Status of VoLTE (Voice over LTE 4G) implementation?

Keneda · 29 Sept 2023, 20:02

@Ashen
I would ask this to someone that was involved closely to the waydroid project, like @Stanwood .

stanwood · 29 Sept 2023, 22:11

@Ashen Yes, in 2021 we started a crowdfunding campaign on Gofundme, then on Whydonate to raise funds to pay for an independent developer to develop a better "Anbox" experience on Ubuntu Touch, that became the WayDroid* project..

The project was (against all odds) a success, but no magic wand...

This was a very exciting challenge, but also an obstacle course.

The ideal is to be 2 people leading the project: One coordinator with technical skills for operational follow-up, and one person with communication skills.

For WayDroid, the campaign lasted 5 months. Then the project was self-managed by its maintainer. (it still is today).

For technical developments on services such as VoWiFi or VoLTE on Ubuntu Touch, one of the biggest challenges would be to find one or more developers with specific technical skills.

I don't know what type of technician or competencies are required for this work. Certainly not a simple application developer on the SDK platform, but rather a specialist in both the Android runtime environment, the Linux Kernel, IMS technology as well as mobile network infrastructures, capable of retroengineering work, hacking code, etc...

The work will mainly consist of reconstituting OEM-specific firmware for integration into the Halium layer, I presume.
Another difficulty lies in the fact that each chipset manufacturer integrates proprietary and closed code (vendor blobs). So it's not a truly standard protocol.
You also need to understand how mobile operators filter handset IMEIs to activate the service in their database, and so on...
Technically, it's complicated. Perhaps easier with brands such as VollaPhone or Fairphone, who can potentially provide us with support (?)

So recruitment will be a key element of success. Donors expect results. Some can donate sums in excess of $1,000.

It is therefore essential to communicate regularly on the progress of the project, and to be totally transparent in the news you publish. You need to gain and maintain the trust of participants.

For instance, you can follow the history of the WayDroid project on this topic:

https://forums.ubports.com/topic/5907/open-ubuntu-touch-to-all-android-applications

You also need to be aware of the legal aspects, particularly taxes in certain European Union countries.

In the end, it was an incredible and memorable adventure for Rudi and me. (but not easy at all)

*WayDroid: A LXC container that enables to run Android applications on Linux distributions.

fairose · 2 Oct 2023, 16:51

Does anyone know where in the world I could currently use my UT-Device to make a call? In which countrys is VoLTE absolutely needed to make a call? In which countrys will 2G/3G be turned off in near future so that VoLTE will be the only option?
Is there a map or a table that shows the different available networks worldwide and maybe even planed dates for turning of 2G/3G?

Moem · 2 Oct 2023, 21:03

@fairose said in Status of VoLTE (Voice over LTE 4G) implementation?:

Does anyone know where in the world I could currently use my UT-Device to make a call?

I believe that it works in most European countries. It certainly works fine for me here in the Netherlands.

GT · 5 Oct 2023, 07:42

@fairose That really depends on the country:

In Canada, to my knowledge, only the Rogers/Fido network works without VoLTE, because they still support 2G/GSM. The other networks don't.
In Germany, most networks seem to work as they still support GSM/2G. At least, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Telefonica...

wally · 6 Oct 2023, 04:13

For the record, GT, I use Public Mobile (same network as Koodo and Telus) in Canada with good results. My understanding is that networks here support 3G until end of 2025.
I've got fingers crossed for VoLTE on UT before then - voice calls over cellular are a must for me. If a bounty is the way to go, I'll gladly put some money behind it.

fairose, the anglo wiki pages for 2G and 3G have charts about phaseout dates by varying nations/providers. gsma.com/coverage has maps by nation.

GT · 6 Oct 2023, 16:23

Thanks @wally , my experience with Telus (in Canada) and UBPorts on Volla22 was not positive, unfortunately. With the Telus SIM, I could use mobile internet, but could not place/receive calls. I could receive SMS, but was not able to send them.

Dave · 10 Dec 2023, 08:31

Hi,

given the lack of VoLTE support on Volla phones, if I now buy a new phone for Ubuntu Touch, which one would have the highest chance to (eventually?) work with VoLTE?

Feels like it becomes increasingly more difficult to stay connected on a non-VoLTE phone nowadays.

