VoLTE: What is it and how does it work?

VoLTE (voice over LTE) refers to voice calls that are made over a 4G LTE network
instead of more traditional calls which are made by using CSFB (Circuit-Switched Fall-
back), a system that switches back to 2G or 3G technologies just before connecting a
call.

Around the world, carriers are currently working to make VoLTE available to as many of
their customers as possible, as the popularity of service moves from traditional calls and
texts to messenger based services such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger and
internet based calling services like Skype.

The key benefits of VoLTE

Much improved call-quality

VoLTE offers superior call quality to 2G and 3G calls, that’s because much more data
can be transferred over 4G (three times more than 3G and six times more than 2G),
allowing for considerably improved clarity of tone and voice, making for an altogether
richer calling experience.

Improved coverage and connectivity

VoLTE can connect calls up to twice as fast as current 2G and 3G methods allow. It also
means that by using 4G LTE services, less spectrum is required to maintain 2G services
and network operators are able to repurpose that for further capacity on 4G networks.

Better battery life

A mobile phone without VoLTE needs to switch from 4G back to 3G or 2G before it

makes a call, then once the call is finished it has to re-establish a connection to the 4G
network. That switching, together with the time spent searching for new signals uses a
significant amount of power.

Because VoLTE uses a constant 4G service, this greatly improves device battery life.

Limitations of VoLTE

Both devices require VoLTE for some implementations

Initially at least, for some applications of VoLTE, both the connecting devices will
require VoLTE compatibility for one or the other to benefit from it. This is a big problem
as consumers will be restricted by the speed in which the platform is adopted by other
network users.

Network interoperability

Full network interoperability may take some time, so it will only be possible for some
people to contact those who are also on the same network with VoLTE.
Pricing

As much of VoLTE services tie in with data use, unlike traditional services that charge
customers based on minutes and text allocation, you may need to have larger amounts
of data available, which could be expensive.

 2. LTE stands for "Long Term Evolution".

 VoLTE stands for "Voice Over LTE".
4G is fourth generation mobile technology likely we call it as LTE. It is the first step
forward to achieve true 4G Technology.we can get high data rate in both download link
and up link.this will require few hundred milliseconds to connect to the network.

I think everyone aware of 2G , 3G and 4G Network technologies.

Source : Difference Between LTE and VoLTE

actually 2G network developed for voice calls only later Packet Switching adopted to 2G
Network in the form of GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) to access mobile data.we
can observe G near signal strength it indicates slowest speed of internet data
transfer.Later EDGE (Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution) replaced the GPRS
technology.Typically EDGE provides a data rate of upto 1 Mbit/s.This Technology also
somewhere lies between 2G and 3G. Those who call GPRS as 2.5G they refer EDGE as
2.75G

Basically 2G and 3G networks are Hybrid of Circuit Switching and Packet

Switching data network technologies. 4G LTE is Packet Switching only.

3.VoLTE or voice over LTE simply means that your voice quality won't reduce even if
your data is turned on while making and receiving a call.

Where are in LTE the voice quality reduces if you keep your data on.

The long answer (source: internet is bigger than the Pacific)

VoLTE stands for voice over LTE and it’s more or less exactly what it says. It’s voice calls
over a 4G LTE network, rather than the 2G or 3G connections which are usually used.
We tend to think of 4G as mostly being about downloading, streaming and web
browsing, and indeed that’s primarily what it’s been used for so far, but it can also be
used to improve calls.

What are the benefits of VoLTE?

Superior call quality – The big advantage of VoLTE is that call quality is superior to
3G or 2G connections as far more data can be transferred over 4G than 2G or 3G. Up to
three times as much data as 3G and up to six times as much as 2G to be precise, making
it easier to make out not only what the person on the other end of the line is saying, but
also their tone of voice. Essentially it’s an HD voice call and it’s a much richer experience
over all.

