppression and echo cancellation techniques are used in telephone systems and network infrastructure to maintain voice quality. These operate to prevent echo from being created or they remove it once detected. Echo suppression has been around since the 1950s and has evolved into echo cancellation, while also moving from largely hardware-based techniques to software-based techniques.
Much of the network equipment in the path between any two callers will have settings that can help manage and minimize echo, however, most phone calls involve multiple networks and each network will be managed by teams making different configuration choices. Echo remains an ever-present phenomenon.
Today’s users have very high expectations regarding the quality of phone calls, and there are many issues that can occur with a voice connection, including echo. Businesses depend on clear communication channels in their customer interactions and more and more are taking a truly proactive approach to audio quality management.