Simultaneous Voice/Data, HD Voice Now Available to Verizon iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Users

[mdlooker]

So much back and forth with this. Is this something that ATT has (guessing not) or not? We have the voice and data but is it in this current layout of "HD"?

 

[cmaier]

If you make a call and the "LTE" indicator in the upper left doesn't disappear, then it's VoLTE.

No. That just means you have simultaneous voice and data (via two antennae). This is what happens for example if you call a landline with advanced calling enabled. Obviously you can't volte to a landline

 

[BuffaloTF]

No. That just means you have simultaneous voice and data (via two antennae). This is what happens for example if you call a landline with advanced calling enabled. Obviously you can't volte to a landline

No. It means your call is being placed over LTE. You most certainly can call a landline. VoLTE has literally nothing to do with who or what you're calling, just the network the call is placed on. There are not 2 antenna runs active.

So much back and forth with this. Is this something that ATT has (guessing not) or not? We have the voice and data but is it in this current layout of "HD"?

Yes. AT&T has had VoLTE since May. It's limited to certain devices and locations. You can view them on their coverage map.

 

[Aluminum213]

I enabled it, does this mean I can final.y use LTE while making a call to anyone?

 

[cmaier]

No. It means your call is being placed over LTE. You most certainly can call a landline. VoLTE has literally nothing to do with who or what you're calling, just the network the call is placed on. There are not 2 antenna runs active.



Yes. AT&T has had VoLTE since May. It's limited to certain devices and locations. You can view them on their coverage map.

No, there are two antennae for simultaneous voice and data. VoLTE also allows simultaneous voice and data with ONE antenna, but only if you are calling another VoLTE customer. There are two different features going on here, both included in the same "voice and data" checkbox in preferences.

When you do voice and data with two antennae, as in to a landline, it is regular LTE for both.

The problem here is that people are getting confused because there are multiple new features here.

----------

No. It means your call is being placed over LTE. You most certainly can call a landline. VoLTE has literally nothing to do with who or what you're calling, just the network the call is placed on. There are not 2 antenna runs active.



Yes. AT&T has had VoLTE since May. It's limited to certain devices and locations. You can view them on their coverage map.

No, there are two antennae for simultaneous voice and data. VoLTE also allows simultaneous voice and data with ONE antenna, but only if you are calling another VoLTE customer.

The problem here is that people are getting confused because there are multiple new features here.

Incidentally, this is why many android phones supported simultaneous voice/data on verizon before VoLTE was activated on the network.

 

[mdlooker]

So just looking at the ATT website, it seems that their VoLTE is in four areas... Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Minnesota. I think this is going to be a slow layout.

Also ATT, can you all get better coverage in rural areas please, you're killing me over here.

 

[BuffaloTF]

No, there are two antennae for simultaneous voice and data. VoLTE also allows simultaneous voice and data with ONE antenna, but only if you are calling another VoLTE customer. There are two different features going on here, both included in the same "voice and data" checkbox in preferences.

When you do voice and data with two antennae, as in to a landline, it is regular LTE for both.

The problem here is that people are getting confused because there are multiple new features here.

No - you are incredibly wrong and you don't understand what is making this possible - nor do you even understand VoLTE with the other stuff you're spouting off about.

There are not multiple antennas to do this in the iphone. Voice and Data is only possible on Verizon iphone 6 while on an LTE call. It is not possible on 3G. It's because the voice is handled as a data connection, thus truly only using data. There are not 2 antenna runs. You're speaking of SVDO setups on Android phones, which are being abandoned because they don't function with phones that support Carrier Aggregation - such as the iphone 6.

Also, VoLTE is putting voice over a data connection. Period. You don't need to call another VoLTE phone to do it - there's no way for the phone to know what you're calling to initiate that call. VoLTE works no matter who you are calling, anywhere in the world. Just as UMTS works no matter who you are calling. Just as VOIP works when calling landlines or cell phones. The only thing that doesn't work - per se - is the HD Voice aspect, which is the trade name for the voice codec, which is AMR-WB. That much requires an intra-carrier call.

Finally - the "Voice & Data" selection is only in relation to LTE - hence, it's a choice that needs to be made under "Enable LTE".

 

[Mitman]

I've got unlimited data and added it w/o an issue. Took a few minutes once enabled on the device, but has worked fine since; no other changes to account took place.

Awesome. Will have to enable this feature then. Thanks!

 

[cmaier]

Wrong. First, even Verizon's website says volte works only when both phones have it enabled. Second, android phones permitted simultaneous voice and data for the lat couple of years on verizon (only on lte) before verizon even turned volte on on its network. The way this works is there are two antennae and accompanying radio hardware. By your logic this would have been impossible until Wednesday whn verizon flipped on the switch.

