Big carriers are in the process of rolling out Voice over LTE services in the UK, US, and further abroad. This transition will help move over the transmission of calls from the traditional circuit-based network that we now use to a more efficient data network. Voice services are transmitted in IP packets with this type of service, allowing for clearer calls, greater reliability, and the chance for wireless operators to save money.
Although the service is being marketed to consumers, it’s mainly businesses that carriers have their eye on.
Here are a few reasons why.
Voice Over LTE Benefits for Businesses
Although Voice over LTE can benefit the consumer with lower costs and clearer voice services, there are additional benefits that could attract business users.
The high definition voice services facilitate video calls, allowing customers to benefit from high LTE speeds. More reliable call quality is also important for businesses who need to interact with clients living all over the world.
There’s nothing more frustrating than fuzzy or dropped calls during a video conference.
Another benefit that’s particularly helpful to business users is the ability of VoLTE to integrate with PBX systems, or private branch exchange systems. This allows integrated services between a company’s communications, including their messaging, video, and corporate calls.
With greater unified communications, businesses may find that VoLTE can save both time and money.
Cost Saving Benefits for Carriers
Voice over LTE is simpler and cheaper to run than a traditional network, which is one of the primary reasons carriers are so keen to make the switch.
At the consumer level, VoLTE doesn’t really provide anything extra beyond crisper calls, which means that while carriers might be able to save a bit, they won’t be able to upgrade to more lucrative services.
Business customers are a different matter. VoLTE would allow carriers to provide video conferencing, collaborative features, and other add-ons that can add up to more financial gain for the carrier. At the same time, business users benefit from the factors mentioned above. And ultimately voice services over VoLTE will be cheaper on a per-minute basis than 2G for both consumers and businesses alike.
The Consumer Market
Of course, VoLTE services are also being marketed to consumers, who receive many of the same benefits that businesses do.
One factor that may make Voice-over-LTE particularly attractive to consumers is the fact that it would lead to more straightforward billing. Rather than having to itemize bills into separate text and voice minutes used, there would be a single bill for data usage.
Voice over LTE from Nokia Networks and other providers also reduces the need for third-party apps for video calls or messenger services, because this would all be available from a single service instead.
For both businesses and consumers who travel abroad, this can be particularly useful. Overall, though, consumer VoLTE is simply a replacement for today’s voice services, while business VoLTE provides greater opportunity for financial gain.
There are still logistical issues to overcome before this type of service becomes mainstream. Yet as carriers set their sights on business customers, there is great incentive to work on rolling out Voice over LTE in major cities first before working on filling in the gaps.
