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Simultaneous Voice/Data, HD Voice Now Available to Verizon iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Users
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mostly true, except handling reliable voice calls with low bandwidth data would require a hard real time packet prioritization or QoS which is nothing new but the entire network needs to support it. I think what VoWhatever really means is a proper codec and network traffic prioritization is supported to assure voice data always gets there first. More of an infrastructure upgrade and guarantee of service from point to point.
I normally am happy to defend AT&T, but this time you are dead wrong. The first iPhone back in 2007 did not have simultaneous Talk+Surf due to the fact it was based on 2.75G or EDGE. EDGE is not capable of that.
It took Apple/AT&T until the iPhone 3G in 2008 to do that.
...?
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.
Well said sir. This was also evident in the reason why I finally got the hell off AT&T. Aside from they fact they called slightly faster 3G "4G" which is an out right lie since LTE is true 4th gen, I for years had full bars working in and around the DC area. However, when it came to actually USE the data which I had been grandfathered into the unlimited plan, I could pretty much never get a connection. Full signal but no speed is a clear sign of overcrowded spectrum. Jumping ship to Verzion with LTE and plenty of bandwidth was the best decision ever. Not a single dropped call and speeds that rivaled my home internet. Well it did until Cox gave customers a free speed bump from 20Mbps to 50Mbps.
ok thanks, so you're saying that the verizon model is unlocked on the GSM side. sounds good. kind of tired of AT&T and thinking about options.
rob
Incorrect, any phone with an LTE chip can do VoLTE, though for older Android phones, it requires a software update that may never come. However other Android phones on Verizon did not have this issue because using voice and LTE at the same time is related to the number of antennas a device has. Unlike UMTS, since CDMA voice cannot be interleaved with data, it required an extra antenna to maintain both a voice connection and data connection to a tower, which sucks up power. Android phones had more antennas so simultaneous voice and data was never an issue.
More info: http://www.anandtech.com/show/6330/the-iphone-5-review/18
This is awesome news, but I had to call Verizon to enable HD Voice - it wouldn't let me add the feature on the website. Luckily I got a guy who was knowledgeable and very helpful, he added the HD Voice and after rebooting the phone I could enable the LTE and Voice option. Voice and Data work at the same time now, which is fantastic. Then again, it's been working on my HTC One M8 for months without an issue, so it's nice to see Apple enabling the feature on the phone.
Considering the iPhone 3G was out before the first Android phone (T-Mobile G-1) I don't think it was Apple that was slow to the game.
I do. My Apple Fanboy hangs low and to the left. I love Apple products. But the iPhone was in serious need of updating.
Apple had the first great smartphone. However, the features and abilities of the iPhones have been lagging greatly behind the flagship Android phones for a couple years. Granted, the experience on Android is far from polished and they have quite a few problems. But yea, Apple was slow to the game on many things.
BS. My AT&T 3GS wouldn't do voice and data on Edge data. And phone calls had no priority, so you'd just find out you missed calls later. Just like the original iPhone in 2007.
FWIW, Verizon CDMA towers have supported simultaneous voice and data for a while. The problems is that Apple's CDMA iPhones have never supported it, simply because Apple has never bothered to add the extra antenna that would be required.
That said, this completely changes the equation. AT&T's LTE coverage is abysmal compared to Verizon, and after years of having an "unlimited" data plan on AT&T, I'm jumping ship to Verizon because AT&T's unlimited "No Service" plan is useless.
So to reset: Verizon is rolling out VoLTE nationwide because they primarily have LTE towers, while T-Mobile and AT&T are rolling out voice over WiFi ("WiFi Calling") because they lack towers and don't show any inclination to build more.
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This makes all the difference. I can get fantastic call quality with Skype or FaceTime Audio, just so long as I have an excellent signal and very low latency, but neither is the least bit tolerant of less-than-ideal conditions.
For instance, I get a pretty weak Verizon signal at home (1-2 bars), and it's basically impossible to use either of these services unless I'm connected to wifi - only bits and pieces come through and the call usually disconnects after a minute or two. However, I've just made several VoLTE test calls, and they've all been perfect - no dropouts, no disconnections.
In all cases I'm making a VOIP call over LTE from the same location with the same weak signal, yet only the VoLTE traffic is able to handle these conditions. I assume it's a mix of network and low-level device optimizations. Whatever it is, it works.
According to the VZW site FAQ, it drops the call.
According to the VZW site FAQ, it does not, but video calls do.
Could've also used the VZW site FAQ.
According to the VZW site FAQ, no, it doesn't.
That was discussed in the original front page article...did you read it?
According to the VZW site FAQ, it is supported along with the 5C
All Verizon LTE phones come completely unlocked. This is the case whether you buy at full price or subsidized, though if you buy it subsidized and cancel immediately you will end up paying slightly more than had you bought it outright. They are forced to sell them unlocked because of some deal they made with the government to buy wireless spectrum.
One thing to keep in mind is LTE bands vary by country and carrier, and different models support different LTE bands. For the full chart, see https://www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/ The "CDMA" models are the Verizon ones. Note that the North American "GSM" and "CDMA" iPhones have the same model number- and the "CDMA" iPhones support GSM networks, but not vice versa.
***be advised that the 6 and 6+ may show more limited LTE compatibility because they haven't been released worldwide yet. look down to the 5/5S part of the page for an indication of where they may end up eventually***
VoLTE is very cool, and simultaneous data/voice is just one of many things it enables. Having a functioning, nation-wide VoLTE network is a impressive milestone, and it's pretty cool to be able to connect to it.
It's not at all the same as what AT&T has had with their GSM/UMTS network, although hopefully we'll see AT&T switch on their VoLTE soon (although I believe they plan to roll it out slowly by region.)
Uhhh
Not to rain on anyone's parade but it seems lots of people are forgetting the not-so-fine print that VZW mentions.
VoLTE with its simultaneous voice/data is only supported when making a VoLTE call to another phone with VoLTE capabilities.
Which I take to mean as < 10% of people I would call.
I.e.:
No land lines, no 800 #s, no offices/workplaces, and no one who is using a pre-iPhone 6 iPhone or any phone that doesn't support Verizon's VoLTE
Someone please tell me if I'm wrong because right now, I don't see this as changing the status quo at all, unless I'm talking to someone who also has a VoLTE capable phone who also has Verizon as a cell provider.
Not to rain on anyone's parade but it seems lots of people are forgetting the not-so-fine print that VZW mentions.
VoLTE with its simultaneous voice/data is only supported when making a VoLTE call to another phone with VoLTE capabilities.
Which I take to mean as < 10% of people I would call.
I.e.:
No land lines, no 800 #s, no offices/workplaces, and no one who is using a pre-iPhone 6 iPhone or any phone that doesn't support Verizon's VoLTE
Someone please tell me if I'm wrong because right now, I don't see this as changing the status quo at all, unless I'm talking to someone who also has a VoLTE capable phone who also has Verizon as a cell provider.
Meh. Personally, I think Wi-Fi calling will do me a lot more good than VoLTE. Glad that Verizon is doing something new, but I'll look forward to 2015, when AT&T (my carrier) catches up to TMobile.
Yep, this is the way to go. Apple also sells an "Unlocked iPhone" (maybe not at launch, but eventually they will). This isn't what you want. Verizon sometimes gives grief to people trying to activate devises with ESNs that aren't on their whitelist (try and activate a Sprint iPad on Verizon, for instance).
Luckily, the Verizon iPhone 6 is GSM unlocked, so you can take it to another GSM carrier.
So just buy a Verizon iPhone 6 at full retail. It's the cleanest option.