"Advanced calling" is multiple features - simultaneous voice and data (using 2 lte channels), volte (which brings what Verizon calls "hd voice" and also permits simultaneous voice and data on phones with only one antenna) and video calling (on appropriate phones - also a volte sub-feature).

Android phones have long supported simultaneous voice and data without volte.

No - you are incredibly wrong and you don't understand what is making this possible - nor do you even understand VoLTE with the other stuff you're spouting off about.

There are not multiple antennas to do this in the iphone. Voice and Data is only possible on Verizon iphone 6 while on an LTE call. It is not possible on 3G. It's because the voice is handled as a data connection, thus truly only using data. There are not 2 antenna runs. You're speaking of SVDO setups on Android phones, which are being abandoned because they don't function with phones that support Carrier Aggregation - such as the iphone 6.

Also, VoLTE is putting voice over a data connection. Period. You don't need to call another VoLTE phone to do it - there's no way for the phone to know what you're calling to initiate that call. VoLTE works no matter who you are calling, anywhere in the world. Just as UMTS works no matter who you are calling. Just as VOIP works when calling landlines or cell phones. The only thing that doesn't work - per se - is the HD Voice aspect, which is the trade name for the voice codec, which is AMR-WB. That much requires an intra-carrier call.

Finally - the "Voice & Data" selection is only in relation to LTE - hence, it's a choice that needs to be made under "Enable LTE".

 

[Krevnik]

No, there are two antennae for simultaneous voice and data. VoLTE also allows simultaneous voice and data with ONE antenna, but only if you are calling another VoLTE customer. There are two different features going on here, both included in the same "voice and data" checkbox in preferences.

The two antenna requirement is only with SVDO on CDMA networks. UMTS-based networks like AT&T and T-Mobile only needed one antenna as long as you had 3G coverage.

And VoLTE does work when calling a landline, but it doesn't give you the higher call quality.

For someone complaining about confusion and misinformation, you aren't helping by being vague, and spreading more.

 

[Weaselboy]

Wrong. First, even Verizon's website says volte works only when both phones have it enabled.

You are mistaken. To get a "HD Voice" call, yes both phones need to be compatible and use VoLTE. But one can use VoLTE to call any landline or other mobile phone and the call will be on LTE, just not HD Voice LTE.

 

[BuffaloTF]

Wrong. First, even Verizon's website says volte works only when both phones have it enabled. Second, android phones permitted simultaneous voice and data for the lat couple of years on verizon (only on lte) before verizon even turned volte on on its network. The way this works is there are two antennae and accompanying radio hardware. By your logic this would have been impossible until Wednesday whn verizon flipped on the switch.

"Advanced calling" is multiple features - simultaneous voice and data (using 2 lte channels), volte (which brings what Verizon calls "hd voice" and also permits simultaneous voice and data on phones with only one antenna) and video calling (on appropriate phones - also a volte sub-feature).

Android phones have long supported simultaneous voice and data without volte.

OMG. No their website does not say that, and quit making things up to try and sound like an authority. You aren't. You are simply someone that's confused and likes to pretend; and as a result are introducing more confusion and misinformation where none needs to be presented when you have people sitting here *explaining* how it actually works, for real, in reality, without a doubt. Go say this on howardforums and watch how fast you get smacked down for being a know-nothing.

VoLTE is the carriage of voice in a packet switched environment rather than a circuit switched environment. It does not require 2 LTE phones much less 2 VoLTE ones. You can call anyone, anywhere and have it placed over LTE. T-Mobile and AT&T users have been doing this for months.

Android phones did simultaneous voice and data on CDMA through SVDO. That's running 2 antennas out of the radio. That *is not* what Apple is doing, nor will they ever do it. SVDO does not work with carrier aggregation, the iphone 6 has carrier aggregation. Since they can not co-exist, how do they in your make-believe world? Android phones that support carrier aggregation, can not do voice & data on 3G. Look at any Sprint Spark android phone.

Advanced Calling is how Verizon is marketing their full suite, above and beyond VoLTE. Video calls are Over-The-Top features (OTT). They are not VoLTE. They are RCS. They share the same IMS core as VoLTE and switch between each seamlessly.

Finally, this has ZERO to do with what android phones did. This is about how the iPhone 6 is doing it on Verizon - and more specifically doing it on a VoLTE call, the ONLY way it's possible.

 

[Dreamliner330]

AT&T has had this since the second iPhone. Let me be the first to welcome Verizon to 2008.

Wow! I wish AT&T had this feature. Oh, that's right, they've had it for years.

Did not realize Verizon was still unable to do that. It sucked when that was the reality in 2007. I can't imagine having dealt with thst for five more years.

GSM had the ability since the 3G days to do simultaneous voice and data.

