Ims services megaphone. Smartphones with VoLTE: characteristics, technologies and scope. Which smartphones support VoLTE

Digital technologies are developing very quickly, and VoLTE is one of the clearest examples of such progress, however, few people know what it is in a phone.

In fact, this is a very useful communication standard in our time that works in cellular networks. It is noteworthy that it is fully compatible with 3G and.

But this is all theory and dry facts. To understand what is at stake and why such a standard is needed at all, it is necessary to understand all its features. This is what we'll do!

Designation

VoLTE fully stands for "Voice over Long Term Evolution", which translates as "voice through long-term development." It consists of two parts - "Vo" and "LTE".

Now more and more cities around the world are actively using 3G. We connect the Internet through this standard.

So, there is 4G or 4G LTE. Through this standard, the Internet is also connected. In more formal terms, this is a way to transfer data.

Everything is very simple.

And now let's talk about how did this technology come about and what is its purpose.

A bit of history

The first full-fledged issue of Volte is dated May 2014. Then the company SingTel, which is based in Singapore, introduced the service in question.

At the time, it only operated in Singapore and did not expand to other countries. Moreover, at first he worked on a single phone -.

SingTel is a very popular company all over the world. There are 37 offices of this company in Asia, Europe and the USA. It is the sponsor of the Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix.

SingTel's main areas of activity are cellular communications, Internet technologies and the so-called Fixed Network.

In addition to the technology under consideration, . This is a little information for your reference.

Let's return to the development of VoLTE.

As early as June 2014, the operator mobile communications in South Korea, CT began to be provided using this standard.

After the merger with China Mobile, CT continued to provide the highest quality roaming in the world at that time. Over time, KPN and iBasis began to offer the same service.

November of the same year marks another major event in the history of Volte.

Then Verizon and AT&T announced that they would jointly introduce a connection using Voice over LTE between subscribers who are ready to subscribe to such a service.

And this event actually happened in 2015.

After that, more and more countries are implementing the use of the standard in question.

To date, very few countries have full support for voice over LTE networks - as of November 2017, there are only 9 of them.

At the same time, in such “advanced” states in technical terms, such as Germany, Canada and France, the implementation of the standard is still only planned.

It is absolutely unclear why other countries and mobile operators are not in a hurry to use Volte.

Perhaps this is somehow related to the cost of equipment or the banal lack of specialists who could do this.

Why you need VoLTE

There are at least three reasons why specialists from Singapore decided to create new standard data transmission:

• Faster call making. The fact is that any device will be able to make a much faster call if 4G is connected to it. It does not take time to switch to 3G, and this is usually about 2-3 seconds. Previously, it was impossible to make calls with 4G and it took time for smartphones and tablets to switch to 3G when the user wanted to make a call. But with the advent of the ability to also transmit voice using 4G, all operations began to be performed much faster.
• Higher quality of communication. The point is that the sound quality with the advent of the technology in question has also become much higher. Users began to hear each other many times better. This is really important these days.
• Saving data transmission during a call. Surely, 4G users have repeatedly encountered a problem when they receive a call and the Internet is turned off. Now it won't.

In general, there was definitely a sense in new developments, and the emergence of new technology, by and large, was a matter of time.

It is worth saying that VoLTE has many advantages, but there are also disadvantages. Let's talk about them.

Advantages

In addition to higher communication quality and, 4G has the following positive aspects:

1 Increasing network capacity. If to speak plain language, here it is understood that the number of subscribers for one station increases. For those who are "not in the subject", let's say that all subscribers mobile operators served by base stations. So, when 3G is used, the number of subscribers at each base station is less than when using VoLTE, and by as much as 3 times. Usually, due to the overload of such stations, there were interruptions in communication and other problems of the same type.

2 Now you can call for free. This is a unique advantage that is achieved by using the type of networks in question. The fact is that 4G does not provide for a switching connection at all, which means that you do not need to pay for the corresponding communications. The voice is transmitted through the same system through which other types of data are transmitted, roughly speaking, via the Internet. Therefore, if the subscriber uses unlimited Internet, he will not pay a penny for calls.

Speaking of the latter, it is worth noting that calls will be free even to those subscribers who use 2G and 3G.

In any case, if the Internet is unlimited, you will not pay anything.

It seems impossible, but it's true!

At the same time, in earlier AMR-NB services. Even without understanding these terms, one can easily understand that in 4G everything is much better and the voice is “clearer”.

In this world, unfortunately, everything is imperfect, so Voice over LTE also has flaws, and for some they will be very significant. Let's move on to the negative.

