T-Mobile has launched an AI-powered Live Translation service integrated into its network. It can translate calls in over 50 languages and will bridge the language barrier of callers, allowing foreign language speakers to converse. There’s no need to download any app either. One user has to be the telco’s subscriber, at least. There’s more to know, so keep reading.
Currently in beta phase, the plan is to roll out widely in the spring. The company has incorporated AI into its network to make translation smooth and convenient. The telco says the move reflects a shift in how telcos can deliver wireless services and unlocks new capabilities without requiring extra hardware and a hectic subscription process.
The feature is expected to ease the language diversity. The US has 68 million people speaking a language other than English at home, as per the US Census Bureau. So, this easy AI translator service holds weight.
“We want to make voice cool again,” said John Saw, T-Mobile president of technology and chief technology officer, citing that its customers make 6 billion international calls per year, and 40% of those people travel internationally. “Live translation is a real breakthrough in innovation by introducing the latest AI models into our voice network.”
You can register for the live translation beta service available to post-paid T-Mobile plans. Just like T-Satellite, however, the telco hasn’t yet said which plans will see commercial availability of the live translation feature.
How does T-Mobile’s Live Translator work?
T-Mobile’s real-time AI translator works with the user pressing *87*, which activates the AI agent. It works on all calls, but one participant in the call has to be a T-Mobile subscriber. Everything else is automated. As the telco says, users won’t need to set up anything or even specify which languages to translate.
The AI detects the language spoken and speaks the translation when a caller stops speaking. Among other goodies, the AI can also tell which country you are calling from (pretty standard, though) and select a language for translation. The translation won’t sound like a boring robot voice either. It clones the user’s voice in another language and keeps the emotions and rhythm too.
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After activation, no need to turn it off manually. When users at both ends of the calls switch to the same language, the AI simply stops its work.