American mobile carrier T-Mobile is set to test an AI feature that translates phone conversations in real-time into over 50 languages. This was reported by The Verge.
The beta testing of the Live Translation service will begin in spring 2026, and the company has already opened pre-registration for users.
“One of the biggest barriers faced by mobile users is often the simplest: the ability to understand each other. By integrating artificial intelligence into our network, we are providing more than just connectivity,” said T-Mobile CEO Shrinie Gopalan.
No special apps or devices are required to use the service. The only requirement is that the translation must be initiated by a T-Mobile subscriber.
The feature will be available on the 5G Advanced and 4G LTE networks.
“A key requirement is a Voice over LTE (VoLTE) connection, which allows the service to operate reliably across a wide range of devices and network conditions,” said T-Mobile President John So.
The feature supports VoLTE, VoNR, and VoWiFi standards, making it accessible to a broad range of users regardless of network type.
Beta test participants will be able to activate Live Translation for free and without time limits. Initially, users will need to call the number 87, but support for the voice command "Hey T-Mobile" will be added in the future.
The service operates during active calls and does not save any audio recordings or text transcriptions of conversations.
“It is designed for real-time translation and then ceases operation without retaining the content of the calls,” emphasized So.
As a reminder, in March 2025, Europe’s largest telecommunications company, Deutsche Telekom, announced an AI smartphone based on the chatbot Perplexity.