Telus now has VoLTE

[ckl]

Since Public Mobile runs off the Telus network, I thought it would be relevant to post this bit of news:

http://mobilesyrup.com/2016/04/18/telus-launches-voice-over-lte-in-lower-mainland-b-c-canada/

Basically, Telus has now launched Voice over LTE in Lower Mainland, BC. Under very limited support at the moment (a couple of Samsung and LG phones), but I think eventually, it will be more widespread and have better handset support.

Here's hoping that Public Mobile will be able to get this as well.

[Tino_M]

Great news! However,  it has not applied on PM plans yet in Ottawa

[bryanbreguet]

LTE advanced was also supposed to be only for Telus post-paid customers and we know we have it with PM. So I wouldn't be surprised if we get VoLTE soon.

At the same time, I don't care that much about it. Would love to try and be proven wrong though. But I have a OnePlus 3, I doubt my phone would even get it.

[NuXPeR]

That would be nice to have VoLTE. Heck, right now I'd just be happy to have LTE data working again on my phone. Past couple days all I'm getting is 3G in areas where I previously had LTE.

[imm1304]

6 months ago, Telus said no VoLTE for PM to the mobile syrup. 

Would be great to hear that Telus has had a change of heart since then thanks to the PM team's awesome work in launching the brand and delivering good results.  

[Jeremy_M]

@srlawren

I haven't heard anything yet, but I will poke around and get back to you 🙂

Jeremy

[srlawren]

@Jeremy_M do you have any info on VoLTE for PM? Anything you can share in terms of if and when it might be available?

[markjanzen]

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@NuXPeR wrote:
Any word on this being released nationwide, and also its availability to PM? This was one of the features I was sad to see gone when I ported over from FIDO. Not something I used a lot, but that rare time I was able to complete a call over LTE the voice quality was noticibly improved.

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we would have to get a comment from public mobile that its supported now, and we would also need a CSC code for public mobile that includes the LTE required software (which isnt available at the moment) 

[NuXPeR]

Any word on this being released nationwide, and also its availability to PM? This was one of the features I was sad to see gone when I ported over from FIDO. Not something I used a lot, but that rare time I was able to complete a call over LTE the voice quality was noticibly improved.

[Luddite]

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@markjanzen wrote:

is there any updates on this? anyone with a S7 able to call with VoLTE on Public yet? 

edit: according to this VoLTE isnt available on public:

http://mobilesyrup.com/2016/04/18/telus-launches-voice-over-lte-in-lower-mainland-b-c-canada/

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@markjanzen Don't think you'll get much traction posting to the end of an old thread. Suggest you create a new thread, even if you wish to use the same subject.

[markjanzen]

is there any updates on this? anyone with a S7 able to call with VoLTE on Public yet? 

edit: according to this VoLTE isnt available on public:

http://mobilesyrup.com/2016/04/18/telus-launches-voice-over-lte-in-lower-mainland-b-c-canada/

[7789849803]

@ckl From reading other reports online, it doesn't sound like VoLTE is working in that firmware. Even though you see the switch, and can turn it on, the firmware is not able to use VoLTE on that phone...yet.

[ckl]

Well, my LG G3 has the Telus firmware on it. There are two options in the hidden menu:

1. VoLTE Radio NV On/Off

2. VoLTE On/Off

Option 1, I can toggle on/off and requires a reboot. After reboot, I can't tell what happened. Calling my work number will put the phone into "4G" instead "LTE" as shown in the status indicator at the top notification bar. So, this setting didn't enable VoLTE.

Option 2, regardless of what setting I used in option 1, it will always say "Not Supported". Not really sure what that means because VoLTE is definitely supported on the G3. My guess is that it either means Telus has disabled VoLTE on their end or the firmware has it disabled. If the firmware has it disabled, it means another update needs to be pushed down to my phone to enable VoLTE.

[7789849803]

I wanted to update everyone about the VoLTE test that I've been wanting to run. Turns out I don't know anyone who has an S6 with Telus firmware on it. The unlocked Rogers S6 that I borrowed didn't have the VoLTE section in the settings at all, so I still haven't been able to test this.

