Tmo will maintain VoLTE network

[Gman9831]

Don't know if this has been discussed yet http://gigaom.com/mobile/t-mobile-w...olte-service-but-its-future-is-up-in-the-air/ T-Mobile will maintain MetroPCS’s VoLTE service, but its future is up in the air — Mobile Technology

 

[THE W]

not everyone are the fearless early adopters that metro is.

 

[Fuzzy13]

Interesting

"In addition, T-Mobile isn’t planning to integrate Metro’s LTE systems into its own. Instead, it plans to shut down Metro’s radio and core networks as soon as the last CDMA phone goes offline."

 

[Fuzzy13]

Will voice-over-LTE become a casualty of the T-Mobile-MetroPCS merger? — Mobile Technology News

 

[Gman9831]

They will be decommissioning 90% of the total sites T-Mobile's Ray: MetroPCS' DAS will give us a small cell play - FierceBroadbandWireless

 

[Fuzzy13]

I still dont see the benifits of this other than more money for the carriers. 1 minute equals to 1mb. Hope your on a fully unlimited plan.

 

[robertkoa]

I still dont see the benifits of this other than more money for the carriers. 1 minute equals to 1mb. Hope your on a fully unlimited plan.

Wow-never thought of this.

You mean that Voice Over LTE equals conversations are part of DATA-instead of separate and Unlimited and Free.

So could be no FREE Unlimited Voice Calls UNLESS you have Unlimited Data.

Not Good

 

[fdbryant3]

If and when carriers adopt VoLTE they will either have to adjust their billing models to reflect the data useage or simply flag calls using the VoLTE protocol as using "minutes".

 

[THE W]

i dont believe call minutes will count towards our data in the same way minutes didnt count towards data when it was run through CDMA(3g/EV).

 

[Gman9831]

It wont count against your data
The IP Multimedia Subsystem or IMS which is what VoLTE works through will know it is a phone call vs regular data traffic

 

[Fuzzy13]

It wont count against your data
The IP Multimedia Subsystem or IMS which is what VoLTE works through will know it is a phone call vs regular data traffic

"Because the call is counted under data, VoLTE could spell the end of phone call minutes on the monthly bill as the service gets lumped together with data. While it means one less item on the bill, it could potentially be confusing because consumers will have to start thinking of data instead of minutes when monitoring phone call usage."


Recent article

Verizon aims for voice over LTE in late 2013, early 2014 | Mobile - CNET News




What's really concerning is that there are a ton of areas that have call coverage but dont have LTE coverage. So just because your not in an LTE area means you cant make a call? Unless the entire LTE network will be expanded to the standard calling area now then no love loss. Regardless its going to be a big change for everyone because your basic "minute" plans will be null and void. Basically all data plans.

 

[Nintendo1889]

Is there a way to tell if the phone is on a volte call?

We might lose volte but my feeling is that they'll keep grandfathered plans, like when i kept my alltel plan for years after verizon took over.

Ultimately volte is a more efficient usage of the spectrum (which costs millions to expand if not billions!).