Casperes1996

I Had iPhone 4 with AT&T and it did both data and calls at same time so was highly disappointed when I bought my iphn 5 at verzion to learn they didn't offer both. Now I'm not sure what chip technical info was

...?

Many people were using Voice + Data on their iPhone (at the same time) a while before there was a single Android device on the market.

Congrats Verizon! Now you can text, surf, talk and drive at the same time! BTW, at AT&T we been doing this for years!

-Mike

The At&t iPhone has had simultaneous voice and data for 6 or 7 years. My data comes from owning and using the phone. Hands on!!

----------



You are correct, i got my year wrong but the point is the same .

Let me be the first to welcome verizon to 2008! Lol

The LTE chips used in the older phones do not support receiving both data and voice at the same time. It's really that simple. The chips that support this are relatively new. Previously, this would've only been possible having two separate LTE chips, which would've been way more expensive, and worst of all, battery hungry. And even then you'd have problems with the operators sending two streams to the same address space whilst splitting it between two chips. Possible, but not really something anyone would want to deal with. Further reading can be found on Anandtech. They always got the tech side covered.

I'm on Verizon and I've done simultaneous talk and surf on my Note 3 many times. What is it about the iPhone that made it unable to do this?

No iPhone exists that allows voice + LTE. 5 & 5S dropped back to 3G for data during voice calls, 6 either drops back or uses VoLTE (which is data).

Android phones can do simultaneous Voice + LTE, Apple chose not to support this function (hardware limitation), not the carrier.

This turning into a Verizon vs. whatever thread is shocking!

Wow 1gb of ram and surf and talk at the same time in 2014..........Amazing...

lol.

 

[lazyrighteye]

Considering Android phones have had this for a while, it really was Apple that was slow to the game. Just sayin'

Nope.
This has always been 100% a Verizon issue. Previously, they split their traffic into two pipes: 1) data & 2) voice. And end users could only access one pipe at a time. Now, Verizon users can finally enjoy that which AT&T users have for years: ordering carryout on the phone while looking at the menu in Safari.

 

[Tfalsetta]

Ok but will it always work?

So here's the big question. What will happen when you go in and out of volte coverage.. In other words when you are on AT&T and talk and surf you drop down from LTE to 4g/3g for data and you really never notice the difference in speeds because it data...... Now as we know LTE COVERAGE ON ANY NETWORK if spotty (on again off again)....
So my question is what will happen if your on a VOLTE call and using data at the same time and lose your LTE signal on the Verizon NETWORK. (Again when your not on your phone even on AT&T you see LTE drop off and on)... Will the data just stop working..
If I am not explaining this right let me know........

 

[Michael Scrip]

Because Verizon wants to make more money selling new higher-end phones.

Verizon doesn't make that much money from selling phones, do they?

They must get a small amount of money from the subsidy or "loan" for the hardware.

But Verizon makes most of their money from the monthly service fees. And you pay that monthly fee on any phone... new or old.

 

[kdarling]

This has always been 100% a Verizon issue. Previously, they split their traffic into two pipes: 1) data & 2) voice. And end users could only access one pipe at a time. Now, Verizon users can finally enjoy that which AT&T users have for years: ordering carryout on the phone while looking at the menu in Safari.

For the past few years, some Android phones could use both pipes. First via SVDO (voice + 3G) and then later, SVLTE (voice + LTE).

It was the iPhone that was lacking this ability. Now, VoLTE gives it.

Wrong. First, even Verizon's website says volte works only when both phones have it enabled.

Yeah, it's confusing. They mean HD voice requires two VoLTE devices.

Btw, everyone, it's "antennae" for insects, and "antennas" for radios.

 

[ZapMyPRAM]

Clear, Though Choppy, Dropped Out Conversations

I enabled LTE Voice and the first 3 calls I made with my iPhone 6 were unintelligible by the person on the other end. When I got the second family member's iPhone 6 activated I tested this and found that the quality and clarity of the voice was amazing. But the dropouts caused the conversations to be impossible to hold. With 2 bars Verizon LTE signal, I would expect this digital HD quality voice to be more reliable. So, LTE voice is now turned off and call quality is much lower, almost sounding muffled in comparison, but the call and conversation is consistent with no droputs.
Has anyone else experienced the same?
I'm in Orange County, NY.

 

[3282868]

Btw, everyone, it's "antennae" for insects, and "antennas" for radios.

Really (was surprised myself):

 

[MacAddict1978]

That's nonsense. FaceTime can easily support voice + data over LTE on any device. This is definitely something that could be solved with proper software. The phone companies should not be treating voice any differently from any other data stream.