Flaws

Experts highlight three negative points, namely:

Accordingly, more energy is needed to operate the device, that is, a more capacious battery is required. Or you will need to charge more often or . However, today all such gadgets are "famous" for their terrible battery capacity. In the best case, after six months of using the device, it will have to be charged every day. But if the user also uses VoLTE, over time, a full battery charge will be enough for half a day or even less. You will have to change batteries quite often or by all means to achieve reduced power consumption(disabling applications and services, cleaning, and so on).

2 The need for a general transition to the new standard by all mobile operators. To ensure normal operation, it is necessary that each operator decides to use 4G and this standard becomes the main one. The problem is that connecting 4G subscribers with 3G and 2G subscribers is a complex procedure that requires a large number of conditions to be met. For example, you need to have the appropriate equipment in the area. There is a third drawback associated with this.

3 In areas where there are no LTE stations, there will be no connection at all unless you switch to 3G manually. Actually, today there are very few such towers, therefore, unfortunately, people who decide to use new technologies will often have to switch from one standard to another.

In truth, until the moment when the necessary base stations will stand everywhere, still very far away.

As we said above, very few operators in a small number of countries have decided to switch to the new standard.

Let's sum up what has been said.

Results

So, VoLTE is a new communication standard, a voice transmission technology using LTE networks.

In the networks that were used before, this was not possible.

Among other things, the use of such a standard makes it possible to achieve a higher quality of voice during transmission, as well as the complete abolition of payment for calls.

The reason for the latter is that commutation is not used here.

The technology also has disadvantages. For example, the load on the device () becomes greater. Accordingly, it will need to be charged more often.

In addition, for the normal application of the standard, it is necessary that all mobile operators begin to switch to it. At present, this is, unfortunately, unlikely.

And yet, Voice over LTE has excellent development prospects!

Now it's hard to imagine modern world without cellular communication. If you remember its history of development, then it is not so long. It started in the 80s. These were the first generation networks using analog systems. Digital technologies began to appear in the early 90s. On this moment 4G networks have become widespread. One of its capabilities will be discussed in the article - this is VoLTE technology, which is still young and is only gaining momentum in Russia.

Someone will object that he already uses 4G, and there is nothing unusual in this. Now only packet data is transmitted over LTE networks, that is, the Internet is provided. Conversations are carried out through 3G networks. With each call, the phone has to switch from one mode to another.

While it is in the implementation stage. We are only at the beginning of the journey, but once LTE was perceived as something unusual. The new technology has a number of advantages, so the transition to it will take communication to a new level.

There are several disadvantages that greatly limit its use. This is primarily that its implementation in a smartphone must be decided at the chipset level. At the moment, a small number of devices support this technology. Mostly these are the flagships of popular manufacturers: iPhone, Sony, Samsung, LG and their prices are above average. The second drawback is that for high-quality communication, all subscribers must use VoLTE. Otherwise, no one will notice the benefits.

VoLTE in Megafon

In September 2016, Megafon was the first operator in Russia to launch this technology without restrictions. Evgeny Novosyolov, Infrastructure Director of the Capital Branch:

MegaFon is the first operator in Russia and the Moscow region, thanks to which the owners iPhone smartphones it became possible to make calls c high quality sound transmission".

At the moment, the service is available only to residents of Moscow. The service is not provided in national and international roaming. In addition, not every phone is able to connect using this service. We will not give the entire list of smartphones, as it is constantly expanding. In the Megafon online store you can see the entire list of models http://shop.megafon.ru/mobile/-volte.html. Here you can choose a phone for every taste and wallet.

The firmware of the phone must also support new technology. Up-to-date information on software can be seen on the operator's website.

If the phone and its firmware have the ability to transmit voice in 4G networks, then it remains only to enable it in the phone settings. This is done in the mobile network settings. called "4G LTE Mode", "VoLTE", "Enable LTE", "LTE Calls" and differs depending on the model. More detailed information will be in the instructions for the device. The service does not require additional activation or connection from the operator and is provided to all subscribers by default. The only condition is that the sm-card must support 4G. You can check this with a combination of numbers *507# call.

The question of payment is also interesting. The technology involves the transmission of voice by packet data, via the Internet, will there be a double payment or traffic consumption? You don't have to worry about this. Payment will not change. The money will be debited according to the tariff, and the traffic will be free.

In the event that the 4G signal is lost, the conversation will not end. The phone will reconfigure to 3G or 2G. Along with this, the sound quality and all other advantages of the technology will disappear.

