The present invention is directed to a multiple description transmission system that provides redundancy to combat transmission channel impairments. The multiple description transmission system includes a first and second wireless telephone. The first wireless telephone includes the following: an array of microphones, wherein each microphone in the array of microphones is configured to receive voice input from a user and to produce a voice signal corresponding thereto; an encoder coupled to the microphone array and configured to encode each of the voice signals; and a transmitter coupled to the encoder and configured to transmit each of the encoded voice signals. The second wireless telephone includes the following: a receiver configured to receive the transmitted signals; a decoder coupled to the receiver and configured to decode the signals received by the receiver, thereby producing an output signal; and a loudspeaker that receives the output signal and produces a pressure sound wave corresponding thereto.