Alternatively, has anybody tested how well Linphone works on Ubuntu Touch? Having a well-integrated SIP telephony solution may make the current situation more bearable: providers like sipgate.de even appear to allow one to receive calls for a mobile number just via their SIP network.

cheers,

Dave

jgalaxy · 12 Oct 2023, 08:58

I have a question please if UT switched to modemmanger instead of its telephony stack i guess its ofono could it fix the carrier problem and voLTE problem since modemmanager support (3g/4g/5g) and its more advanced than ofono

lduboeuf · 12 Oct 2023, 09:47

@jgalaxy said in Status of VoLTE (Voice over LTE 4G) implementation?:

I have a question please if UT switched to modemmanger instead of its telephony stack i guess its ofono could it fix the carrier problem and voLTE problem since modemmanager support (3g/4g/5g) and its more advanced than ofono

Maybe last Q&A video can give you some answer: https://youtu.be/Z5bl5hTiAGo?t=2460

wizardi3 · 12 Oct 2023, 11:23

Read section 2.1 of the sysmocom
systems for mobile communications GmbH
Ubuntu Touch VoLTE Investigation, Revision V1 July 22, 2021 and then read about the Purism Librem 5 phone which uses PureOs. A significant involvement of the device manufacturer is required to implement VoLTE. After that is accomplished a carrier has to be willing to activate the phone. Purism gets over the last hurdle with its AweSim.

beyolf · 10 Dec 2023, 13:41

@jgalaxy
As far as I understand it, the problem is not ofono but that in order for VoLTE to work properly there a lot of IPC needed with the cellular module and that is proprietary so it's hard to figure out.

inrk · 15 Oct 2023, 21:46

I am also interested in the future of this. I have Visible Mobile (Verizon), and I can't get it to work. I'm guessing this is the reason

Moem · 15 Oct 2023, 21:59

@inrk said in Status of VoLTE (Voice over LTE 4G) implementation?:

I'm guessing this is the reason

I'm going to assume* you're in the US? Then: yes, it is.

*if people don't tell us where they are, they are usually in the US.

madscientist42 · 16 Oct 2023, 12:22

@beyolf said in Status of VoLTE (Voice over LTE 4G) implementation?:

@jgalaxy
As far as I understand it, the problem is not ofono but that in order for VoLTE to work properly there a lot of IPC needed with the cellular module and that is proprietary so it's hard to figure out.

It's more of a stack that does a SIP-ish type transaction. You need an additional 3GPP stack like Doubango to scoop up your voice signals, do call signalling, and deliver the other side's voice data to you.

Some of the solutions use firmware in the comm module to do this (The IoT modules doing VoLTE) or you need a stack. Shrug. Doubango compiles inside my Yocto build environment as a recipe now, but I need to clean up the mess I have to get there. I'm kind of wondering where UBPorts is on this score so I can either lend a hand or to straighten out the problems I have (All ships rise in the tide...)

beyolf · 16 Oct 2023, 12:59

@madscientist42

Currently I am trying to figure out the proprietary part with the cellular module. Currently trying to make the cellular module register in the cellular network for VoLTE.

If you are interested in more info you can contact me on telegram.

blueque · 28 Nov 2023, 04:23

In Feb 2023, Marius Gripsgard was about to give talk on "VoLTE for FOSS" at Fossdem 2023. I have no idea if he gave the talk there. There's other information on their website no video nothing. The news was also shared on ubports blog.

DPITTI · 28 Nov 2023, 06:14

@beyolf Good morning to the hard-working Linux people. What is so difficult about the integration of VoLte for UT? Is it the fact that UT actually only runs piggybacked as a container on top of Hallium Android on some smartphone models? Do you have to rewrite the entire module from the cell phone? Then surely there can also be limitations with data processing and LTE? Why is there only information via Telegram, very cumbersome Anyway, good luck!

beyolf · 28 Nov 2023, 08:03

@DPITTI

I dont really understand your post... The problem with VoLTE is the same for every OS which uses halium and vendor blobs and it is figuring out how to setup the proprietary vendor blobs. So the problem with VoLTE is not related to the OS it self but that the vendor blobs are not open and a lot of reverse engineering has to be done. To make the matter even more complicated different vendors implement VoLTE support in different way, meaning that there is no standard VoLTE setup for the different vendor blobs , which makes it harder and more things to reverse engineer. This was explained multiple times in the forum and in the Q&A sessions and also in the telegram groups.

Also why exactly are you pinging me?

Moem · 28 Nov 2023, 08:34

@blueque said in Status of VoLTE (Voice over LTE 4G) implementation?:

In Feb 2023, Marius Gripsgard was about to give talk on "VoLTE for FOSS" at Fossdem 2023. I have no idea if he gave the talk there.

He did not. He was not at FOSDEM, I seem to remember that he was ill and could not make it.