Korea will start world’s first LTE based voice call (VoLTE) service between mobile carriers. Not only high-quality voice call, but variety of added service and expansion of related contents system are expected.
Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning (MSIP) announced on the 17th that it is pushing to commercialize VoLTE between 3 mobile carriers through a test service at the end of June. VoLTE is a technology that transmits not only data, but voice through LTE as well. Compared to mVoIP that uses wireless internet network, VoLTE has better call quality and there is never a time when a call drops or doesn’t connect.
VoLTE processes voice call through packet (data) method that transmits data in certain sizes. Its efficiency in network is better than circuit method that is applied in 2G and 3G. Call connection time, which is about 0.25~2.5 seconds, is at most 20 times faster compared to a current one because it constantly checks the status of a terminal rather than checking if other person’s terminal is able to converse or not.
Previous circuit (voice) method uses 200~3400 Hz while VoLTE supports up to 50~7000 Hz, which transmits clear quality of sound that is almost the same as original sound. This is the reason why it is also called ‘HD Voice’, and a voice call provides high-definition that is 8 times better than 3G. Sharing of variety of contents is possible such as sharing of pictures and videos during calls and change between voice and video without any restriction.
If all voice calls are linked through LTE, all sorts of multimedia service can be rapidly provided. Emergence of fused and mixed service that expands domain for call service is also expected. ‘Real Time Mobile Translation System’ that translates call breakdown into voice or text and transmits during calls and ‘Mobile Medical Exam System’ that allows doctors to take different measures in diagnosis and examination during a phone call with a patient are possible.
Until now a person was only able to do VoLTE with a different member within a same mobile carrier. After the linkage between 3 mobile carriers, one can use high-quality voice service and variety of additional services during phone calls with other mobile carriers’ members. Out of LTE members, only people with terminals (terminal that was released after July of 2012) that are equipped with VoLTE function are subjected to this service. Charging for this service is just the same as a method that one is using for voice calls out of his or her rate.
MSIP decided to do a test service starting from the end of June targeting some members for a month. It is going to gather an experienced group per mobile carriers such as Power Blogger and start this service. Besides experienced group, it is also going to examine operation of ‘experienced zone’ that targets regular people. It’s going to form a ‘consultative group for commercialization’ that is for examination of condition of step-by-step progress.
It is going to expand its commercialization for common members starting August and offer service to all members that possess VoLTE terminals starting November. It is expected that out of 37 million people who are LTE members, 3200 terminals will be supported by VoLTE. MSIP is going to make progress on doing additional quality test on all VoLTE terminals from all 3 mobile carriers and 174 kinds.
MSIP decided to share its standardization of VoLTE linkage and commercialization experience with mobile carriers from other countries. It is going to announce its commercialization progress and hold related discussion at ‘Mobile World Congress (MWC)’ which is going to be held in Shanghai in next month.
“High-quality voice service and variety of additional services are going to be provided by this commercialization. Korea’s mobile carriers are able to keep their reputations by leading in developing technology and VoLTE linkage.” A person associated with MSIP said about what this commercialization is going to bring to Korea’s mobile carriers.
Staff Reporter An, Hochun | hcan@etnews.com