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What’s the Difference between VoLTE and VoIP?

  • May 29, 2024
4.3 min read

VoLTE technology has been getting a lot of attention, but for most people just coming across the term, it’s unclear exactly what it means and what the benefits will be. While another voice over IP technology, VoIP is widely known and used throughout the world, both for consumers and business users. Before we get into the difference between VoLTE and VoIP, let’s learn their concepts first.

Table of Contents

Clarify the Meanings of VoIP and VoLTE

What is VoIP (Voice Over IP)?

VoIP, short for Voice over Internet Protocol, is a telephony technology that makes voice calls via an internet connection instead of landline. It offers versatility as it can be utilized on various devices such as computers, smartphones, and dedicated IP phones. Today, VoIP is widely used in both personal applications like Skype and WhatsApp, as well as in business phone systems.

What is VoIP? Everything You Need to Know about VoIP Phone System

What is VoLTE?

VoLTE stands for Voice over Long-term Evolution. Utilizing the IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) technology, it is a specific type of VoIP service designed into the LTE standard, which enables users to make voice calls while simultaneously using data network LTE.
Simply put, VoLTE ( voice over LTE) delivers the voice service as data flows within the LTE data bearer and enables high-speed wireless communications for mobile phones and other data terminals.

What are the similarities between VoIP and VoLTE?

They use the same voice transmission technology.

Both VoIP and VoLTE enable voice communication using digital packets transmitted over IP networks. They convert analog voice signals into digital data for transmission. This means higher call quality and more reliable connections. However, it is important to have a good broadband connection for optimal performance.

They can work together seamlessly.

You may be unfamiliar with VoLTE, but you are definitely know 4G, cellular, and other mobile networks. In fact, if you have ever made a Whatsapp call on your phone without being connected to Wi-Fi, then you were using VoLTE. If your company has a VoIP phone system and you make calls to your mobile users while you’re away, it’s likely that you’re using VoLTE and VoIP together.

They can both enhance your service quality.

Both VoIP and VoLTE are cost-effective solution as they can save your money and time while improving your telecommunications services. They eliminate the need for on-site hardware, saving you maintenance and upgrade expenses. Furthermore, most service providers offer free calling minutes and a wide range of VoIP features to enhance customer service.

VoLTE vs. VoIP: The Main Differences

  • The Basics

VoIP sends the packets (the actual voice digitized to data) over the Internet from the sender to the receiver. The packet is treated like any other type of data packets, such as web traffic or video streaming, when sent over the public Internet. But the voice packet doesn’t have any special priority over any other packet, which can affect the quality of the call. This is one of the major differences between VoIP and VoLTE. In a VoLTE network, packets are given special priority. They have a quality of service capability built into them that results in much higher-quality phone calls.

  • Quality of Service: the fundamental difference

The fundamental difference of VoLTE compared to VoIP is that VoLTE requires a QoS component. Voice packets for VoIP get sent along with Internet nodes and are treated no differently than any other data. While the VoLTE uses IMS and a separate radio frequency to help maintain the quality of the VoLTE transmission. QoS seeks to control jitter, provides dedicated bandwidth, seeks network priority, and also improves performance by addressing latency, error rate and uptime problems.

  • High Definition (HD) Voice

VoLTE can also support High Definition Voice. LTE networks encode directly the wideband audio necessary to carry the HD Voice. The IMS framework lets VoLTE transmit the HD Voice.

Theoretically, the quality of VoLTE calls compared to regular VoIP calls is better. Practically, however, you can only enjoy HD Voice when using an HD Voice device at both ends. If one device does not have HD capability, the voice quality for the caller and receiver will not have high definition sound.

  • Technology

The essential difference between VoIP and VoLTE is the technology it uses. VoLTE is specially designed for 4G LTE networks. VoIP uses both 3G and 4G equally well. Some of the newer smartphone technologies, like the iPhone 6, are built to take advantage of VoLTE technology.

Why VoLTE Matters

  1. The quality and speed of VoLTE calls greatly exceed the existing 3G and 4G voice calls.
  2. VoLTE calls have been rated higher quality than high-definition Skype even over a congested or loaded VoLTE network.
  3. A VoLTE call uses fewer resources on both a handset and over the network, offering longer battery life and a more efficient network for the mobile resulting in longer battery life for end users and a more efficient network for mobile operators.
  4. VoLTE greatly enhances security for individual users. You may have come across spam messages sent by 2G pseudo-base stations, which can compromise your privacy and even lead to financial losses. Now with the deployment of VoLTE, voice services can be transmitted over the secure 4G network. 
  5. More exclusive benefits VoLTE brings to enterprises can be learned here.

VoLTE technology carries high expectations among network operators and consumers that it will be leaps and bounds ahead of what we have today in terms of call quality and resource efficiency. It will take some time before the full potential of VoLTE is achieved, however, as the technology has not been rolled out all over the world for all people to make VoLTE-to-VoLTE calls with each other, it’s still difficult to measure and appreciate the full impact that VoLTE will provide.

4G LTE Solution with Yeastar Phone System

Yeastar has integrated VoLTE technology into the Mobility solution. This is achieved by installing a 4G LTE Module in both the Yeastar S-Series VoIP PBX and Yeastar P-Series Phone System.

Our 4G LTE solution is particularly suitable for temporary locations, mobile offices, and areas where fixed-line broadband is not available. It serves as a vital backup option for internet continuity when the primary internet connection of the PBX fails. By embracing VoLTE, businesses can enjoy faster connection times, high-definition call quality, and ensure uninterrupted operations.
Discover how our 4G LTE Solution empowers your enterprise with VoLTE capabilities.

See how 4G LTE Solution helps you embrace VoLTE for your enterprises

 

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