Global IP Sound (GIPS), which makes some of the best damn wideband codecs in use today - used by the likes of Skype, Teleo, and more, just signed a deal with Microsoft to use their solution in MSN Messenger and Microsoft's Office Real-Time Collaboration (RTC) solutions.

The MSN Messenger Service, which has more than 165 million active users each month, supports not only text instant messaging but also PC-to-PC voice and video services. MSN will use GIPS VoiceEngine, while RTC will take advantage of GIPS AEC (Acoustic Echo Cancellation) and GIPS AGC (Auto Gain Control) solutions to support those services for users that require high quality VoIP functionality.

“Microsoft's adoption of GIPS technology for MSN and RTC is a major validation of our solutions and their ability to provide the best possible voice quality over the Internet,” said Gary P. Hermansen, President and CEO of GIPS. “There are over 200 million downloads of our software currently in market today, and the addition of Microsoft users further enforces our leadership as a provider of high quality VoIP software.”

GIPS VoiceEngine is a comprehensive, packaged VoIP solution created specifically for PC or PDA applications. It is designed to produce the best quality sound possible in Internet telephony, while simplifying the integration of speech codecs, communication with sound cards, real-time performance, RTP protocol handling and other voice-related tasks. GIPS AEC is optimized to eliminate echo caused by acoustic feedback in real-time communications in a PC environment. GIPS AEC is specifically designed for conferencing applications and hands-free environments. GIPS AGC is designed to enhance real-time two-way communications. The GIPS AGC algorithm automatically adjusts the level of an audio signal to achieve consistent and comfortable audio levels. In a VoIP environment, the audio levels are especially dependent on user audio settings, equipment type and surroundings. As a result, a quality AGC is essential in avoiding signal clipping or impractical low signal levels, especially in conferencing applications.

The value of the deal is not being disclosed.