Conclusion

This service is definitely worth paying attention to. Now there are many restrictions and only a few will be able to use it, but it was the same with 4G Internet. First Moscow, a limited number of technology-enabled phones, and now high-speed Internet from a smartphone will not surprise anyone.

What we have described above is presented in theory. Interesting user reviews. The first thing that immediately becomes noticeable is the high speed of the connection. Few noted improvements in voice quality. The problem may be that both subscribers must talk on VoLTE, otherwise, indeed, HD sound quality will not work. It was also not possible to track the battery savings, although according to all conclusions, it should be.

It has been noticed that, as the operator promises, the conversation is not interrupted when leaving the 4G coverage area, but goes into 3G. At the same time, VoLTE is kept until the last, until the signal becomes zero.

Video

Mobile operators are constantly improving signal transmission technologies. Thanks to this, Megafon has developed a new VoLTE service. The option is designed to transmit an audio signal in a 4G network. The function can only be used by subscribers with certain phone models.

The service is provided free of charge. Write-off of funds is made according to the rates of the connected tariff plan. The option is available only to subscribers residing in Moscow. For detailed information, it is recommended to contact the operator.

Subscribers using Voice over LTE technology can make calls within the 4G network. As a result, clients receive:

• Connection quality;
• Connection speed with the interlocutor;
• The ability to use the Internet during a call.

There is no subscription fee for using the option. Write-off of funds occurs as for a normal call. The cost is affected by the connected tariff plan.

The option works on the line of tariff plans "Turn on!":

• speak;
• Write;
• Look;
• Listen;
• Communicate.

Clients cannot use the option if they have previously activated the "AntiAON", "Personal beep" or "One-time AntiAON" package. There are no other restrictions on option compatibility.

The VoLTE technology was introduced by Megafon at the end of 2016, so at the moment the function is available on the phones of the brand:

• iPhone;
• Samsung;
• Sony Xperia;

As for Android smartphones, models released for the Russian market are compatible. The lineup constantly updated. Therefore, you need to check with the operator whether the service is suitable for a particular phone.

It is important to note that some SIM cards are not capable of working on a 4G network. To check if it is possible to connect a number to high speed technology, you need to dial the USSD command "*507#".

While using the service, the traffic is not consumed. Voice transmission is carried out through a free Internet channel.

How to enable the feature

The option does not require connection. Subscribers only need to properly configure their mobile devices:

• Samsung: Go to settings, then open the "Connections" tab. In the next step select " Mobile networks” and “Vo-LTE Calls”;
• iPhone: Open device settings configuration. Select "Data Options" and "Enable LTE network". Activate "Voice and Data";
• LG: Launch the configurator (gear icon), then select "Networks". In the menu that opens, go to "Advanced" and "Mobile networks". To complete the setup, you need to click on the "VOLTE" item;
• Sony Xperia: In the settings, select "More", and then click on "Mobile networks". In the window that opens, activate "Enable LTE".

It should be noted that in the latest models of phones, setting LTE networks takes place automatically. If there is no “VOLTE” button in the settings, you need to change the firmware.

Subscribers who travel outside of Moscow must turn off the function. Otherwise, you won't be able to make a phone call.

How to disable

It is not possible to deactivate the service. It can only be temporarily disabled. To do this, you need to change the settings on your phone. Everything is done in the same way as when the function is turned on.

Keep in mind that at the moment, smartphones cannot switch off from 4G to 3G signal by themselves. Therefore, when roaming, it is recommended to disconnect from the LTE network.

Who is suitable for

The service is suitable only for Megafon customers who live in Moscow. In this case, subscribers must use an iPhone, Samsung or LG. The advantage of the option is the quality of the connection. During a call, users can view photos or use the navigator. The signal will be stable. If there is a need to use video communication, it is recommended to connect the Videoconferencing package. For more information, please contact your operator.

Looking through the list of characteristics of a smartphone, you can stumble upon a mention of VoLTE. With conventional LTE, everything is clear - this is the view wireless communication that allows you to receive and transmit data on high speed. And VoLTE - what is it in the phone? In short, this is a technology that allows you to transmit not only traffic, but also voice over 4G networks. But let's touch on this topic in a little more detail.

Initially Cell Phones were intended only for making calls, even the possibility of exchanging SMS messages did not appear immediately. Cellular networks the first generation actually transmitted only the voice, most often even in unencrypted form. Only with the advent of the 2G era did different data transmission standards appear, including GPRS, which is familiar to many. But priority in those days continued to be given voice communication, the Internet connection has so far been used by very few mobile phone owners.

