Vodafone customers around New Zealand are enjoying crisper, clearer phone chats following the completion of the 4G Calling upgrade program.
Key benefits of 4G Calling, or 4G VoLTE (Voice over Long Term Evolution) in technical speak, include reduced background noise on voice calls and quicker call connection – as well as fewer interruptions if a phone call comes in while streaming content.
Sharina Nisha, Head of Platforms, Vodafone New Zealand, said: “We know call reliability and sound quality is incredibly important to our customers, so we are pleased 4G Calling is now installed widely around the country. We even managed to complete our upgrade program three months ahead of schedule!
“A key benefit of 4G Calling is it can reduce disruption if you are streaming video or downloading content when a call comes in, so 4G and 5G data speeds will be maintained.”
"This is part of our broader 5G technology upgrade program, bringing world-leading network technology to New Zealand. VoLTE-enabled devices will stay on 4G rather than drop to 3G or 2G to make calls – and our 4G Calling service can seamlessly transition to 3G if required, which means Vodafone customers can expect call continuity and a smooth experience.
“The first area to benefit from 4G Calling was Auckland’s North Shore in June 2019, and we now have finished our nationwide upgrade program. RBI2 sites are designed to support 4G Calling as they are switched on.”
4G Calling is available to Vodafone customers on a wide range of devices including newer Samsung models as well as the iPhone 6 and above.
Nisha adds: “A key focus of our 4G Calling introduction has been on the end-to-end testing in conjunction with smartphone manufacturers and 4G Calling is available on a wide range of newer devices.”
4G Calling is supported by technology partner Nokia, and delivers a key part of Vodafone’s voice evolution strategy.
For more information about 4G Calling, please visit: https://www.vodafone.co.nz/volte/
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Editors notes:
• The devices that can now use VoLTE include:
- Apple – iPhone 6 and newer models (iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, SE, X, Xr, Xs, Xs Max, 8, 8 Plus, 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max)
- Huawei – B525
- Mobiwire – Ogima
- Samsung – Galaxy A10, A20, A50, A51, A90 5G, Fold (4G), Note 10, Note 10+, Note 10+ 5G, Note 8, Note 9, S10, S10+, S10e, S9, S9+, J5 Pro
- Vodafone – Smart X9
• Apple phone users iOS 13.x will need to switch VoLTE on manually, under Settings -> Mobile Data -> Mobile Data Options -> Voice & Data -> 4G, VoLTE On.
• For Samsung handset users, VoLTE is set to be default on for VoLTE capable devices, so customers with an S9 or S10 will see “VoLTE” on the top of their screen.