Improved coverage and connectivity – VoLTE can connect calls up to twice as fast
as the current methods and as 2G and 3G connections will still be available when there’s
no 4G signal it simply means that there’s greater mobile coverage overall, as currently
places with a 4G signal but no 2G or 3G means that one you can’t make or receive calls.

You might think that would be a rare occurrence, but some of the frequencies that 4G
operates on, such as the 800MHz spectrum, have far greater reach than 2G or 3G
spectrum, so you’ll be able to get signal further away from a mast or in buildings which
other signals struggle to penetrate. Indeed, Three is fully relying on its 800MHz
spectrum for VoLTE calls.

However, while 2G and 3G services would likely remain they wouldn’t be as necessary as
they are now and much of the spectrum used for 2G in particular could potentially be
repurposed to increase capacity on 4G networks.

Better battery life – Anyone who currently uses 4G could also find their battery life
increased with VoLTE, as right now whenever you make or receive a call your phone has
to switch from 4G to 2G or 3G, since 4G calls aren’t supported (other than on Three
Super-Voice) and then once the call is finished it switches back again. All that switching,
plus the need to search for a different signal each time, can give the battery a significant
hit.

Video calling – It’s also theoretically possible to make video calls over 4G, much like a
Skype call except you’d just use your mobile number and be able to use the regular
dialler and call interface, so you can make and receive video calls from anyone else with
VoLTE, rather than relying on separate accounts.

In fact you may have noticed that Skype and other existing video calls services often
seem to have superior audio quality to voice calls. That’s because like VoLTE they use
more data as part of a similarly named VoIP system, so you can expect your voice calls
to start sounding more like Skype calls, but they won’t hit your battery life as much as
Skype does.

Not only could video calls become native to the dialler, but other Rich Communication
Services (or RCS’s) could as well, such as file transferring, real time language translation
and video voicemail and there may be applications which haven’t even been thought up
yet.
As VoLTE is tied to data it could also mean that you won’t have to worry about how
many minutes you use, as everything will fall under data use.

Are there any limitations of VoLTE?

Initially there are a few. For one thing in some implementations it only works if both the
device making a call and the one receiving it support VoLTE, so in the early days you
might find yourself quite limited in terms of who you can actually use it to contact.

Depending on how the networks set it up there also may or may not be network
interoperability at first, so it’s possible that initially you may only be able to use VoLTE
to call people on the same network as you.

VoLTE also potentially requires both participants on the call to have 4G coverage. As
that’s not yet as widespread as 2G and 3G it means that VoLTE calls won’t always be
available and if someone moves out of 4G coverage during the call there’s a chance that
the call will be dropped.

Finally, pricing may be an issue. Since VoLTE ties into data it may be the case that
calling becomes more expensive than it currently is, depending on what networks decide
to charge.
All of these problems are likely to be short-lived though as 4G coverage increases, more
devices begin to support VoLTE, prices stabilise and networks align their technology. In
fact some version of the service suffers from very few of these problems, with the only
major ones being lack of VoLTE coverage and limited support for existing handsets.

Why haven’t we been making calls over 4G with VoLTE all along?

The problem with Voice over LTE is that 4G LTE is a data-only networking technology,
so it doesn’t natively support voice calls. While 3G and 2G were primarily designed with
voice calls in mind and data was added to them.

As such it’s been necessary to create new protocols to support voice calling over 4G and
it’s a big job, requiring upgrades across the entire voice call infrastructure. There’s no
one standard for this, with different networks creating their own solutions.

There are some common problems and solutions though, most notably the requirement
for Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC), which simply means that the phone will
be able to switch back to a 2G or 3G signal if you move out of a 4G signal zone during
the call.

This needs to be seamless or the call will cut out, so it requires masts to pre-emptively
deliver a 3G signal whenever the 4G signal drops dangerously low, but also to keep the
4G signal running at the same time, so it can either stay on 3G if it loses the 4G signal
entirely or drop the 3G if the 4G signal becomes strengthened again.
3. VoLTE stands for Voice Over LTE, which means when you make calls from a
supported phone the voice call will be on LTE network.