Now the situation has changed dramatically. Each new cellular communication standard is geared towards ever-increasing data rates. It got to the point that the fourth generation (LTE) is completely sharpened only for the transmission of Internet traffic. Voice calls are still carried out via 2G or 3G, there are no other options. It wasn't until recently.

Key Benefits of VoLTE

Now almost all major cities have LTE networks. Theoretically, a smartphone could only work in them, without wasting energy on switching between different communication standards. However, outgoing or incoming call forces the system to use the 3G connection. Each such synchronization takes some amount of charge. VoLTE technology solves this problem. This function, roughly speaking, is to transmit voice in digital form, using 4G networks for this. With the support of this technology, voice calls will no longer force the device to connect to legacy networks. And in the future, this (purely theoretically) will allow telecom operators to refuse support for 2G and 3G equipment. But for this, you need to wait until the population has no old mobile phones that do not have LTE support and, most importantly, VoLTE.

In fact, the new technology has other advantages:

• Fast connection. If the phone does not waste time switching to 2G or 3G, then the call is made noticeably faster. Sometimes the gain in speed reaches 30 seconds.
• Calls can become free. In fact, a conversation via VoLTE consumes only Internet traffic. If unlimited Internet is connected, then an outgoing call will not spend a single extra ruble. You can talk all day long.
• Enhance voice quality. No matter how high-quality microphone the smartphone is endowed with, everything spoils the 3G connection. With this communication standard, it is simply impossible to transmit ideal sound. And VoLTE is limited only by the stability of signal reception. If the device supports the HD Voice codec, then the voice will become voluminous, and extraneous noise will disappear.
• Increasing the capacity of cellular networks. A limited number of subscribers can connect to each 3G base. If the limit is reached, then the device connects to a more distant base, and the connection deteriorates. LTE equipment has three times the capacity of 3G and six times that of 2G.
• Simultaneous transmission of voice and traffic. When a telephone conversation is made, none of the applications can receive data from the global web. Receiving traffic will resume only after the subscriber hangs up. VoLTE technology has solved this problem - messages will continue to arrive in instant messengers even during a call.

Modern smartphones with VoLTE

Support for a new type of communication is available in many devices, even relatively inexpensive ones. For example, the corresponding technology is built into Xiaomi Redmi 4X. This smartphone is one of the most. People like the low price tag and optimal performance.

Of course, many are endowed with support for VoLTE technology. In theory, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Mi6 allow you to talk over LTE networks. VoLTE is also found in less expensive devices - for example, the Meizu M5 Note and iPhone SE are endowed with the corresponding technology.

Russian operators

If smartphone manufacturers are already supporting voice over LTE with might and main, then this cannot be said about telecom operators. In Russia, it is still more profitable to use equipment that works with networks of past generations, reserving 4G only for Internet traffic. Progress is being made in this area, but very slowly. Here's how things are with different Russian operators:

• "Megaphone" launched VoLTE, but only in Moscow. Moreover, this function was initially allowed to be activated only by owners of smartphones and Apple. At the time of writing, the list of devices has expanded to almost 40 models, including synchronization with VoLTE is available on ZTE V8, Vertex Saturn and LG G6.
• MTS just testing new technology. Press releases have repeatedly stated that the commercial operation of VoLTE will be launched in 2018. It is assumed that a new type of communication will be available not only in Moscow.
• "Beeline" gave its Moscow subscribers the opportunity to try out VoLTE back in 2015. But testing was quickly completed, and since then there has been no news from VimpelCom. It is said that owners using Beeline services will soon be able to speak on VoLTE, but these are just rumors.
• Tele2 launched a new type of communication in April 2017, but only in Moscow. The list of supported smartphones is strictly limited. Moreover, you can feel the "super-quality" voice only when talking within the network.

Disabling VoLTE

Some people prefer to disable all modules that are not used for some reason. Deactivating VoLTE does not make sense, because this function does not consume additional amounts of energy. On the contrary, this technology will save battery power if the operator suddenly starts supporting it.

However, disabling VoLTE is very easy. To do this, follow the path: "Settings -> Connections -> Mobile networks -> VoLTE calls". Here it remains only to deactivate the corresponding switch. Please note that the path may be different on some smartphones.

Conclusion

When choosing a smartphone, you should not seriously pay attention to the VoLTE function, since Russian operators so far have only limited support for the technology. The exception is the residents of Moscow - it is easiest for them to use the new type of communication. However, technologies are developing, operators are gradually purchasing new equipment. It is possible that one day support for VoLTE technology will appear in your city. Therefore, an extra function will definitely not become.