Does lack of VoLTE confirmation in Nexus 5 deter anyone from upgrading?

[galfert]

AT&T has said that they will launch VoLTE by the end of this year. Does the lack of confirmation of the inclusion of VoLTE in the Nexus 5 deter anyone from upgrading just yet?

What are the requirements of VoLTE? Could the Nexus 5 have VoLTE? I've read it is just a software upgrade for the carriers. Could it be just a software upgrade for phones too? Does VoLTE require special testing by FCC? Or is LTE data certification good enough? So many questions.

After all VoLTE uses the same frequencies as LTE data.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

 

[srkmagnus]

AT&T has said that they will launch VoLTE buy the end of this year. Does the lack of confirmation of the inclusion of VoLTE in the Nexus 5 deter anyone from upgrading just yet?

What are the requirements of VoLTE? Could the Nexus 5 have VoLTE? I've read it is just a software upgrade for the carriers. Could it be just a software upgrade for phones too? Does VoLTE require special testing by FCC? Or is LTE data certification good enough? So many questions.



Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

I've not heard anything regarding this being present in the N5. Since it has yet to be officially announced, we really don't know. Does it deter me if it doesn't? Not at all.

 

[zkSharks]

VoLTE requires significant infrastructure setup on the carriers' end, and typically only a software patch client-side. From the LTE Wikipedia page:

The LTE standard only supports packet switching with its all-IP network. Voice calls in GSM, UMTS and CDMA2000 are circuit switched, so with the adoption of LTE, carriers will have to re-engineer their voice call network. Three different approaches sprang up:

1. VoLTE (Voice Over LTE): This approach is based on the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) network, with specific profiles for control and media planes of voice service on LTE defined by GSMA in PRD IR.92. This approach results in the voice service (control and media planes) being delivered as data flows within the LTE data bearer. This means that there is no dependency on (or ultimately, requirement for) the legacy Circuit Switch voice network to be maintained.
2. [...]
3. [...]

Most major backers of LTE preferred and promoted VoLTE from the beginning. The lack of software support in initial LTE devices as well as core network devices however led to a number of carriers promoting VoLGA (Voice over LTE Generic Access) as an interim solution. The idea was to use the same principles as GAN (Generic Access Network, also known as UMA or Unlicensed Mobile Access), which defines the protocols through which a mobile handset can perform voice calls over a customer's private Internet connection, usually over wireless LAN. VoLGA however never gained much support, because VoLTE (IMS) promises much more flexible services, albeit at the cost of having to upgrade the entire voice call infrastructure. VoLTE will also require Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) in order to be able to smoothly perform a handover to a 3G network in case of poor LTE signal quality.

While the industry has seemingly standardized on VoLTE for the future, the demand for voice calls today has led LTE carriers to introduce CSFB as a stopgap measure. When placing or receiving a voice call, LTE handsets will fall back to old 2G or 3G networks for the duration of the call.

Verizon is planning to launch VoLTE nation-wide in 2014, and the VoLTE rollout is a key part of its plan to eventually move their services entirely onto LTE and LTE-Advanced networks. Big Red is also working on cross-carrier HD Voice tech at the SF Innovation Center. For some additional technical info on VoLTE, read up here. There's also a Samsung whitepaper on VoLTE [.pdf].

As far as I am aware, VoLTE itself is not a direct cause for any additional FCC certification, though VoLTE tech in handsets is definitely tested to some extent ? but don't quote me on that. However, VoLTE does certainly come into play when devices are undergoing certification in other areas, such as hearing aid compatibility (this link is to the cached Google version; the FCC systems are unavailable during the U.S. government shutdown). See part 4.e of that document. The FCC also indirectly regulates some aspects of VoLTE through other initiatives, such as the requirement for proper E-911 compatibility.

 

[galfert]

That was a lot of great information, thanks. But does any of it answer the question? I didn't see it besides the indication that it is merely a software update to the phone. So I guess this means we just don't have a way of really knowing if the Nexus 5 will ever support VoLTE. The leaked service manual, and the FCC documents don't really address the issue nor provide definitive clues.

