Whats up with VoLTE?

[Outsider(Avid HustlaZ)]

Ok im hearing different things about this. Im hearing that VoLTE is ment for you to do data/voice at the same time only over 4G...correct? Also im hearing its only to make the calls clearer? Which is it because i live in AZ and im able to do data/voice at the same time when in 4G..so can someone specify what this VoLTE is?

 

[GunnerJim]

VoLTE, is Voice over Long Term Evolution, meaning the use of one LTE radio to perform Voice and Data simultaneously. I believe this is performed used a Voice Over IP (VOIP) type of data connection (Like Vonage does on a home network), since LTE currently is used for data only.

Your current 4G-LTE phones use your 4G radio for data and the 3G radio is used for voice, giving the appearance of Voice/Data simultaneously, this can only happen in a 4G area. The HTC Thunderbolt uses a 3G SVDO radio that can do Voice/Data over a 3G network, but uses 4G Data and 3G Voice when on a 4G network like the others. The LG Revo has capability to do VoLTE, when it comes available, 4G Voice/Data-1 Radio. What this means to you...
Nothing really for the next two years, Verizon is not going to kill off the 3G network anytime soon, and it will be in more places than the 4G network for a while, but the good news is the 700MHZ/LTE spectrum is the old analog TV broadcast, Remember the federal government's hurry to switch over to TV Digital Broadcast? Well that was to facilitate the Cell Industries plan to use the lower frequency to penetrate buildings a little better.

IMO, the LG Revo is a little future proof with VoLTE, but seeing the landscape of how quickly technology changes and the way consumers rip through smart phones, I think it is a none issue. VoLTE is suppose to be a clearer signal, so that would be an advantage. Also the advantage will be evident in the handoff between cell towers, VZW said there will not be a handoff between 4G to 3G tower (Example, leaving LA going to 3G Area), so in most cases this will probably result in a dropped 4G call.

 

[kyler13]

Just to clarify a few details, VoLTE is basically VoIP except that in the case of VoLTE, the voice channel is prioritized on the LTE network for better quality of service. Think of it as your ISP's phone service (ie. Comcast Voice on Comcast internet, or FIOS Voice (VoIP offering) on FIOS network) versus using just anyone (ie. Vonage) on any ISP (ie. AT&T, Time Warner, Cablevision, etc).

Secondly, Verizon's 3G network (EVDO) does not carry voice. The 2G network (RTT) carries the voice and this was done to maintain quality of service over a decade old, robust network. Basically, the way most phones are set up (save for the recent SVDO implementation on the T-bolt), the channel allocated from the tower that is providing your data connection is terminated in favor of a dedicated voice connection on that channel. The decision not to do SVDO from the beginning was to ensure reliability (see how AT&T's simultaneous voice/data offering drops calls quite a bit in comparison). There's nothing wrong with simultaneous voice/data, it is just more tolling on the towers and requires better infrastructure to guarantee the same level of reliability as a non-simultaneous network.

Also, the underlying reason for the hurry-up of the termination of the analog TV spectrum was to set up an up-to-date nationwide emergency communication system for local authorities to be connected. Auctioning off remaining parts of the spectrum to wireless providers was to make a little cash, as well as implement some sort of nationwide open spectrum for data services to enhance reach to rural areas, though I don't know how well that has panned out.

 

[GunnerJim]

Thanks kyler13 for breaking it down one more step to 1XRTT, in the military those emergency comms systems are suppose to help coordinate better for national disasters (Post 9/11 lessons learned) so it is a great thing. It is a huge effort to install Enterprise Land Mobile Radio, not to mention pretty expensive, upgrading existing LMR trunking systems.

 

[kyler13]

Thanks kyler13 for breaking it down one more step to 1XRTT, in the military those emergency comms systems are suppose to help coordinate better for national disasters (Post 9/11 lessons learned) so it is a great thing. It is a huge effort to install Enterprise Land Mobile Radio, not to mention pretty expensive, upgrading existing LMR trunking systems.

My understanding is the old system was both incomplete and somewhat archaic. I agree it's a great thing, though I don't know how much progress has been made with how slow our government moves.

 

[moondrius]

I really don't see volte being big until Verizons lte network is stable and covering the whole us. With data dropping at times I would much rather have voice routed through x1 at this point in time.I don't expect to see volte soon, the Revolution can do it but I really doubt it will be updated to support it. By the time Verizon does decide to roll out volte im sure the Revolution will be past its end of life.

 

[kyler13]

I really don't see volte being big until Verizons lte network is stable and covering the whole us. With data dropping at times I would much rather have voice routed through x1 at this point in time.I don't expect to see volte soon, the Revolution can do it but I really doubt it will be updated to support it. By the time Verizon does decide to roll out volte im sure the Revolution will be past its end of life.

True, probably won't be big for a couple years. I think the RTT network will be up for a long time, but the two things that VoLTE will bring are 1) better voice quality, and even more importantly 2) international roaming capabilities without the need to include an HSPA radio.