G.729
Coding of speech at 8 kbit/s using conjugate-structure algebraic-code-excited linear prediction (CS-ACELP)
Status	In force
Latest version	(10/17) October 2017
Organization	ITU-T
Committee	ITU-T Study Group 16
Related standards	G.191,G.711,G.729.1
Domain	audio compression
License	Freely available
Website	https://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-G.729

G.729 is aroyalty-free^[1] narrow-bandvocoder-basedaudio data compression algorithm using a frame length of6.3 ms. It is officially described asCoding of speech at 8 kbit/s usingcode-excited linear predictionspeech coding (CS-ACELP), and was introduced in 1996.^[2] The wide-band extension of G.729 is calledG.729.1, which equals G.729 Annex J.

Because of its low bandwidth requirements, G.729 is mostly used invoice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications when bandwidth must be conserved. Standard G.729 operates at abit rate of8 kbit/s, but extensions provide rates of6.4 kbit/s (Annex D, F, H, I, C+) and11.8 kbit/s (Annex E, G, H, I, C+) for worse and better speech quality, respectively.

G.729 has been extended with various features, commonly designated as G.729a and G.729b:

• G.729: This is the original codec using a high-complexity algorithm.
• G.729A or Annex A: This version has a medium complexity, and is compatible with G.729. It provides a slightly lower voice quality.
• G.729B or Annex B: This version extends G.729 withsilence suppression, and is not compatible with the previous versions.
• G.729AB: This version extends G.729A with silence suppression, and is only compatible with G.729B.
• G.729.1 or Annex J: This version extends G.729A and B with scalable variable encoding using hierarchical enhancement layers. It provides support forwideband speech and audio, usingmodified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) coding.^[3]

Dual-tone multi-frequency signaling (DTMF),fax transmissions, and high-quality audio cannot be transported reliably with thiscodec. DTMF requires the use of the named telephony events in the RTP payload for DTMF digits, telephony tones, and telephony signals as specified in RFC 4733.

G.729a is a compatible extension of G.729, but requires less computational power. This lower complexity, however, bears the cost of marginally reduced speech quality.

G.729a was developed by a consortium of organizations:France Télécom,Mitsubishi Electric Corporation,Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT).

The features of G.729a are:

• Sampling frequency8 kHz/16-bit (80 samples for10 ms frames)
• Fixed bit rate (8 kbit/s10 ms frames)
• Fixed frame size (10 bytes (80 bits) for10 ms frame)
• Algorithmic delay is 15 ms per frame, with5 ms look-ahead delay
• G.729a is a hybrid speech coder which usesAlgebraic Code Excited Linear Prediction (ACELP)
• The complexity of the algorithm is rated at 15, using a relative scale whereG.711 is 1 andG.723.1 is 25.
• PSQM testing under ideal conditions yieldsmean opinion scores of 4.04 for G.729a, compared to 4.45 forG.711 (μ-law)^{[citation needed]}
• PSQM testing under network stress yields mean opinion scores of 3.51 for G.729a, compared to 4.13 forG.711 (μ-law)

Some VoIP phones incorrectly use the description "G729a/8000" inSDP (e.g. this affects some Cisco and Linksys phones). This is incorrect as G729a is an alternative method of encoding the audio, but still generates data decodable by either G729 or G729a - i.e. there is no difference in terms of codec negotiation. Since the SDP RFC allows static payload types to be overridden by the textual rtpmap description this can cause problems calling from these phones to endpoints adhering to the RFC unless the codec is renamed in their settings since they will not recognise 'G729a' as 'G729' without a specific workaround in place for the bug.

G.729 has been extended in Annex B (G.729b) which provides asilence compression method that enables avoice activity detection (VAD) module. It is used to detect voice activity in the signal. It also includes adiscontinuous transmission (DTX) module which decides on updating thebackground noise parameters for non speech (noisy frames). It uses 2-byte Silence Insertion Descriptor (SID)frames transmitted to initiatecomfort noise generation (CNG). If transmission is stopped, and the link goes quiet because of no speech, the receiving side might assume that the link has been cut. By inserting comfort noise, analog hiss is simulated digitally during silence to assure the receiver that the link is active and operational.

G.729 Annex J, maintained byG.729.1, provides support forwideband speech and audio. Introduced in 2006,^[3] it defines variable bit-rate wideband enhancement using up to 12 hierarchical layers. The core layer is an8 kbit/s G.729 bitstream, the second layer is a4 kbit/snarrowband enhancement layer, and the third2 kbit/s layer is a bandwidth enhancement layer. Further layers provide wideband enhancement in2 kbit/s steps. The G.729.1 uses three-stage coding: embeddedcode-excited linear prediction (CELP) coding of the lower band, parametric coding of the higher band by Time-Domain Bandwidth Extension (TDBWE), and enhancement of the full band by a predictivetransform coding algorithm calledtime-domain aliasing cancellation (TDAC), also known asmodified discrete cosine transform (MDCT) coding.^[3] Bit rate and the obtained quality are adjustable by simple bitstream truncation.

As of January 1, 2017, the patent terms of most licensedpatents under the G.729 Consortium have expired, the remaining unexpired patents are usable on aroyalty-free basis.^[5] G.729 includes patents from several companies which were until the expiry licensed by Sipro Lab Telecom, the authorized Intellectual Property Licensing Administrator for G.729 technology andpatent pool.^[6][7][8][9]

AIM IP LLC, aCaliforniaLimited Liability Company based inMission Viejo, CA^[10] filed 17patent infringement lawsuits^[11] in the Central District Courts of California accusing 22 different companies, including,Cisco Systems,Polycom and others of infringing U.S. Patent No. 5,920,853.^[12][13] The '853 patent was filed at theUnited States Patent and Trademark Office in 1996 byRockwell International. The inventors listed on the '853 patent are Benyassine Adil, Su Huan-Yu and Shlomot Eyal.^[14]

In 2000, the '853 patent was assigned byRockwell International toConexant Systems,^[15] an American-based software developer and fabless semiconductor company, which began as a division of Rockwell before being spun-off as its ownpublic company.^[16] In 2010, the '853 patent was sold byConexant Systems to AIM IP LLC, aCaliforniaLimited Liability Company based inMission Viejo.^[15]

The '853 patent containspatent claims which cover lookup tables used in G.729. The patent has since expired and is no longer in force due to itspatent term expiring.^[17]

G.729 is assigned the static payload type 18 forRTP byIANA.^[18] The rtpmap parameter description for this payload type is "G729/8000".

Both G.729a and G.729b use the same rtpmap description as G.729. G.729a and G.729b are indicated using annexb=no or annexb=yes, respectively. G.729 Annex B (G.729b) is the default in absence of parameterannexb in theSession Description Protocol.^[19]

• List of codecs
• Comparison of audio coding formats
• RTP audio video profile

• ITU-T Recommendation G.729 - technical specification.
• G.729 Error Recovery for Internet Telephony
• ITU Patent database
• Sipro Lab Telecom (administers the patent pools for G.723.1 and G.729)
• Voiceage's G.729 implementation

• Audio codecs
• Speech codecs
• ITU-T recommendations
• ITU-T G Series Recommendations

• CS1 errors: missing periodical
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• Short description matches Wikidata
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