3 mobile carriers entered into demonstrating their LTE VoLTE linkage. VoLTE provides clear sound quality that is almost the same as the original sound and voice call quality that is improved more than 8 times than 3G. Data calling generation will open wide as they expand their services to normal customers.
They started VoLTE linkage demonstration service on the 30th with 50 people from experimental groups from each company. Experimental groups are comprised of power bloggers and normal customers and they experiment VoLTE by receiving calls from other companies’ customers. ‘HD Voice’ shows up on Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics’ Smartphones if calls come through VoLTE.
Customers who call to experimental groups are expanded to all normal customers who use VoLTE Smartphones with VoLTE function because number of cases will be too small if only 50 people from each company called each other. Experimental groups experiment variety of services such as VoLTE sound quality and change between sound service and voice call. Mobile carriers are planning to apply requirements for improvement and things they saw while experimental groups were using VoLTE onto quality improvement.
People in charge of VoLTE from 3 mobile carriers are having meetings every week and planning commercialization and demonstration service. Ministry of Science, ICP , and Future Planning (MSIP) is forming a consultative group along with 3 mobile carriers for commercialization starting from July, and they are going to carry on additional quality testing and examine conditions of each step’s process.
Because VoLTE uses wider bandwidth than circuit-based voice call, its voice is more smooth and clear. Its voice call quality also increases to HD-level because it is based on packet. Connection time is only 0.25-2.5 seconds compared to previous average of 5 seconds because it constantly checks terminals’ conditions.
Smartphones that were released after July of 2012 have VoLTE functions. To use VoLTE, IPhone needs to be set up in the order of ‘Setting-Cellular-LTE Activation-Voice and Data’. Other Smartphones need to be set up in the order of ‘Call Dialer-Call Setting-Voice Call Use Setting-HD Voice First’. Recently number of Smartphones’ releases that have VoLTE set up as their voice calls are increasing.
Mobile carriers are discussing a plan to apply VoLTE-related services along with Uwa during phone calls with customers from other companies. Variety of services such as sharing of music and pictures, sending location, and etc. are possible in real time. They are also preparing for new services using VoLTE, and SK Telecom’s ‘Smart Receiving Call’ is a prime example.
MSIP is expanding this service to normal customers in August and to all VoLTE terminal users in November. It is estimated that there are 174 kinds and 32 million terminals that support VoLTE.
Staff Reporter An, Hochun | hcan@etnews.com