The existing concept of making voice call over a data network which skype/viber etc
uses is called VoIP.

But with VoLTE we get much better call quality and HD audio and video calls. As 4G
technology is based on LTE and LTE is a data only network in contrast to 2G/3G which
were mainly voice based and on top of that data was added.

LTE turns the network around and uses data packets for all communications. As such, it
doesn't support traditional voice-call technology hence VoLTE evolved.

Voice Over LTE is a necessity as a capable handset does not need to implement circuit
switching to route a voice call. Hence larger battery life.

There is a misconception with people I have talked to that if they are on 4G they will not
be able to make call to 2G and 3G network and the 4G VoLTE phone will not work for
making voice call if network does not support VoLTE. This is completely wrong. All the
handsets available in the market are backward compatible so in case there is no VoLTE
availability they internal circuitry will help to switch to 2G/3G to make voice call.

Though VoLTE is a very new technology and many telecom network have not yet
adopted it, for us Indians we have a very good news. The Reliance Jio network is VoLTE
ready so with a Jio Sim you can have a first hand experience of the capability of VoLTE.

4.
VoLTE is voice over LTE . Where as LTE is Long term evolution. In general LTE can be
referred to speedy internet connection, where as voice over LTE is making calls over
Internet. Which gives superior experience than normal calling. VoLTE is a HD call,
where voice clarity is of high definition.
5.
The Voice over LTE, VoLTE scheme was devised as a result of operators seeking a
standardised system for transferring traffic for voice over LTE.
Originally LTE was seen as a completely IP cellular system just for carrying data, and
operators would be able to carry voice either by reverting to 2G / 3G systems or by using
VoIP in one form or another.
However it was seen that this would lead to fragmentation and incompatibility not
allowing all phones to communicate with each other and this would reduce voice traffic.
Additionally SMS services are still widely used, often proving a means of set-up for other
applications.
Even though revenue from voice calls and SMS is falling, a format for voice over LTE
and messaging, it was as necessary to have a viable and standardized scheme to provide
the voice and SMS services to protect this revenue.
6.
VoLTE stands for voice over LTE and it’s more or less exactly what it says on the tin. It’s
voice calls over a 4G LTE network, rather than the 2G or 3G connections which are
usually used. We tend to think of 4G as mostly being about downloading, streaming and
web browsing, and indeed that’s primarily what it’s been used for so far, but it could also
be used to improve calls.

What’s so good about it?

The big advantage of VoLTE is that call quality is superior to 3G or 2G connections as

far more data can be transferred over 4G than 2G or 3G. Up to three times as much data
as 3G and up to six times as much as 2G to be precise, making it easier to make out not
only what the person on the other end of the line is saying, but also their tone of voice.
Essentially it’s an HD voice call and it’s a much richer experience over all.

VoLTE can also connect calls up to twice as fast as the current methods and as 2G and
3G connections will still be available when there’s no 4G signal it simply means that
there’s greater mobile coverage overall, as currently places with a 4G signal but no 2G or
3G one can’t make or receive calls.

You might think that would be a rare occurrence, but some of the frequencies that 4G
operates on, such as the 800MHz spectrum, have far greater reach than 2G or 3G
spectrum, so you’ll be able to get signal further away from a mast or in buildings which
other signals struggle to penetrate. Indeed, Three is fully relying on its 800MHz
spectrum for VoLTE calls.

7.
LTE technology indicates only the data but not the voice control.
Like the VoIP(Voice Over IP), there was a technology called VoLTE (Voice Over LTE) which
runs over the LTE and supports the Voice Calls too.

8.

VoLTE — Voice over Long Term Evolution

People are aquinted with terms like 2G<3G<4G which presents various data speed.
VoLTE is mainly about Voice Call quality. Two cellphones both using VoLTE will have
HD quality calls and other issues like call drops are near zero. All VoLTE phones will
have 4G but not the other way around.

Technically VoLTE uses 4G internet to send calls as data package.