I Need Help Understanding VoLTE and Touch
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I am new to this phone arena so forgive me as I am trying to learn all of this. I understand what VoLTE is but how does it relate to Touch? In other words, is VoLTE enabled in Touch or do you just have to have a VoLTE enabled phone? For example, I understand a Nexus 5 does not have the hardware for VoLTE but the Pixel 3 does. So will VoLTE work with a Pixel 3 using Touch? And will the Nexus 5s eventually stop working nationwide?
Sorry if this is in the wrong forum. This seems like an OS question but maybe not. Thanks!
Nexus 5 - UT OTA 21
Pixel 3a - UT 2023-W13 -
@geekbone N5 does have the hardware, but only one radio package to enable it was released - for China market. So it is unclear, but unlikely that N5 will get VoLTE support.
VoLTE is both a function of the modem and the software. It was left to the hardware vendors to decide how to implement the standard. But, there are roughly two camps - everything happens in the modem, everything happens in the software. The devices where it all happens in the modem require audio routing. Some of them are already trying to negotiate VoLTE (N6P), and one has achieved it (Pinephone).
The everything happens in the software camp will achieve VoLTE depending on the success of the opensouce VoLTE project UBports has contracted. We are still waiting on the outcome of that project. Mediatek devices are expected to achieve success first, Qualcom seems to be stickier.
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For devices unable to achieve VoLTE, as long as they can achieve an LTE data connection, there is SIP as an alternative. Requires subscribing to a SIP service and using a SIP dialer such as Linphone, but calls and messaging will still come through.
Which network will allow the device to stay as a data only device is still not settled. Most are leaning towards no VoLTE, no service period. But that is in flux. So far, only T-mobile and MVNOs have commited to allowing devices to stay on data only if they are not VoLTE capable. Some of AT&T and Verizon's MVNOs are currently allowing non-authorized devices to stay on, where their parent network bans the device. It is hit or miss at best whether you can keep access with those two networks.
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@geekbone said in I Need Help Understanding VoLTE and Touch:
will the Nexus 5s eventually stop working nationwide?
If you say 'nationwide', it's helpful to let us know which nation you're talking about. Most people who forget about this tend to be US Americans, but it's not nice to assume so we'd prefer not to.
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@moem Lol.... feeling a little stupid here. Thanks for pointing out my American superiority complex.
Yes, I meant the US.
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@rocket2nfinity said in I Need Help Understanding VoLTE and Touch:
VoLTE is both a function of the modem and the software. It was left to the hardware vendors to decide how to implement the standard. But, there are roughly two camps - everything happens in the modem, everything happens in the software. The devices where it all happens in the modem require audio routing. Some of them are already trying to negotiate VoLTE (N6P), and one has achieved it (Pinephone).
That's weird because I understood that in most if not all cases it's a modem thing and that pretty much all modems have closed source firmware/binaries/code inside them that will never be open to the public ?!
The everything happens in the software camp will achieve VoLTE depending on the success of the opensouce VoLTE project UBports has contracted. We are still waiting on the outcome of that project. Mediatek devices are expected to achieve success first, Qualcom seems to be stickier.
According to some sources on the Sailfish Forum the Qualcomm phones are actually easier to adapt to the oFono software than the MediaTek ones and are expected to get the VoLTE Support as the first ones ?!
@rocket2nfinity said in I Need Help Understanding VoLTE and Touch:
For devices unable to achieve VoLTE, as long as they can achieve an LTE data connection, there is SIP as an alternative. Requires subscribing to a SIP service and using a SIP dialer such as Linphone, but calls and messaging will still come through.
As long as you can do DATA via 4G/4G+/5G you can also call people via Telegram for example!
Which network will allow the device to stay as a data only device is still not settled. Most are leaning towards no VoLTE, no service period. But that is in flux. So far, only T-mobile and MVNOs have commited to allowing devices to stay on data only if they are not VoLTE capable. Some of AT&T and Verizon's MVNOs are currently allowing non-authorized devices to stay on, where their parent network bans the device. It is hit or miss at best whether you can keep access with those two networks.
Like @Moem said : Please mention that you are talking about T-Mobile USA and not for example Germany or any other country
I am still surprised that there is such a huge difference between mobile services in certain countries because I always thought that :
- Provider locked phones are a thing of the past, but for example in the USA there is a provider called Verizon that still seems to do that ?!
- The MMS standard is dead, but it seems that people are still using MMS in Northern America while the standard is pretty much dead in most countries in Europe
- The only difference between networks world wide is the frequencies used but it seems there is a lot more to it than that!
