Question about advanced calling

[dhendriksen]

So, I really want to like this phone and stick with Motorola, but this whole no simultaneous voice and data thing is a real problem for me. I'm thinking maybe I can love with it for a few weeks, but how's the experience going to be once this feature comes online? Does anyone really know how it works? Is it going to be flaky and dropping calls?

 

[cyberr8der]

It's supposed to be a better experience than what we have now.. Time will tell but you only have 14 days to return the device so if you're not sure you my be better off returning the device.

 

[BlueBlazer60]

There are many threads and posts on this topic. I have posted a few myself. Do a search here, a google search and best of all read Verizon's web page FAQ about advanced calling. Then you will know more than you ever want to know on the topic.

These comments do not include any consideration of the ability of WiFi to handle your data needs.

As for your question how will it work in real life, most of us have yet to use the service since Verizon is just rolling it out. I have used VoLTE [HD calling] on friends phones on other networks. Quality is good, calls seem more like a landline call, no increase in dropped calls. BUT THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT TECHNICAL DIFFERENCES between Verizon's version of HD calling and the other networks, so the experience on other networks can NOT be used as an absolute compare.

Will there be dropped calls? Based on (1) Verizon's description that if you start a call using advanced calling feature and leave a 4GLTE area the call will be dropped, and (2) that walking around in my house or driving in the area my phone switches from 4G to 3G; I would expect significant dropped calls. Even Verizon expects dropped calls since they include instructions that if you are experiencing dropped calls you should turn off Advanced Calling. [Great solution, problem with the service - don't use it]

Advanced calling [data+voice] will ONLY work as long as you stay in a 4GLTE service area and your call is handle from start to finish on 4GLTE service. Lot of things can cause your call to switch between 3G and 4G. It happens all the time. This problem is not going to be completely solved within the next few months. IIRC, one article I read indicated Verizon expected to be able to finish the upgrades for the entire network and retire the old CDMA by 2020. Hopefully my memory is bad.

I except a lot of dropped calls. I plan to try Advanced Calling but I have a gut feeling I will probably be turning it off until 4GLTE coverage is better in my area. I live in metro Indianapolis which Verizon considers a 4GLTE area but my phone indicates a mix of 4G and 3G.

Simultaneous voice and data are not much of an issue for me. Being retired, I can not remember the last time I was on a call and needed to use data. And if I did there was a good chance it was handled by home WiFi.

As I have said before if voice+data is critical for you, the Turbo and other one antenna phones on Verizon network are probably not a good choice for you.

FYI - other individuals have posted that the Note 4 does do simultaneous voice and data. I have not tried it.

 

[doogald]

Nice post. There have been a few posts about this on the Droid Maxx forum, and people using it are having mixed experience. I think the biggest complaints are both dropped calls and poor audio quality when you speak with other people when not on HD Voice calls (in other words, to landlines, other phones without VoLTE, to phones on other networks, or to people with VoLTE who are on 3G. Some people are not reporting this problem. (I live in a fringe area and get no LTE at home so I've not turned on the feature on my account. Traditional cell calls have always sounded fine to me.)

Advanced calling [data+voice] will ONLY work as long as you stay in a 4GLTE service area and your call is handle from start to finish on 4GLTE service. Lot of things can cause your call to switch between 3G and 4G. It happens all the time.

To be fair, you could never get simultaneous voice and data on 3G anyway.

If you want simultaneous voice and data, even now, especially if you have a more everything plan, you can add a wireless hotspot to a family plan for (I believe) $20 a month, sharing the mobile data pool. Then it will get voice and data even in 3G areas. Or, like BlueBlazer60 said, exchange for a phone that does simultaneous voice and data already.

 

[dhendriksen]

I think I'm going to exchange for the Note 4. I hate to do it, but I really do need simultaneous voice and data.

 

[adayoff]

I think I'm going to exchange for the Note 4. I hate to do it, but I really do need simultaneous voice and data.

I hate to ask a silly question, but I thought all Androids could surf the Web already while being on a phone call? I have always been able to do that. That's why we are better than Apple products. Right? VoLTE is just a fix for Apple people to finally be able to enjoy their phones as much as us. Besides better connectivity during the call?

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[doogald]

I hate to ask a silly question, but I thought all Androids could surf the Web already while being on a phone call? I have always been able to do that. That's why we are better than Apple products. Right? VoLTE is just a fix for Apple people to finally be able to enjoy their phones as much as us. Besides better connectivity during the call?

Nope. It's mostly a function of the mobile technology the carrier uses. CDMA technology used by sprint and verizon never allowed simultaneous voice and data (except on rare phones that had specific technology to allow it, mostly on sprint.) Those carriers started having voice and data when they carried calls on CDMA and data on LTE (or WiMAX, when sprint had that) but that required two antennas. Most smartphones had them; iPhones since at least the 5 have not.

Gsm carriers (att and T-Mobile in the us) could do voice and data, because gsm can do that. Including on iPhones....

Volte uses the added data bandwidth on lte to allow a lot of extra features - higher quality audio on voice calls, video calls, and multiple line conference calling, with enough bandwidth remaining on the data connection to allow mobile data to apps on the same connection.