So maybe we need to look at it from a different perspective. Are there any phones now that have been announced or already released that specifically state they support VoLTE? And if yes what do we know about that phone? Any clues in its FCC documents? Any clues in its software settings? Was it a phone that supported VoLTE from its initial release state or was it later upgraded via firmware/OS update? Sure there are no VoLTE networks yet, but maybe such a phone is out there that knowingly will have VoLTE once the network is up. Anyone know? We could learn a lot from a different device as maybe it sets a precedent.



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[galfert]

Hmm not much interest in VoLTE it seems by the lack of participation in this thread. Maybe people don't realize what VoLTE has to offer.

VoLTE benefits :
- better battery life
- HD Voice G.722 sounds like you are there live
- faster simultaneous voice and Internet because data doesn't have to fall back to HSPA+.
- more accuracy using voice to text services.
- greater call capacity per cell. Imagine being able to use your phone in a stadium event.

... And I probably missed a thing or two.




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[Rule9]

Doesn't matter to me either. I'm yet another one of those people who use mostly data and SMS but very minimal actual voice calling

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[JonK]

Hmm not much interest in VoLTE it seems by the lack of participation in this thread. Maybe people don't realize what VoLTE has to offer.

VoLTE benefits :
- better battery life
- HD Voice G.722 sounds like you are there live
- faster simultaneous voice and Internet because data doesn't have to fall back to HSPA+.
- more accuracy using voice to text services.
- greater call capacity per cell. Imagine being given able to use your phone in a stadium event.

... And I probably missed a thing or two.




Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Google voice + groove ip = your own VoLTE . Obviously you dont get QoS to guarantee call quality but its working pretty great for me.

 

[zkSharks]

I doubt we'll see official VoLTE support in a Nexus phone until the standard is well-implemented among the major carriers. Even then, it may very well be something that will require some degree of software modification by the carrier (at which point we're dealing with multiple entities involved with update processes).

 

[JRDroid]

I really couldn't care less about VoLTE no matter what the benefits are. The simple fact is I will go 2-3 days without making a voice call other than to my wife when I am on my way home from work (which isn't in an LTE area and likely won't be for a while). So I use voice for an average of 2 minutes a day. I do not even look at call quality when I am shopping for a phone. I am shopping for a pocket sized tablet with built in cellular data that I will use for an occasional voice call really.

 

[jerrod6]

Don't care about it. This is another thing that the carriers will charge us too much, for the benefit given.

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[Shilohcane]

I am pretty sure the Nexus 5 has VoLTE ability. Metro PCS that is now owned by T-Mobile went to VoLTE in 2012 and the first phones they sold that supported VoLTE were made by LG. I have even read articles that thinks most carriers are moving towards VoLTE and linked one below. The benefits of VoLTE – is better call quality and lower power consumption.

MetroPCS lights up Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services, starts selling LG Connect 4G

What I am hoping for is Metro PCS told me that the Samsung S4 they sell has the ability to connect over Wi-Fi in areas that have bad cell radio reception to give you full VoLTE in HD quality.

VoLTE: Coming Soon to a Phone Near You

 

[21stNow]

The lack of VoLTE on the Nexus 5 won't matter to me. There will be new phones out by the time the carriers get the networks up and running and I will get a compatible phone then. Meanwhile, I'll enjoy the Nexus 5 for what it is.

 

[Shilohcane]

If the Nexus 5 has a LTE Data Modem it has VoLTE. Your Carrier is who has to upgrade grade to VoLTE.

 

[JonK]

If the Nexus 5 has a LTE Data Modem it has VoLTE. Your Carrier is who has to upgrade grade to VoLTE.

There would need to be some software/radio updates to enable this but yes, anything with an LTE modem supports it in hardware. And if anyone will get a software update to enable it it will be nexus owners.

 

[obi5683]

VoLTE in its planned deployments require both handsets to be using VoLTE, so no, the lack or inclusion of VoLTE does not matter to me. It would be nice to know that my device would support it in the future, but I would need to see more devices with the feature to care whether my device can do it or not.

