What is VoLTE and How Does it Work? Here is What You Should Know

The process of communicating and interacting around the world is changing at a breakneck speed. A wave of smartphones is sweeping across the world with billions of people moving along with it.

The number of people who own smartphones around the world is estimated at 2.71 billion people according to stats released by eMarketer. This was a tremendous growth from just 1.57 billion smartphone users in 2014.

In 2015, there were 1.86 billion smartphone users in the world with the number growing to 2.1, 2.32 and 2.53 billion in 2016, 2017 and 2018 respectively.

The image below shows growth in the number of smartphone users around the world between 2014 and 2019:

Image by www.sokodirectory.com

Kenya is among African countries that have embraced the use of technology and statistics can clearly attest to this. Kenya is leading the African continent in the adoption of advanced technology to conduct various tasks with a mobile phone playing a major role.

Kenya has a high mobile adoption with 91 percent, an equivalent to 46.94 million penetration of mobile subscriptions, compared to 80 percent mobile penetration in Africa. The internet connectivity stands at a penetration rate of 84 percent with 43.3 million of the total population having access to the Internet in Kenya.

The Coming of VoLTE

VoLTE is the latest telecom buzzword that stands for the Voice over Long Term Evolution (LTE). On the face of it, the buzzword appears complicated and maybe carries no meaning to many but this is a revolution in the telecommunications sector.

VoLTE refers to something wireless that every mobile user should appreciate and embrace. It refers to better quality voice calls, the ability to use voice and data at the same time, and the more network efficiency.

VoLTE is simply a way to route voice over the 4G LTE networks carries use to transmit data.

VoLTE allows the voice to become just another app that rides on a data network. The new protocol may bring faster, better voice calls and even video chat tied to your cell phone service and number with the benefits trickling down to the consumer because voice-minutes billing will go away.

The use of VoLTE is necessary because LTE is a data-only networking technology that works better on the wheels of VoLTE. In the past, cellular networks, such as 2G and 3G, were designed mainly to carry voice calls.

VoLTE, therefore, is an added cellular data support later through methods that basically “tunneled” data inside of voice-call connections.

LTE turns the network around and uses Internet Protocol packets for all communications. As such, it doesn’t support traditional voice-call technology, so a new protocol and applications for Voice over LTE are needed.

There are some key benefits that come with VoLTE that a compatible phone user is set to enjoy. Here are some of them:

• Simultaneous voice calls and data

If you are a person who likes multitasking, VoLTE is your thing. Let us say you are on phone talking to a friend or a client and he/she mentions that favorite movie that you were not aware it is on the screens. You then decide to check on the listings while you are still talking on the phone with your call not interrupted at all. In other words, you can be on call and be browsing at the same time on your phone.

• Better quality voice calls

VoLTE enables HD or High Definition voice calls. VoLTE makes calls clearer than the traditional ones. However, to make HD call over VoLTE, you will need to use a phone that supports VoLTE, be in an area that has 4G LTE service with the receiver of the call required to meet the same requirements.

Here are some gadgets that support VoLTE. If you have one of them, please try it out:

1. Huawei Mate 10 Lite
2. Huawei Mate 10 Pro
3. Huawei Mate 20
4. Huawei Mate 20 Lite
5. Huawei Mate 20 Pro
6. Huawei P20
7. Huawei P20 Lite
8. Huawei P20 Pro
9. HUAWEI Technologies Co Ltd Mate 20
10. HUAWEI Technologies Co Ltd Mate 20 lite
11. HUAWEI Technologies Co Ltd Mate 20 Pro
12. HUAWEI Technologies Co Ltd P20
13. HUAWEI Technologies Co Ltd P20 lite
14. HUAWEI Technologies Co Ltd P30 lite
15. HUAWEI Technologies Co Ltd Y6 Prime 2019
16. HUAWEI Technologies Co Ltd Y7 Prime 2019

You can find a more advanced list through the Safaricom Website.

• There is no increase in voice call charges

Making a HD call on VoLTE does not increase charges. The networks are smart enough to identify voice packets, and they don’t push them into your data usage. Take VoLTE as a value add that makes your calling experience better.

• Improved battery life

A mobile that is without VoLTE needs to first switch from 4G back to 3G or 2G before making a call, then once the call is over, the user has to re-establish a connection to the 4G network.

The switching wastes time and uses much power, hence draining your battery. VoLTE constantly uses 4G and no need for switching between activities.

How do you turn on VoLTE on your phone?

As already indicated, it is paramount to note that not every phone is compatible with VoLTE technology. Find out which kind of phones are compatible with this website.

Say you have a phone that is compatible with VoLTE, how do you turn it on? Easy. In fact, some carriers turn on this feature by default but ti find out if your phone has VoLTE:

Go to settings

Click on Cellular

Click on Cellular Data option

Enable LTE

If the Voice and Data is off, please tap to turn on VoLTE.

Here are some other steps that might help you depending on the type of phone you might be having:

BlackBerry PRIV

Settings > More > Cellular networks > IMS Settings > Voice over LTE On/ Off.

Google Nexus 6

Settings > More > Cellular networks > Enhanced 4G LTE Mode On/ Off.

 HTC One M9

Settings > Call More > Check or uncheck Voice over LTE.

LG G Stylo, G3, G4, & Leon

Settings > Call > VoLTE On/ Off.

Samsung Galaxy Avant

Settings > Call > select Voice over LTE settings > select Use VoLTE when available or Do not use VoLTE.

Samsung Galaxy Light

Phone > Keypad tab > More options > Call settings > VoLTE settings On/ Off.

Samsung Galaxy Note & Galaxy S series

Tap Phone > Keypad tab > Tap More options > Settings > Tap Call > Voice over LTE settings > Tap Use VoLTE when available or Do not use VoLTE.

Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, J7, ON5

From any Home screen, tap Phone > Tap the MORE icon > Tap Settings > Tap Voice over LTE settings.

Select one of the following:

Turn on: Use VoLTE when available

Turn off: Do not use VoLTE

Sony Xperia Z3

Tap Settings > Call settings > Check or uncheck Enable VoLTE.

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