voiceoverLTE

Voice over LTE, often abbreviated as VoLTE, is a technology that enables voice calls to be made over a 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) data network. Prior to VoLTE, when a smartphone user initiated or received a voice call on an LTE network, the device would typically fall back to a 2G or 3G network for the call. This fallback process could cause a delay in call setup and potentially interrupt data sessions. VoLTE eliminates this fallback, allowing voice and data to be transmitted simultaneously over the same LTE network.

The benefits of VoLTE include improved voice quality, often referred to as High Definition (HD) voice, due to the higher bandwidth and more efficient audio encoding capabilities of LTE. It also leads to faster call setup times compared to circuit-switched fallback methods. Furthermore, by keeping devices on the LTE network for all communications, it can contribute to better overall network efficiency and battery life. The deployment of VoLTE is a key step in the evolution of mobile networks, paving the way for future advancements and the eventual phasing out of older 2G and 3G technologies. Carriers need to support VoLTE for it to function, and users typically need compatible devices and a plan that enables the service.