Double talk occurs during full-duplex communication when the near-end and far-end speakers talk over each other. In digital telephony, this simultaneous audio creates a major challenge for echo cancellation algorithms, which typically rely on one person speaking at a time to model and subtract the delayed signal. If the system fails to handle double talk, it often results in heavy clipping, dropped syllables, or sudden bursts of feedback.
The new VoIP gateway is struggling with double talk, causing half the conversation to clip out when they argue.
Related terms
VoIP
Voice over Internet Protocol is the standard technology for transmitting telephone calls over data networks.
Jitter
The variation in the delay of received packets or the deviation of a digital signal from its precise timing.
Quality of service
The measurable performance of a network service as experienced by the end user or application.