That is too simplified. Voice calls are being managed and routed differently. Using Face time is a totally different thing. There is no managing switches and signals from phone number to phone number with face time. Miss Cleo doesn't work at your wireless carrier to always predict which data and voice combos you would use, where face time is designed to do just that one thing.

 

[3282868]

Verizon doesn't make that much money from selling phones, do they?

They must get a small amount of money from the subsidy or "loan" for the hardware.

But Verizon makes most of their money from the monthly service fees. And you pay that monthly fee on any phone... new or old.

Factor in activation fees on new devices and new customers, in the long run they're making bank on 2-year contracts for subsidized devices. The 5S and 5C can handle VoLTE, Verizon is most likely pushing it as a selling feature for the new 6 and doesn't want to slam the network on launch weekend with more devices using VoLTE. Hopefully a carrier/iOS 8 update might enable VoLTE on the 5S/C models (yes, those devices have the antenna's), that's up to the carrier.

 

[ibeam]

I'm going to stick with AT&T but not for any of the reasons mentioned in this thread. Many of the people commenting on their preference for either Verizon or AT&T appear to be loyal because of some emotional reason based of prior experience, not on the specific technical reasons. There are many variables to consider not the least of which are local coverage, usage patterns, and family plans.

My reasons for sticking with AT&T are that we have a lot of other AT&T services. Our iPhones are linked to our company accounts where we have many AT&T lines and services. Also, I travel internationally a lot so I prefer a native GSM phone. Sure Verizon iPhones have GSM capability as well, but I fear that when I get to a foreign country they may have some difficulty understanding how to get my phone up and running on their network unless it is a Plain Jane GSM iPhone like they are used to. We had this problem once recently in Europe with one of our associates who was on Verizon. They were assured that it would work, but no one could make it happen so she had to buy a local phone and was really struggling to get her emails and voicemail.

I had Verizon before the original iPhone and the sound quality was admittedly much better, but I switched because AT&T was the only choice for iPhone. Now that we are all AT&T with the business and the family, it makes no sense to throw a wrench into the works when everything is working just fine. Coverage is great in our area of the west coast as well.

I'm happy for the Verizon users who have gained advanced services but I'm not making any changes other than a couple new iPhone 6 units next month. Just the regular ones, not Plus.

 

[Michael Scrip]

Factor in activation fees on new devices and new customers, in the long run they're making bank on 2-year contracts for subsidized devices. The 5S and 5C can handle VoLTE, Verizon is most likely pushing it as a selling feature for the new 6 and doesn't want to slam the network on launch weekend with more devices using VoLTE. Hopefully a carrier/iOS 8 update might enable VoLTE on the 5S/C models (yes, those devices have the antenna's), that's up to the carrier.

They're making bank on the $80 per month for 24 months for service.

The money from activation fees and the actual device are a tiny fraction of that.

Verizon's primary business is charging for service every month.

Yes... Verizon loves new customers... but that's because they'll collect monthly fees from them.

They're not like a typical retailer who makes money from selling the actual product and it ends there.

 

[3282868]

They're making bank on the $80 per month for 24 months for service.

The money from activation fees and the actual device are a tiny fraction of that.

Verizon's primary business is charging for service every month.

Yes... Verizon loves new customers... but that's because they'll collect monthly fees from them.

They're not like a typical retailer who makes money from selling the actual product and it ends there.

Plus the $40 per line on one-time activation fees. Factor in how many iPhone's are being purchased on Verizon's network this weekend alone, in addition to the 2 year (re-)commital, that is bank. No, they don't make a lot of the devices, they make more off services and fee's (one time and recurring).

Still wondering about VZW's data speed on VoLTE. There have been conflicting accounts, many stating it's slower than 3G, a few claiming it's great. What's the consensus on here for those who've used it?

Also this from VZW:

buried in its Frequently Asked Questions: VoLTE

HD Voice call > bill as voice calls
Video call > bill as voice calls and data
Over WiFi > bill as voice calls

Wide eye open!
Problems with this:
– VoLTE calls violate the ideals of net neutrality.
– Illegal Double billing
– Video Interoperability issues

 

[mscann]

I enabled LTE Voice and the first 3 calls I made with my iPhone 6 were unintelligible by the person on the other end. When I got the second family member's iPhone 6 activated I tested this and found that the quality and clarity of the voice was amazing. But the dropouts caused the conversations to be impossible to hold. With 2 bars Verizon LTE signal, I would expect this digital HD quality voice to be more reliable. So, LTE voice is now turned off and call quality is much lower, almost sounding muffled in comparison, but the call and conversation is consistent with no droputs.
Has anyone else experienced the same?
I'm in Orange County, NY.

I have had nothing but complaints from people I have talked to on the phone since Friday. Just shut it off and we will see how it goes. FYI I am in Boston MA