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AT&T plans to launch Voice-Over-LTE (VoLTE) service this year

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by James Gray on
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As AT&T brings more LTE coverage to more markets, they plan to roll out support for voice-over-LTE, or VoLTE, to select markets by the end of the year. VoLTE will use AT&T’s LTE towers to convert conversations into data packets over an IP network, allowing for not just higher quality calls but also video calling and enhanced messaging services.

AT&T currently has LTE coverage in 212 markets and expects to cover 90% of the country by the end of the year. Calls over the standard UMTS network will still be available when VoLTE is not, or if a device does not support it. It should be noted that these calls will use data, and probably not a small amount. For customers on shared data plans, this could potentially force you into a higher data bracket.

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Verizon CTO Palmer talks wireless technology future in interview

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by Jeff Causey on
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Verizon’s CTO Nicola Palmer recently sat down for an interview to discuss upcoming wireless technology issues like AWS, VoLTE and LTE Advanced. One of the upcoming technologies that Verizon is working on is VoLTE, which got some welcome news yesterday when new tests showed improved battery life for VoLTE devices. Palmer expects VoLTE to be available from Verizon later this year or in early 2014, but she would not commit to any partnership with MetroPCS. Palmer did indicate that Verizon is looking for partners to provide this service to their customers when they travel internationally. » Read the rest

New VoLTE tests show improved battery life for second generation

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by Jeff Causey on
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As we watch newer, faster smartphones come to market, many of us may gloss over one of the original uses of the devices – phone calls. Manufacturers and carriers have not forgotten though and as they have been working to rollout 4G LTE services, they have realized they could shift voice traffic over to the LTE network, but not without some challenges. To address the situation, some carriers have been looking at moving voice traffic onto the LTE network using technology referred to as VoLTE, Voice over LTE. The problem is that LTE was designed to move data not voice. In addition, LTE currently does not carry SMS traffic which accounts for a large portion of the revenue stream. To make voice calls over LTE means the use of some type of VOIP technology to convert the voice call into data, which means more computing overhead and thus, more demands on a smartphone’s battery. This concept was found to be true in testing in late 2012. MetroPCS and LG have been working to improve this situation as revealed in the results of recent tests. » Read the rest

VoLTE: Massive Battery Drainer?

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by Sean Stewart on
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With all new technology, there also comes compromise. Such seems to be the case with VoLTE (voice over LTE) technology. In news that’ll have nearly all smartphone owners cringing; a recent test that consisted of an unknown device making both CDMA and VoLTE calls over an unnamed carrier revealed some interesting results. It was found that VoLTE calls generated 100% more current drain on the battery which in turn resulted in 50% less battery life. Granted, this is just the beginning stages of VoLTE technology, and we aren’t 100% sure of all the variables in the test. However, I think we can assume that much of 2013 will be spent by engineers making sure we don’t lose 50% of our battery life with this technology.

source:  Droid Life

New Galaxy Note 10.1 set to launch in Korea with Jelly Bean and VoLTE

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by Jared Peters on
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 Samsung has recently decided to revamp its Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet for Korean markets to include VoLTE, or voice-over-LTE. That will give users fast data speeds, as well as the ability to make voice calls. I can’t imagine too many people holding that monster up to their ear, but speaker phone always works. » Read the rest

MetroPCS Powers Up Voice of LTE (VoLTE), Begins Sales of LG Connect 4G

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by Justin Crouch on
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You may or may have never heard of MetroPCS as they are not one of the big four carriers in the United States, however, being small they are still scrappy and improving their technology all the same. Just over a year ago the ambitious company announced they would eventually transition to a Voice over LTE capable network, and they made it happen, launching the world’s first Voice over LTE network. In addition, the carrier has officially launched their first VoLTE capable handset at one of their Dallas / Fort Worth store locations. The LG Connect 4G is powered by Android and is their first of many VoLTE handsets to launch and MetroPCS promises more rollouts and phone options “in the coming weeks.” This is the ‘way of the future’ and we are beginning to see more carriers make the transition to the VoLTE model as the 2G and 3G networks we have known and loved for so many years become obsolete. Hit the break for the official press release. » Read the rest

Verizon To Introduce Data Share Plans, Plans On Phasing Out Unlimited Data Plans In The Process

