What happens with tier 1 SIP peering will play a key role in the future of HD voice, according to new research from HD Voice News, in collaboration with TMC (News - Alert).

“The biggest single headache for HD voice — and video for that matter — is the need for Tier 1 SIP peering,” says Doug Mohney, editor-in-chief of HD Voice News and a TMCnet contributor. “It’s a Layer 8 and 9 problem, money and politics, not technology.”

Mohney goes on to say: “We don’t need more stinking technology, we need service providers to wake up and start making arrangements before the FCC (News - Alert) and Congress decides to ‘fix things’ themselves. “

The SIP Forum’s SIPNOC event later this month in Herndon, Va., could go a long way to moving the industry forward on this front, adds Mohney. That event is scheduled for April 25-27 at the Hyatt Dulles Hotel.

As for HD voice specifically, Mohney says it is expected to grow significantly over the next three years. Already, he says, tier 1 service providers including Cincinnati Bell (News - Alert), Comcast, France Telecom, and Verizon are leveraging the technology. Meanwhile, 17 mobile carriers have announced plans for or introduced HD voice in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America.

“Anyone involved in telephony who is not tracking HD voice better wake up fast,” says Mohney. “Verizon (News - Alert) Business is going to make HD voice and video announcements in the coming weeks and Verizon Wireless will deliver HD voice in 2012 when they turn on VoLTE. Comcast (News - Alert) is a good bet for the first tier 1 voice provider to deploy residential wideband service if they can get the right CPE out of its suppliers.”

Comcast could launch  HD Voice trials as early as this year, he adds.

This is all according to “HD Voice 2011: Critical Mass,” which can be purchased for $495.00, with a multisite license available for $2495, at http://www.tmcnet.com/voip/ip-communications/. The study was written using two years of accumulated research and dialogue with services providers, network equipment vendors, and OEM suppliers.