AT&T quietly begins supporting voice-over-LTE calls to other carriers

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone
Some AT&T subscribers should now finally be able to place VoLTE (voice over LTE) calls to people on other carrier networks, increasing the chances of better call quality and multitasking.




Cross-network VoLTE calls are currently limited to "select areas," and only when connected to a single unspecified carrier, AT&T said in a brief announcement. Eventually the technology should roll out across the U.S., and cover multiple carriers.

VoLTE is significant to iPhone owners for two reasons, the first being that it enables HD Voice, providing clearer and more natural-sounding calls than those over AT&T's regular voice network.

The technology also improves the bandwidth available for simultaneous voice and app use, which is otherwise capped at 3G speeds.

AT&T is relatively late to cross-carrier support, since T-Mobile has been testing the feature for some time. It did note that some form of VoLTE is now available in 96 percent of its LTE coverage area, which spans large portions of the country.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    plustgartenplustgarten Posts: 1member
    So what model of iPhone does one need to use VoLTE?
  • Reply 2 of 12
    dcgoodcgoo Posts: 280member
    plustgarten said:
    So what model of iPhone does one need to use VoLTE?

    An iPhone 6 or 6s

  • Reply 3 of 12
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,956member
    How do you invoke it?
  • Reply 4 of 12
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    dcgoo said:
    plustgarten said:
    So what model of iPhone does one need to use VoLTE?

    An iPhone 6 or 6s

    Is that to limit the number of customers they have to support, given that the majority of iPhones out there are 5S or older? There's obviously no reason they couldn't support this over an iPhone 5S ...
  • Reply 5 of 12
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member

    How do you invoke it?
    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203032

    edited December 2015
  • Reply 6 of 12
    focherfocher Posts: 687member
    mac_128 said:

    How do you invoke it?
    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203032

    You're confusing WiFi Calling with VoLTE. Two different things. 

    VoLTE uses LTE to make voice calls instead of 3G. It includes the benefit of a much superior codec called HD Voice that, if you make an LTE-to-LTE call on T-Mobile you have been able to experience for over a year. It's crystal clear audio quality and you'll never want to go back. 

    WiFi Calling allows phone calls through the wifi network (and Internet) to your mobile provider. 
    nolamacguy
  • Reply 7 of 12
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,054member
    robin huber said:
    How do you invoke it?
    This?

  • Reply 8 of 12
    moracmorac Posts: 22member
    I think this article is confusing terms. I've been able to make VoLTE calls on AT&T to other carriers (even land lines) in Philly for at least a few months. Basically as long as I've owned my iPhone 6s Plus. I can tell the calls are VoLTE because: a) The LTE indicator doesn't switch to 4G during calls. b) Calls can jump from WiFi calls to non-WiFi calls, which is something that's only possible if VoLTE is being used. I'm pretty sure though that the HD voice codec isn't being used unless the call is to another AT&T mobile phone. HD Voice requires VoLTE, but VoLTE doesn't mean HD Voice is being used. https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/features/hd-voice.html
    edited December 2015
  • Reply 9 of 12
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,913member
    VoLTE provides superior call voice quality. So, VoLTE is equivalent or better than HD VOICE but HD VOICE may not be VoLTE. Bottom-line, you need VOLTE supported phone and network like AT&T that supports it. This is one reason I am screaming, iphone 6C must upport VoLTE and VoWiFi besides ApplePay at minimum. This article about cross-carrier VoLTE voice calls field test was going on including LTE band 12 handover of voice calls on t-mobile network for several months and it was because FCC required AT&T to do so as part of their DirectTV acquisition. In near future there will be cross-carrier VoLTE calls supported so you want to ONLY buy phones like iphone 6 or 6s or 7 that support it right out of box.
  • Reply 10 of 12
    kpomkpom Posts: 660member
    AT&T and Verizon signed a cross-carrier VoLTE agreement in 2014 that was supposed to start in 2015. I guess AT&T got it working just in time to meet the 2015 promise.
  • Reply 11 of 12
    kpomkpom Posts: 660member
    morac said:
    I think this article is confusing terms. I've been able to make VoLTE calls on AT&T to other carriers (even land lines) in Philly for at least a few months. Basically as long as I've owned my iPhone 6s Plus. I can tell the calls are VoLTE because: a) The LTE indicator doesn't switch to 4G during calls. b) Calls can jump from WiFi calls to non-WiFi calls, which is something that's only possible if VoLTE is being used. I'm pretty sure though that the HD voice codec isn't being used unless the call is to another AT&T mobile phone. HD Voice requires VoLTE, but VoLTE doesn't mean HD Voice is being used. https://www.att.com/shop/wireless/features/hd-voice.html
    They are VoLTE, but not HD. AT&T is activating cross-carrier HD calls now.
  • Reply 12 of 12
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,913member
    Those who have been blessed with VoLTE coverage area, should give feedback on how their handover of VoLTE between networks or call quality during transition from one tower to other while traveling works !! I feel, people might get frustrated if voice calls switches between VoLTE and 3G.
    edited January 2016
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