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by Roy Alugbue on
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In a sad turn of events, Verizon has decided to end its $30/month unlimited data plan for 3G customers who were “grandfathered” into the plan because they were customers prior to Big Red’s switch to tiered data plans which began last year. CFO Fran Shammo was speaking at the 40th annual J.P. Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom conference and argued as 3G unlimited data plan customers move to 4G LTE service, they would ultimately have to switch to Verizon’s upcoming data-share plan and go off the unlimited data plan anyways. While the new data share plan is scheduled to launch in mid-summer, there’s no word on pricing just yet. Nevertheless, Shammo believes this new plan will make it simpler for families and businesses to connect multiple devices and the industry has constrained the market around connected devices because people think they need additional data plans:

“If I can add as many devices as I want, that is more efficient from a family perspective and a small business perspective.”

To convince customers to utilize the new data plan, Shammo is looking solely in the direction of 4G LTE. Shammo confirmed 4G LTE will indeed be the rock of the data plan and as customers move from 3G to 4G LTE, they will need to be on the data share plan, which allows Verizon to kill off its 3G unlimited plan. Shammo adds: » Read the rest

Qualcomm Completes First Successful LTE To 3G Voice Handover

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by Roy Alugbue on
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There may still be some kinks to work out with LTE technology, but at least we have Qualcomm to thank for achieving one major feat. Qualcomm was able to complete the very first handover from LTE to WCDMA 3G during a VoLTE (voice-over-LTE) call recently. Previously, if you were on a VoLTE call in an LTE network and you leave the LTE coverage zone, the call would normally drop faster than you could say “hi”. Qualcomm successfully engineered its new Snapdragon chip to seamlessly transition between LTE and WCDMA 3G mid-voice call without issue, meaning you won’t lose the call just because you exit the LTE coverage zone. This is all achieved because of some crafty engineering on Qualcomm’s end, which in part includes the new ability to transition using just a single radio. Pretty sweet news especially for the ever-growing number of you 4G LTE users. Qualcomm is staying mum on any further information about this achievement for now, but expect the leaks to flow as we approach MWC. Hit the break for the full presser from Qualcomm.

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Voice Over 4G LTE To Roll Out in 2013 According to Verizon

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by Jack Holt on
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Verizon is planning on rolling out its Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) services nationwide in early 2013. This is according to Light Reading who states that Verizon is starting in two cities. They are demoing the IP MultiMedia Subsystem now and according to Catharine Trebnick, VP of Northland Captial Markets:

“VZW has two cities not trailing VoLTE and plans for national rollouts in early 2013. With this VoLTE service you will be able use Verizon’s blazing fast 4G LTE data speeds but will also have full voice capabilities at the same time. 

While the Thunderbolt have been using both simultaneously, data from LTE and voice over 3G, VoLTE will be able to offer both voice and data specifically through their LTE networks. This should alleviate some 3G network pressure considering that all Verizon 4G phones use 3G networks for voice aspects.

You can look for the implementation of the VoLTE service to start at the end of 2012/beginning of 2013 as Verizon finishes its rollout of nationwide LTE coverage. I don’t know about you guys but I am looking forward to sending emails and surfing the net while chatting on my device. What about you guys?

[via Light Reading]

 

 

Sprint will add LTE-Advanced in first half of 2013, 12 LTE devices to launch next year

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by Robert Nazarian on
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We already know that Sprint will deploy LTE by mid 2012, but we also learned that they plan on launching LTE-Advanced on its 800 MHz spectrum in the first half of 2013. Iyad Tarazi, Sprint’s vice president of network development and engineering, confirmed this at the 4G World conference.  He expects that LTE-Advanced to achieve 12-15 Mbps download speeds.

Tarazi also added a little about the LTE rollout for next year. He confirmed the use of the 1900 MHz spectrum and the mid-2012 launch. He said they expect to have 250 milion to 277 million POPs covered with LTE by the end of 2013, which will be a bigger footprint than its existing CDMA network. For starters, voice will continue over CDMA, while data will be over LTE. By early 2013, they will switch over to voice over LTE (VoLTE). Last but not least, you can expect to see about 12 LTE devices next year.

[via fiercewireless]