 

[BlueBlazer60]

I hate to ask a silly question, but I thought all Androids could surf the Web already while being on a phone call? I have always been able to do that. That's why we are better than Apple products. Right? VoLTE is just a fix for Apple people to finally be able to enjoy their phones as much as us. Besides better connectivity during the call?

Posted via the Android Central App

Not a silly question.

This is network 101 for me and all the other folks who want it simple. This is probably not 100% technically accurate for the professional network engineer but is probably good enough for those of us who have in the past purchased at least one of the wonderful books "........... for Dummies". Even areas I was considered a professional those were valuable sources.

GSM based networks [AT&T, T-Mobile, etc] have always had the ability to do voice and data.

CDMA based networks [Verizon, Spirit, etc] because of the different original base design require some work arounds. All phone calls (voice) until VoLTE have been carried on the old CDMA part of the network. Data was carried on the 3G and 4G parts of the network or your WiFi. To achieve voice+data before VoLTE, phones required two antennas to use two network bands at the same time.

Verizon wants to move to VoLTE service for a variety of business reasons. Manufacturers only need to allow space and battery capacity for one radio. If Verizon can get all voice off of the old CDMA bandwidth it can be purposed for data and voice service. Bandwidth is a big asset and big money.

That means software and network changes to allow the radio/antenna used for access to the 4G band to process both voice and data at the same time (Advanced Calling). Plus enhances to the 4GLTE networks.

First of you are using WiFi, you can do both voice and data, the issue does not exist when data access is WiFi based.
Current problem exists because some new phone are being built with one radio/antenna for the new type of service. Since they have only one antenna they can only handle either voice or data until Advanced Calling is rolled out to that model of phone. Verizon is doing a phone by phone roll out. After they roll it to your phone and you activate it, voice+data service will be available as long as your complete call is done in a 4G area. Otherwise it will still be one or the other available.

Yes it does solve a problem for Apple users but it is a problem with newer model Android phones. First two getting a lot of comments are the Moto X (2014) and Turbo

 

[wolf_walker]

If it's any consolation I suspect it'll be a problem for every new vzw phone eventually.
Unless a given manufacturer actively decides to add a second radio.
I'm looking again at net based voice services to sidestep some of this goofiness.

 

[BlueBlazer60]

If it's any consolation I suspect it'll be a problem for every new vzw phone eventually.
Unless a given manufacturer actively decides to add a second radio.
I'm looking again at net based voice services to sidestep some of this goofiness.

Great comment.

It will be a problem until Verizon has complete solid 4GLTE service very where you want to use your phone, unless you find a two antenna phone. It will last for years for some people.

 

[doogald]

If it's any consolation I suspect it'll be a problem for every new vzw phone eventually.

Well, eventually they'll all have volte running when they first launch. This is just a temporary problem.

 

[Eclipse2K]

Not a silly question.

This is network 101 for me and all the other folks who want it simple. This is probably not 100% technically accurate for the professional network engineer but is probably good enough for those of us who have in the past purchased at least one of the wonderful books "........... for Dummies". Even areas I was considered a professional those were valuable sources.

GSM based networks [AT&T, T-Mobile, etc] have always had the ability to do voice and data.

CDMA based networks [Verizon, Spirit, etc] because of the different original base design require some work arounds. All phone calls (voice) until VoLTE have been carried on the old CDMA part of the network. Data was carried on the 3G and 4G parts of the network or your WiFi. To achieve voice+data before VoLTE, phones required two antennas to use two network bands at the same time.

Verizon wants to move to VoLTE service for a variety of business reasons. Manufacturers only need to allow space and battery capacity for one radio. If Verizon can get all voice off of the old CDMA bandwidth it can be purposed for data and voice service. Bandwidth is a big asset and big money.

That means software and network changes to allow the radio/antenna used for access to the 4G band to process both voice and data at the same time (Advanced Calling). Plus enhances to the 4GLTE networks.

First of you are using WiFi, you can do both voice and data, the issue does not exist when data access is WiFi based.
Current problem exists because some new phone are being built with one radio/antenna for the new type of service. Since they have only one antenna they can only handle either voice or data until Advanced Calling is rolled out to that model of phone. Verizon is doing a phone by phone roll out. After they roll it to your phone and you activate it, voice+data service will be available as long as your complete call is done in a 4G area. Otherwise it will still be one or the other available.

Yes it does solve a problem for Apple users but it is a problem with newer model Android phones. First two getting a lot of comments are the Moto X (2014) and Turbo

Okay, I know either my Droid RAZR HD/Droid Maxx and/or Note 3 did Talk+data on 3G. There was an extra antenna and I remember doing it plenty of times. CDMA does have a limitation but there were dual antennas I believe.

Sent from my Motorola Droid Turbo

 

[wolf_walker]

Well, eventually they'll all have volte running when they first launch. This is just a temporary problem.

Unless I'm missing something it's a problem for anyone that moves in and out of lte coverage as designed. I could be missing something.

 

[doogald]

Unless I'm missing something it's a problem for anyone that moves in and out of lte coverage as designed. I could be missing something.

You couldn't get simultaneous voice and data when you were in 3G anyway on even my phone, the Droid Maxx, which has dual antennas. If you're out of LTE coverage, you're out of voice and data now, too, anyway. Even with a Note 4.

 

[dhendriksen]

Well, I got my phone exchanged for a Note 4 and does simultaneous voice and data flawlessly. ..even on 3G.