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What is VoLTE?
In This Article
The strange acronym VoLTE might not have an obvious meaning, but it actually signifies a useful bit of tech that could improve your phonecalls.
For starters, the LTE part of the acronym stands for “Long-Term Evolution” which is a term often used interchangeably with the4G mobile data network. “Vo” stands for Voiceover, and that’s because the VoLTE system exists to support voice calls from your mobile phone with 4G data speeds. For that reason, sometimes the more straightforward term “4G Calling” is used to describe this feature.
The main advantage to VoLTE is that it can deliver better call quality than you would get over a 2G or 3G connection, letting you hear your speaking partner more clearly.
Does my phone support VoLTE?
Many 4G-compatible smartphones do support VoLTE, including all iPhones from theiPhone 6onwards.
On Android devices, you will generally need to go into the Settings app, tap Network, and then tap Call to see whether it is listed as a feature. However, this route depends on the user interface on your device, and so you may have to use another route to check compatibility. If unsure, you can contact your network to enquire whether your smartphone is compatible.
Does my network support VoLTE?
Early on when 4G first launched VoLTE wasn’t offered on every network. Fortunately there’s been a lot of progress since then and in today’s world most networks support this feature, including all major US and UK networks – although the ability to make VoLTE calls when abroad is still quite limited, depending on your network and location.
Nearly all the US major carriers support VoLTE including:
Thefollowing UK networkssupport VoLTE:
How can I use VoLTE?
VoLTE is not always employed automatically by your smartphone. In order to make use of it, you’ve first got to have a 4G-compatible smartphone that supports the feature, and you’ll also need to be on a mobile network that supports VoLTE.
Once these conditions are satisfied, then follow thesestepsif you’re an iPhone user:
On Android devices the Settings menu may vary considerably between handsets, but generally speaking you will need to tap Network and then Call, before selecting 4G or LTE in order to activate the VoLTE feature.
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Peter is a mobile tech writer, covering the latest smartphones, tablets, and wearables in news stories, reviews, and features. Previously he worked as a business researcher for Which?, analysing the m…
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Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