 

[galfert]

VoLTE in its planned deployments require both handsets to be using VoLTE, so no, the lack or inclusion of VoLTE does not matter to me. It would be nice to know that my device would support it in the future, but I would need to see more devices with the feature to care whether my device can do it or not.

That is not accurate. Both handsets do not need to be using VoLTE. You might be thinking of HD Voice which on the other hand needs to be supported on both handsets to have an HD Voice call. But HD Voice is not strictly tied to VoLTE. You can have VoLTE without HD Voice, and HD Voice without VoLTE. There are some SIP service providers that support HD Voice and they aren't using LTE nor VoLTE for that matter. So as you can see HD Voice is not synonymous with VoLTE and vice versa.

Even if the other person you are talking to is not using VoLTE but you are, you can still benefit from the battery savings and some of the other benefits I listed.

VoLTE = method of connecting the call from phone to tower using LTE. How the other caller is connected to the phone network is irrelevant.
HD Voice = voice protocol to capture and encode voice with wide dynamic range (needs to be supported on both ends).

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[obi5683]

That is not accurate. Both handsets do not need to be using VoLTE. You might be thinking of HD Voice which on the other hand needs to be supported on both handsets to have an HD Voice call. But HD Voice is not strictly tied to VoLTE. You can have VoLTE without HD Voice, and HD Voice without VoLTE. There are some SIP service providers that support HD Voice and they aren't using LTE nor VoLTE for that matter. So as you can see HD Voice is not synonymous with VoLTE and vice versa.

Even if the other person you are talking to is not using VoLTE but you are, you can still benefit from the battery savings and some of the other benefits I listed.

VoLTE = method of connecting the call from phone to tower using LTE. How the other caller is connected to the phone network is irrelevant.
HD Voice = voice protocol to capture and encode voice with wide dynamic range (needs to be supported on both ends).

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

AT&T's deployment of HD Voice will require both ends of the call to be using VoLTE. AT&T to launch first VoLTE-capable handset this year I have no idea how Verizon's deployment will work. Still doesn't matter to me if the Nexus 5 is VoLTE capable. I work on VoIP for a living and I can add my GNex to my SIP server. Technically it would then be VoLTE without the QoS.

 

[galfert]

Sq

AT&T's deployment of HD Voice will require both ends of the call to be using VoLTE. AT&T to launch first VoLTE-capable handset this year I have no idea how Verizon's deployment will work. Still doesn't matter to me if the Nexus 5 is VoLTE capable. I work on VoIP for a living and I can add my GNex to my SIP server. Technically it would then be VoLTE without the QoS.

The AT&T representative that was quoted for that article only addressed one type of call. What he said is true, but he is only talking about AT&T to AT&T calls I think. He may very well have said that VoLTE is required on both ends of the call for HD Voice but he may not have been considering calls connecting to other providers. For example Sprint already has HD Voice and they are doing it allowing it to work when the other end of the call is a SIP provider that supports HD Voice. I would be extremely surprised if AT&T would not also connect HD Voice to outside of their network if Sprint is already doing it. So of course if the call is AT&T to AT&T it will need to be VoLTE on both sides for HD Voice because that is the only way AT&T will support HD Voice within their network, but is says nothing of calls to/from AT&T and other providers.

By the way Sprint's HD Voice is working on their CDMA network. Yet another example how HD Voice doesn't require VoLTE. Verizon could do the same thing since they are CDMA, but that doesn't make sense for Verizon to invest in making their CDMA any better. Verizon is putting their money behind LTE and eventually getting rid of CDMA. Verizon will probably do HD Voice only on VoLTE, because that's the way they want to do it, not because it isn't possible on CDMA.


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[celltech5333]

For HD Voice between 2 Ue's in AT&Ts network both will have to be VoLTE. AT&T does not support HD Voice for its UMTS network. And if you start a HD Voice call between 2 Ue's on VoLTE, and 1 mobile does a SRVCC handover to UMTS, you will drop to a low AMR rate with a noticeable quality difference.

I see no technical reason why the N5 can't support VoLTE. The internal stack to support SIP is quite complicated though, and is quite an effort to implement. But I personally want to get a N5 and hope they update the load later for VoLTE.