Voice and text communication system, method and apparatus

An apparatus for wireless communications, said apparatus comprising:

• a module configured to receive text that has been entered by a user of a mobile communications device and to convert the received text to a synthesized speech signal;
• a vocoder configured to encode the synthesized speech signal to produce a plurality of corresponding speech packets;
• and
• a transceiver configured to transmit the plurality of corresponding speech packets over a wireless communications link,
• wherein said module includes a voice synthesizer configured to store characteristics of a voice of the user and to use said stored characteristics to produce the synthesized speech signal.

A method for wireless communications, said method comprising:

• receiving text that has been entered by a user of a mobile communications device;
• converting the received text to a synthesized speech signal;
• encoding the synthesized speech signal to produce a plurality of corresponding speech packets;
• and
• transmitting the plurality of corresponding speech packets over a wireless communications link,
• wherein said converting the received text to the synthesized speech signal includes using stored characteristics of the user's voice to produce the synthesized speech signal.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

• receive text that has been entered by a user of a mobile communications device;
• convert the received text to a synthesized speech signal;
• encode the synthesized speech signal to produce a plurality of corresponding speech packets;
• and
• transmit the plurality of corresponding speech packets over a wireless communications link,
• wherein said converting the received text to the synthesized speech signal includes using stored characteristics of the user's voice to produce the synthesized speech signal.