Difference between HFP and HSP profiles?

Question

what is the difference between HFP and HSP profiles?

Both seems to me to be profiles that provide connection/communication between a headset and a phone.

Is HFP a kind of superset of HSP? Is it like HSP but with hand-free control, like vocal commands?

Answer 1

With the simple words

HFP supports all the features supported by HSP. The only difference between HFP and HSP is HFP has support for additional features e.g.

• Call Waiting(CW)
• Redialling last dialled number(AT+BLDN)
• Probably other features too.

For more details, you can check official specifications of HFP and HSP profiles.

Unfortunately web is full of unclear descriptions stating more or less the same with enormous amount of text.

Answer 2

As you know, Bluetooth profiles provide different types of services, such as Hands-Free Profile (HFP), Headset Profile (HSP), and Serial Port Profile (SPP) on top of a core set of Bluetooth capabilities.

Among these profiles, HFP describes how a gateway device can be used to place and receive calls for a hand-free device. A typical configuration is an automobile using a mobile phone for a gateway device. In the car, the stereo is used for the phone audio and a microphone is installed in the car for sending outgoing audio. HFP is also used for a personal computer to act as a speaker phone for a mobile phone in a home or office environment. It uses SCO to carry a mono, PCM audio channel.” Headset Profile (HSP).

However, the HSP describes how a Bluetooth enabled headset should communicate with a computer or other Bluetooth enabled device such as a mobile phone. When connected and configured, the headset can act as the remote device’s audio input and output interface. It relies on SCO for audio and a subset of AT commands from GSM 07.07 for minimal controls including the ability to ring, answer a call, hang up and adjust the volume.”

Hope it could help.