Smart Infinity PureVoice Brings AI Call Noise Filtering to More Phones

Smart Infinity PureVoice moves call noise filtering from the phone to Smart’s network. That could matter to subscribers who want clearer conversations in traffic, crowds or cafés but don’t have a handset with built-in noise cancellation. Smart says its AI-based service filters sounds such as traffic, music and nearby conversations.

The feature is available first to Smart Infinity members. Smart says it plans to extend access to more subscribers soon, though it hasn’t given a date or described which customers will be included next. For now, Infinity members can try it during a call by pressing 8#. Pressing the same sequence turns it off, so subscribers can choose whether to use it on each call.

A network feature you can toggle mid-call

PureVoice doesn’t require an app or a setup process. Its dial-in control makes it a call-by-call option rather than a permanent setting. Someone taking a call in a quiet room can leave it off, then switch it on when background noise becomes a problem.

The network-based approach also means the feature isn’t limited to phones with a particular microphone system or built-in noise cancellation. Smart’s pitch is that it can process the call even when the subscriber’s device lacks that capability. That may give owners of less expensive phones access to cleaner outgoing audio, though Smart hasn’t listed supported devices or explained whether every Infinity handset can use PureVoice.

There are still important details missing. Smart hasn’t said which AI model handles the filtering, where the processing takes place, or how much delay it might add to a conversation. It also hasn’t shared test results or explained how PureVoice handles different kinds of sound, such as a nearby speaker or wind. Those details will help show how well the feature works beyond the examples in the company’s description.

Smart frames PureVoice as a new step for voice

Lloyd R. Manaloto, Smart’s First Vice President and officer-in-charge, said voice remains a core telecommunications service and described PureVoice as a way to modernize calls for the 5G era. Tina D. Montinola, VP and Head of Smart Infinity, presented early access as an Infinity benefit. Debbie M. Hu, FVP and Wireless Network Business Partner of Smart, linked the service to improvements in network infrastructure and AI capabilities.

Those comments explain how Smart is positioning the feature: as a network service built on its existing voice capabilities, with Infinity subscribers getting first access. They don’t establish how PureVoice compares with noise reduction built into specific phones. Buyers who already rely on handset processing may want to compare the two in the same noisy setting before deciding whether to leave the network feature on.

Part of a longer voice upgrade

Smart’s groundwork includes its 2020 completion of a Voice over LTE rollout. VoLTE supports higher-quality calls and lets users keep mobile data running during a conversation. The company also enabled Video over LTE, which allows video calls from a phone’s dialer without a third-party app.

Smart also points to its performance in the National Telecommunications Commission’s latest quality-of-service tests in Metro Manila. The company reported zero dropped calls, within the prescribed threshold and ahead of other providers. That result concerns dropped calls; it doesn’t measure how well PureVoice removes background noise, so it shouldn’t be read as a test of the new feature itself.

What subscribers can check now

Smart Infinity members can call *800 for details. During a call, press 8# to switch PureVoice on or off. Smart says access will expand to more subscribers, but hasn’t provided timing or further eligibility details.

For subscribers with a phone that lacks built-in noise cancellation, network processing could make the biggest difference: the call may sound clearer without relying on a newer or more expensive handset. The practical test is whether the other person hears less of the surrounding noise without added delay or an unnatural voice sound. Smart’s description sets out the promise; hands-on calls will show how well PureVoice delivers in the places where background noise actually gets in the way. More details are available from Smart Infinity. A supported device and a Smart Infinity subscription are required to try it.