VoLTE | Difference between VoLTE & LTE | Rise of VoLTE

VoLTE | Difference of VoLTE & LTE | Rise of VoLTE

In this post,  we are going to cover major topic but not limited to:

1. What is VoLTE stand for?

2. Brief Introduction of LTE and VoIP

3. Difference between VoLTE and LTE?

4. Advantages of VoLTE | Rise of VoLTE

VoLTE stands for Voice over Long-Term Evolution. In order to master the VoLTE we need to know major two terms LTE and VoIP. I will explain briefly on these two topics:

LTE: It's acronym is Long-Term Evolution. It is also called as 4G. However, as defined by ITU- International Telecommunication Union, 4G must have at least 100 Megabits per second on peak speed which means that when we are in moving vehicle or train.  when we are stationary, there must be around 1Gigabits per second. But this was not much possible as there is undergoing research. 

So the substantial improvement  in 3G lead on a point such that they can be classified as 4G and thus named as LTE. LTE sole purpose is to solve the rampant increase in demand of data with using existing technology. 

VoIP: It is the technology, that will transmit the voice using IP or packets without using conventional circuit switched technology. Details of VoIP is here.

    

Since, LTE is truely IP based i.e it only supports packet switching with its all IP network.  This is good when we are using data service, but what will happen if call is initiated or received??

So for this problems, LTE have 3 different options:

1. VoLTE

2. Circuit switched fallback: In this method, when call is initiated or received, the Control signal and Traffic signal switched over to 3G or 2G providing  the circuit switched transmission of voice. 

3. Simultaneous Voice and LTE (SVLTE):In this method, the mobile handset use both LTE for data service  and Circuit switched for voice transceiver. 

Rise of VoLTE:

Due to circuit switched fallback, there is substantial decrease in voice quality since, for every time the call is made and received , the connectivity of LTE gets disconnected and switched to 3G/2G. This delay between switching ,which result is cal drop, poor voice quality, cross talk,etc. Also LTE was previously developed only to improve the data service but wasn't careful on Voice.  So to incorporate this problems of voice call, there have been developed of VoLTE. 

VoLTE is just a software (OS)which will be installed in the UE(user equipment) and the LTE network. Since LTE network is a hardware whereas VoLTE is a software. So now ,when the call is initiated, the voice will transmit over IP or data service instead of circuit switched technology. That means our phone now will not use the voice channel but will use the packet or data service channel in the form of Packet. This enables the use of higher bandwidth for voice transmission and thus there will be superior quality of voice.

So using VoLTE in LTE network provides the transmission of voice in the form of packets or IP over data service. There are many handsets that supports the VoLTE and many carriers which are implementing the VoLTE technology. 

As of 2017  January , the total operator deploying VoLTE has reached 40, over their LTE network.

Many handsets are available which supports VoLTE.