Disclosed is a method of automated speaker identification, comprising receiving a sample speech input signal from a sample handset; deriving a cepstral covariance sample matrix from the first sample speech signal; calculating, with a distance metric, all distances between the sample matrix and one or more cepstral covariance signature matrices; determining if the smallest of the distances is below a predetermined threshold value; and wherein the distance metric is selected from

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fusion derivatives thereof, and fusion derivatives thereof with

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