What you need to know
- T-Mobile sticks to its word and finally rolls out its network-native AI Live Translation beta for customers.
- This feature runs natively through its 5G network, meaning will only need to dial *87* when on a call to initiate the real-time AI translator (no extra downloads needed).
- T-Mobile states that since this AI runs natively in its network, it can work on “virtually any phone” from smartphones to old flip phones.
T-Mobile teased and talked about the basics a few months ago, and now it’s ready for the full “native” Live Translation beta.
Back in February, T-Mobile talked about how it wanted to move into a “native” AI experience to help people using its service. Today (May 21), T-Mobile sent a press release, highlighting the Live Translation beta. Its president of technology and CTO, John Saw, says this test will serve as an “early example of network-native AI.” Together with its 5G network, T-Mobile is leaning on telco edge and its distributed cloud infrastructure to implement AI processes in its cell network.
A blog post goes into more detail, stating that the Live Translation beta has officially arrived “into the network our customers use every day, so conversations can truly flow, with no language barriers.”
This AI translator is “contextually-aware” and operates in real-time to translate what callers are saying. T-Mobile ensures its users that all call translations are handled over its network, without needing to download an extra app or software. To use it, you must be a T-Mobile customer and dial *87* during a call. The post says its AI Live Translation supports “over 80 languages (and counting).” However, only one person needs to be on T-Mobile’s network to use this feature and dial *87*.
Another statement reads, “It all works on virtually any phone that connects to our network, from the newest smartphone to a classic flip phone.”
Just the start
With Live Translation’s beta arriving today, T-Mobile is teasing its network-based AI. It says that, for the longest time, cell networks have been “defined by how fast and how far they could go.” In this new age, T-Mobile foresees a shift toward an “intelligent network” with network-native AI. Live Translation’s capabilities will expand throughout the year. T-Mobile states consumer feedback will be invaluable, as it looks to enhance this feature for callers.
We got our first glimpse of T-Mobile’s network-native AI feature in February. Details were light; however, its CEO, Srini Gopalan, said, “Some of the biggest barriers wireless customers face are the simplest ones — like being able to understand each other.” The entire purpose of this feature is to better connect people with others, like family members who live in other countries and primarily speak Spanish, Portuguese, or Korean.
Android Central’s Take
This feature sounded cool back in February when T-Mobile first discussed. Now that it’s actually here for customers, hopefully it works as good as they say. This is an opt-in feature, so if you can understand what your family member is saying, then you don’t need to turn it on. But this is something convenient, and feels like a next (useful) step up from what we have on our phones. If I can open this app and understand what you’re saying, shouldn’t a cell network carry that same usefulness if I want it?