Voice over LTE technology can provide a superior user experience to both 3G circuit switched (CS) voice and VoIP services such as Skype, finds a study by Signals Research Group (SRG).
Real world tests in a commercially active VoLTE market found that the service can deliver superior call quality to both 3G CS voice and Skype's HD voice service, said Alcatel-Lucent, which supplied the gear for the networks tested.
VoLTE call setup time was also found to be nearly twice as fast as 3G circuit-switched fallback times, the study found.
The standard also used fewer resources than Skype voice, contributing to a longer estimated battery life for users' devices and a less strained mobile network for the operator.
VoLTE calls were also found to successfully hand over to 3G CS voice while leaving LTE coverage areas.
“Based on our analysis of the data, VoLTE lived up to expectations,” SRG founder and CEO Michael Thelander said. “VoLTE delivered a consistently higher call quality than CS voice and OTT applications.”