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As mobile networks continue to evolve, the transition from legacy circuit-switched voice services to packet-switched Voice over IP (VoIP) technologies has become increasingly important, and Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is the new standard for voice over 4G networks. Here is an overview of what VoLTE is, the benefits it brings to service providers and, more generally, the transition operators need to make to future-proof their networks.
VoLTE represents a significant leap forward in mobile communications, moving from traditional circuit-switched voice services to an all-IP-based system. VoLTE leverages the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) architectural framework to enable voice services over any 4G, 5G, WiFi, or other data network. This technology allows mobile operators to use their 4G LTE infrastructure for both data and voice services, improving network efficiency and capacity. VoLTE eliminates the need for separate voice and data channels, allowing devices to maintain a single radio connection for all services. This consolidation not only simplifies the network architecture, but also paves the way for enhanced user experiences and new communications capabilities. As the mobile industry continues to evolve, VoLTE serves as a critical stepping stone between legacy voice systems and future technologies such as Voice over New Radio (VoNR) in 5G networks. It bridges the gap between traditional cellular voice calls and Internet-based communication services, providing a standardised approach to delivering high-quality voice services over advanced mobile networks. Implementing VoLTE requires compatible devices, network support and often user activation. As mobile operators around the world continue to invest in and deploy VoLTE technology, it is becoming an increasingly integral part of the mobile landscape, setting the stage for the next generation of voice services in the era of advanced mobile networks.
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) offers a range of advanced features and capabilities that significantly enhance the mobile communication experience. One of its primary advantages is the delivery of crystal-clear voice quality through HD voice technology, utilizing wideband audio codecs like AMR-WB. VoLTE enables faster call setup times, typically connecting calls in less than 2 seconds compared to the 7+ seconds required by traditional networks. A key capability is simultaneous voice and data usage, allowing users to maintain high-speed data connections during calls without interruption or degradation of service. VoLTE also improves spectrum efficiency, offering up to three times more voice and data capacity than 3G and up to six times more than 2G. The technology supports advanced features like video calling (ViLTE) and seamless integration with Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi), enhancing indoor coverage. VoLTE is optimized for low battery consumption, making it ideal for power-constrained devices. Additionally, it enables rich communication services (RCS), providing a more versatile messaging experience. These features collectively contribute to an improved user experience, increased network efficiency, and pave the way for future voice technologies in 5G networks.
The Voice over LTE (VoLTE) architecture integrates voice services into the LTE network using IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) technology. It consists of several interconnected components including the User Equipment (UE), which are VoLTE-capable mobile devices, LTE Radio Access Network, which manages radio resources and connections, Evolved Packet Core (EPC), which manages functions such as mobility, authentication, and connectivity to external networks, and the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), responsible for the delivery of IP multimedia services.
Within the EPC key network functions for VoLTE include the Mobility Management Entity (MME), the Serving Gateway (S-GW), the Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW) and the Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF).
More specifically, here is the role of each of them.
To effectively address the multiple challenges and pressures facing modern mobile networks, operators must prioritise solutions that increase network flexibility, reduce operational costs and generate new revenue streams.
To meet all these challenges at once, ng-voice has developed the first fully cloud-native IMS in the market: the Hyperscale IMS Solution – infrastructure-agnostic, cost-efficient and fully automated.
Designed to work on any infrastructure layer, this solution guarantees complete flexibility of deployment, whether on bare metal, private or public cloud, as well as on any type of orchestration layer. The Hyperscale IMS not only promises unparalleled adaptability, but also delivers up to 80% total cost of ownership (TCO) savings due to its extremely low resource footprint and high levels of automation. The result is an easy-to-operate solution with unparalleled deployment time and a simplified life-cycle management.
The backbone of this architecture is the Container-as-a-Service (CaaS) platform, powered by Kubernetes and built with lightweight containers, all 25MB or smaller. This ensures that services are always available, scalable, and efficiently managed.
At a time when voice revenues are declining for operators, the Hyperscale IMS is the perfect solution for any M(V)NO, IoT provider or private network providers.