[srlawren]

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@Luddite wrote:
Thanks 778. I did find this article https://charge.co/blog/volte-what-does-it-mean-for-devices-coverage-and-your-mobile-service/

The last paragraph suggests carriers may decide to charge these calls as data or as minutes. Time will tell.

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Hi @Luddite--Telus will charge VoLTE calls as minutes, not data.  This is confirmed right in the mobilesyrup article linked in the first posting on this thread.

“There are no additional fees for using VoLTE and the service does not use any data,” says Telus

[7789849803]

@Luddite Personally, I would advise against ignoring all the speculation and hype in that article. The IMS infrastructure (described in the article I linked to in my last post above) is specifically designed to bypass the APNs that are used for data access on mobile devices. If the APN is not used, it makes sense that it should not count towards data limits.

In another 2 decades, once all circuit switched voice traffic is phased out on mobile networks (I do think it'll take atleast that long), maybe we can see carriers offering plans that are only data-oriented, and do not consider voice minutes at all. But that is simply not the billing paradigm that is being followed today (and has been since almost the advent of telephony).

Long story short, whether or not your phone uses VoLTE (and BTW, calls can seamlessly transfter from VoLTE to Circuit-switched 3G without disconnection), voice calls using your phone's dialer will not use up any data.

[Luddite]

Thanks 778. I did find this article https://charge.co/blog/volte-what-does-it-mean-for-devices-coverage-and-your-mobile-service/

The last paragraph suggests carriers may decide to charge these calls as data or as minutes. Time will tell.

[7789849803]

For those wanting to know more about the inner workings of VoLTE, the following technical article may come in very handy: http://mobilesociety.typepad.com/mobile_life/2013/02/voicer-over-ip-the-move-back-into-the-baseband....

[ckl]

@imm1304 One second connect times is pretty fast...

[7789849803]

@Luddite Based on other's experiences with VoLTE, and my own limited understanding of the technical aspects of its operation, I feel quite comfortable in definitively answering your questions. The answer is "no" to each of them.

[Luddite]

So, couple of questions:

i) does the phone dialer have a "disguised" VOIP app behind it for voLTE calls?

ii) does a voLTE call count as against one's calling plan or data plan?

[imm1304]

Yup, my brother sounded clearer than usual from his office. Time to connect the call is harder to tell ..just a fraction more than one second from hitting send to first ring.

I am still going to dig deeper once I am free later tonight.  Until then I am treating this as placebo effect  😉

[ckl]

@imm1304 So did your voice call sound better? Did it connect faster?

[imm1304]

Thats sounds cool @7789849803.  

Glad to have access to top tier network thanks to PM 

[7789849803]

@imm1304 It's quite likely that you are in fact able to use VoLTE even in Toronto, and even on that custom firmware.

[imm1304]

Thanks for sharing this news, @ckl!

I just checked my call settings and VoLTE is enabled.

Just made a test call, and while talking my phone maintained an LTE connection. 

This is strange because I am in Toronto.  Using a custom rom based on official Telus firmware.  Or, it could be just a cosmetic glitch... will dig further into this later.  

[7789849803]

I'm going to attempt to borrow a Galaxy S6 later from someone to see if this feature is indeed available to PM customers. I suspect that it is, as long as the phone supports it. I'll let you guys know what I find. Stay tuned!

[srlawren]

The announcement I saw (I think it's the same one) said that it's currently limited to post-paid Telus customers. I'm guessing since their own pre-paid customers don't get it [yet?], then PM and Koodo probably don't, either [yet?].  Hopefully it extends some day.

[IWIK]

Apparently my Priv has VoLTE if it comes to southern Ontario...

[7789849803]

About time, I say! 

Telus was the only carrier remaining that didn't offer any VoLTE.

[clogan2]

Neat, my iPhone 6s supports VoLTE. Honestly though, there isn't much of a benefit for end users, especially where they don't do video calling 🙂

Now, if PM would support some of the other features my iPhone has (WiFi calling, visual voicemail...), they would be the perfect carrier!