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The challenges of VoLTE


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Old 30-12-2015, 20:59
japaul
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I would guess this wont be sorted out till Android 7.0 at earliest. 6.0 support seems to be a fudge. It has certainly made me reconsider my next phone as its a bit of a minefield unless you buy an Apple device.
I think you are right. The question is whether the Android configuration parameters are sufficient. The problems exist because the standard is a bit wooly and leaves bits to interpretation so networks have been rolled out which are not interoperable and devices made which interpret things in different ways. So any VoLTE handsets could use VoLTE up to a point but there would be lots of undesirable effects if they interpret and respond in different ways to certain things.

To fix this the industry is working on a parameter list for open market devices. It hasn't been approved yet and already has 26 configuration parameters. It's not known if this is enough!

iPhones have some configuration parameters available but the operators have to adapt their networks to work with it. OK for what is essentially one device with a large share of the market but it's not feasible to do it for every different device so they have to be adapted to work by using operator specific firmware. It's the same situation for wifi calling.
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Old 30-12-2015, 21:42
Everything Goes
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I think you are right. The question is whether the Android configuration parameters are sufficient. The problems exist because the standard is a bit wooly and leaves bits to interpretation so networks have been rolled out which are not interoperable and devices made which interpret things in different ways. So any VoLTE handsets could use VoLTE up to a point but there would be lots of undesirable effects if they interpret and respond in different ways to certain things.

To fix this the industry is working on a parameter list for open market devices. It hasn't been approved yet and already has 26 configuration parameters. It's not known if this is enough!

iPhones have some configuration parameters available but the operators have to adapt their networks to work with it. OK for what is essentially one device with a large share of the market but it's not feasible to do it for every different device so they have to be adapted to work by using operator specific firmware. It's the same situation for wifi calling.
That's interesting. Thanks for the information. Im guessing there will also be additional levels of complications to slow VoLTE adoption on Android with a different hardware configurations from different vendors. Sounds a nightmare
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Old 31-12-2015, 15:31
jonmorris
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The Nexus 6P (and I assume the 5X) will be getting an update to work with more VoLTE services including Three at some time in Q1, according to one of my many contacts at Huawei.

I'd find it mad if other big manufacturers didn't follow suit when they roll out Marshmallow. But the industry never fails to disappoint at times.
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Old 31-12-2015, 17:39
Orbitalzone
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So is enabling VoLTE on a 4G phone a case of having the right software on the phone or is VoLTE something hardcoded into a chip, a chip that may not be present on all 4G phones?
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Old 31-12-2015, 18:15
thebennyboy
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So is enabling VoLTE on a 4G phone a case of having the right software on the phone or is VoLTE something hardcoded into a chip, a chip that may not be present on all 4G phones?
AFAIK any 4G capable device can do VoLTE but will need the required software and settings.
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Old 31-12-2015, 18:21
DevonBloke
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I thought it was a hardware requirement of the radio chips.
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Old 31-12-2015, 18:43
mrMick
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I thought it was a hardware requirement of the radio chips.
This is the impression I was also under.
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Old 31-12-2015, 18:54
moox
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I thought it was a hardware requirement of the radio chips.
Many phones likely have compatible hardware but the manufacturer has never made it available.

I am pretty sure the Nexus 5 has a capable radio but Google doesn't plan to allow it to be used
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Old 31-12-2015, 18:57
mrMick
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Would be interesting to see which phones really are compatible versus those that the networks have actually supported. Well, it would be to me anyway
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Old 31-12-2015, 19:23
d123
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I thought it was a hardware requirement of the radio chips.
This is the impression I was also under.
Pretty sure you are both right.
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Old 31-12-2015, 20:23
jabbamk1
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I thought it was a hardware requirement of the radio chips.
Correct.
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Old 31-12-2015, 20:41
DevonBloke
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Thanks!
I suppose moox is correct also in that there are loads out there capable but never going to be supported in their OSs.
So I guess these may as well be seen as not hardware capable.
5s is capable I believe but will never do it.
might be wrong.
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Old 31-12-2015, 21:35
mrMick
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Sometimes I hate being right
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Old 31-12-2015, 21:41
jchamier
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Many phones likely have compatible hardware but the manufacturer has never made it available.

I am pretty sure the Nexus 5 has a capable radio but Google doesn't plan to allow it to be used
iPhone 5 range has compatible radio but needs firmware update that could break it in field so Apple don't so it. Same chip used in other phones with later firmware works for VoLTE. Might be due to volume Apple required up front so didn't get mid life refreshes etc.
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Old 31-12-2015, 21:44
DevonBloke
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Surely they could just tell us not to use them in fields??
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Old 31-12-2015, 21:51
moox
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iPhone 5 range has compatible radio but needs firmware update that could break it in field so Apple don't so it. Same chip used in other phones with later firmware works for VoLTE. Might be due to volume Apple required up front so didn't get mid life refreshes etc.
I'd be surprised if it was ruled out on the grounds that it needed an upgrade. I seem to remember Apple being very happy to roll out new radio firmware when it patched holes used to perform third party unlocks.

Google certainly is happy to do it, I had to manually upgrade the radio firmware to go from 6 to 6.0.1 (I use a custom ROM)

There's probably an element of "let's keep it for the next flagship so people want to upgrade"
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Old 31-12-2015, 22:16
DevonBloke
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That is exactly it!
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Old 31-12-2015, 23:10
jchamier
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That is exactly it!
Agreed, selling replacements makes more sense. 😀
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Old 01-01-2016, 00:51
jonmorris
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Seems to be why Three isn't even supporting a handset that it used for its own testing! I assume Sony (and Three) would much rather people with a Z2 get a Z5.
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Old 01-01-2016, 01:01
DevonBloke
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It's why EE don't want us to keep our iPhone 16.
They'd rather we went and bought a 8G compatible iPhone 16S so we can use the new telepathic calling feature.
Personally I just want it for the 90" holographic HUD and "real feel" virtual keyboard (even though you can just talk to it these days, remember Siri? Hahahah) but the 6 month battery life temps me as well. I know others do 3-4 months now but what a pest when it runs out.
I mean yeah, 15 seconds to charge but hey, I have a life!
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Old 11-01-2016, 01:42
jabbamk1
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Forgot to post this here as well.

Number is monthly data usage across the network. Easily over 30 now.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...hee%20DATA.jpg

Also it should say petabyte on the side, not terabyte. Slight typo.
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Old 11-01-2016, 11:41
DevonBloke
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They better get some Spectrum in then. the same over the next 5 years and they're in trouble!
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Old 11-01-2016, 16:55
Thine Wonk
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Well, true, although they do have the option of restricting unlimited data more, as well as adding 4G to the 60% of sites that don't currently have it, also much more 800 as it is still only on 1 in 10 sites or something.
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Old 11-01-2016, 20:36
japaul
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Forgot to post this here as well.

Number is monthly data usage across the network. Easily over 30 now.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...hee%20DATA.jpg

Also it should say petabyte on the side, not terabyte. Slight typo.
What happened in (what I assume is) 2013 Q1 such that it didn't grow? Seems an odd plateau?
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Old 11-01-2016, 23:54
jabbamk1
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What happened in (what I assume is) 2013 Q1 such that it didn't grow? Seems an odd plateau?
I took a break from torrenting my favourite TV shows.


Honestly, no idea. All I know is that Three continue to carry >40% of all mobile data in the UK and average data use is now over 5GB with those on unlimited plans using more on average.
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