You live and you learn...
My phones :
- BQ Aquaris E5 HD Ubuntu Phone Edition - Ubuntu Touch 16.04 LTS
- ZUK Z2 Pro - ZUI Android 8.x
- Xiaomi Mi 9T - Jolla SailFish 3.4.x Community Build
P.S. : I am NOT a developer! ;)
- Provider locked phones are a thing of the past, but for example in the USA there is a provider called Verizon that still seems to do that ?!
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@nero355 said in I Need Help Understanding VoLTE and Touch:
As long as you can do DATA via 4G/4G+/5G you can also call people via Telegram for example!
Not on UT. It does not support voicechat. But you can use Linphone and use that for calls.
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@moem
I know, but I meant that in general the need for VoLTE in the future might be the same thing as the need for MMS at the moment : Different per country -
@nero355 All modems keep the specific network modeling software in the modem, to include VoLTE network modeling. Some, also keep the software that negotiates when to activate which network type, VoLTE or legacy networks, in the modem. The rest, keep that part external in the base OS.
I do not follow Sailfish, so not sure what they are saying, but the UT developers have stated several times that Mediatek will be first. Inquire in the main UT Telegram group for updates on that. They have been busy with the 20.04 upgrade, so there has not been a lot of VoLTE news lately.
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@nero355 said in I Need Help Understanding VoLTE and Touch:
The MMS standard is dead, but it seems that people are still using MMS in Northern America while the standard is pretty much dead in most countries in Europe
MMS is far from being dead, as it's the only really crossplateform way to send multimedia messages between any device out there.
In France, any plan from any providers, even plan with only 2 hours voice an 50Mo data, have unlimited SMS and MMS, so you can send messages and things, without any data loose or extra cost.
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@rocket2nfinity said in I Need Help Understanding VoLTE and Touch:
All modems keep the specific network modeling software in the modem, to include VoLTE network modeling. Some, also keep the software that negotiates when to activate which network type, VoLTE or legacy networks, in the modem. The rest, keep that part external in the base OS.
I do not follow Sailfish, so not sure what they are saying, but the UT developers have stated several times that Mediatek will be first. Inquire in the main UT Telegram group for updates on that. They have been busy with the 20.04 upgrade, so there has not been a lot of VoLTE news lately.
It was about the development of the oFono project I believe and IIRC and understood correctly they said it was easier to develop the Qualcomm stuff first and then take their time for the MediaTek stuff
@keneda said in I Need Help Understanding VoLTE and Touch:
MMS is far from being dead, as it's the only really crossplateform way to send multimedia messages between any device out there.
I know, but it's not the huge success all the providers thought it would be...
In France, any plan from any providers, even plan with only 2 hours voice an 50Mo data, have unlimited SMS and MMS, so you can send messages and things, without any data loose or extra cost.
That's cool for you guys but over here in The Netherlands the last time I wanted to use MMS my phone simply said : Disabled by the provider!
So like I said earlier : It's different per country because in many countries no one used it so the providers gave up on it completely...
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@rocket2nfinity I thought the 20.04 upgrade would upgrade ofono, which then would work with VoLTE?
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@totalrando - VoLTE to my understanding often relies on modem specific proprietary blobs, so simply updating ofono will NOT enable VoLTE - far more work is needed to get it going, and it is possible that some devices will not be able to get VoLTE support, even after it gets implemented for some.
Best regards,
Steve Berson -
@totalsonic Looks like I've got about 12 days left before SFOS and Ubuntu Touch stop working for voice calling due to 3G phaseout by my US MVNO.
Last Spring I was hoping one project would have beat the deadline, but that's not gonna happen. Really don't want to use Android. -
@robthebold Droidian is an option. VoLTE works
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@totalsonic said in I Need Help Understanding VoLTE and Touch:
@totalrando - VoLTE to my understanding often relies on modem specific proprietary blobs, so simply updating ofono will NOT enable VoLTE - far more work is needed to get it going, and it is possible that some devices will not be able to get VoLTE support, even after it gets implemented for some.
From what I have understood so far :
Qualcomm based phones should get the support a lot easier than the MediaTek based ones because of the difference in the Modem part of both SoC brands.
The Qualcomm modem does more things by itself so to speak and because of that oFono should be able to support those SoC's earlier than the rest!
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@nero355 - the current work being done to enable VoLTE for Ubuntu Touch is prioritizing Mediatek support, as this development is being led by Volla, which uses those soc's - info here - https://www.jeroenbaten.nl/UT-VoLTE-proposed-technical-architecture.pdf
Best regards,
Steve Berson
