Verizon confirms VoLTE plans for next generation voice network, video calling

By on Feb 8, 2011 at 5:00 PM
mobile February 8, 2011

Verizon has confirmed to CNN that it will utilize Voice Over LTE (VoLTE) for its next generation voice network. The company is expected to make a public announcement, and host demonstrations, at next week’s Mobile World Congress. In the future, Verizon hopes to route all voice and video calls, text messages, and data packets over its LTE network.

“Calls between VoLTE-equipped smart phones will sound better,” notes Verizon. “The ‘high-definition’ audio fidelity will be a major selling point.”

The report also notes that VoLTE will allow simultaneous voice and data usage — a capability currently unavailable to most CDMA handsets. Verizon declined to comment on how it plans to price and roll-out VoLTE, but we’re sure it will be a slow transition. Hit the read link to check out the full report.

Read

Tags:
, , , , , , , , ,
23 Comments

Related Articles

  • bgr’ish

    You realize you are using a 3g graphic in a 4g article.

    • Tomm

      It’s just bragging rights

    • http://twitter.com/blu3live Kyle

      No, that’s Verizon’s 3G map with the 4G markets listed on it, that is what Verizon has released for their 4G map currently.

      • Tee

        Nope… their 4G map actually has dark red blobs that show the coverage range in those markets, and another color that show the fringe coverage areas… that map used up top was the map they released for their announcement of the date it was going live, just showing the initial areas.

    • Hammad

      You know BGR is getting paid for this one :$ !

  • TimC

    You realize the graph shows 3g coverage and 4g markets, right? You also realize questions are finished with a question mark, not a period, right?

  • http://twitter.com/jasenmaster Jasen Master

    ATT…your days are over, son.

    • Anonymous

      It’s not like ATT’s rolling out an LTE network or anything.

      • Midi45

        They might be but it will sucksl like their 3G does.

      • SG

        Actually I disagree, as much as I dislike AT&T. One can argue whether CDMA or GSM is better, but the fact remains, CDMA gets the basic job done MUCH better. ATT/GSM had to add more towers closer together to get the same results as Verizon. Once they have a VoLTE overlay, many of their notorious problems will finally go away, such as dropped calls and a rapid dropoff in the fringe area.
        But technology will never fix bad customer service and poor business decisions.

      • Anonymous

        SG its not the technology, but its the network deployment and balance between network demand/supply that is causing all the problems for AT&T….especially when you consider that their 3G is deployed in only a fraction of the spectrum AT&T has since it has to be shared with legacy GSM….unlike VZW using all their spectrum for one network.

    • JL

      Do explain.

  • Bill Burnett

    Seems odd everyone is concerned about network speed… I think its fine the way it is. My Verizon 3G is as fast as my computer.

    • Whoareu

      Ew you still have dial up?

      • Anonymous

        LMAO…funniest comment ever.

      • Bill Burnett

        I guess what I mean is I’ve been using mobile versions of websites since 2003. They have gotten progressively better and faster to load. I have no problem flying through the sites, and looking at full web on a small screen doesn’t strike my fancy.

  • http://twitter.com/ggore Glenn Gore

    Interesting that they only NAME the 4G markets instead of show any sort of coverage. Turns out there is usually only one cellsite in each of those places that is actually enabled for 4G coverage. In Oklahoma, Verizon only has 3G along one interstate highway, covering only 1/3 of the state and a very tiny 4G coverage area in Oklahoma City, nowhere else! Looks like in West Virginia you are completely out of luck, with any coverage at all. Kentucky doesn’t fare much better.

    • Tee

      Perhaps you should go to Verizon’s website and look at the real coverage map instead of the one that was given out pre-launch of LTE… you know, the one that shows all sorts of actual coverage…

    • Baby Doc

      …and how is it that you know exactly which cell sites VZW has lit with 4G service?

      • http://twitter.com/ggore Glenn Gore

        Zoom in far enough on the coverage maps and you can see very clearly just how many cellsites they have lit up in any given city. They are so few, they appear as nice round little red dots.

    • http://twitter.com/ggore Glenn Gore

      The graphic given at the top of this article is the one on Verizon’s Coverage Locator website. It shows as red their 3G coverage area. The named cities on the same map are the ones currently listed as covered by Verizon’s 4G coverage. THAT as well as Verizon’s website, is where I got my information!

      Instructions: Enter your zip code into the Coverage Locator, hit Enter. This will give you Verizon’s basic coverage map, which they show as pretty much all red, for their basic CDMA “voice and messaging only” coverage.

      If you want to view their 3G coverage, click the “Data Coverage” dot and Refresh the map. This gives you the basic map shown at the beginning of this article.

      If you want to see Verizon’s 4G coverage on top of their 3G map, click the “4G Data Coverage dot, and then zoom WAY down to find the few and very small places they now cover with 4G/LTE.

  • Anonymous

    Will the HTC Thunderbolt be able to do VoLTE down the road?

  • http://twitter.com/Syk0Matik420 Beefy McBigDick

    verizon pisses me off with how expensive their crap is but they are the only carrier with 3G in my state. and man is it fast. I may drop Tmobile and just pay the stupid verizon deposit to cash in on that 3g. anxious to see how fast that lte crap is gonna be.

blog comments powered by Disqus