What is VoLTE?
VoLTE stands for “Voice over LTE“. It is a technology that allows devices to communicate with high-definition voice quality over a greater bandwidth (compared to 3G and 2G) and high-speed data, directly via the 4G network.
Thanks to this feature, customers benefit from improved call quality – both in France and internationally – with a fast call setup time (around 2 seconds). In the IoT sector, it is favored for use cases involving voice recognition for access control, surveillance systems, or connected cars equipped with a voice communication system.
In 2017, Bouygues Telecom, a true pioneer in the IoT market, deployed VoLTE to provide its customers with superior sound quality for their voice calls.
What is VoIP?
VoIP stands for “Voice over Internet Protocol“, or “Voice over Internet“. It also allows for making voice calls over the Internet, but it is more sensitive to the connection quality because it does not have a dedicated architecture on the network.
Conversely, the call setup time is longer than for VoLTE, with durations going up to 8 seconds.
This technology requires that the call recipient be VoIP compatible. It is used for connected alarm systems such as intercoms or hands-free call devices for cars.
But what is the difference between VoLTE and VoIP?
These two features are similar and rely on the same principle of transmitting voice over the IP protocol, but their main difference lies in the guaranteed quality of the voice call. VoLTE has the advantage of having its own network architecture, making the quality and reliability better.
VoIP works on all existing cellular networks (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) and non-cellular networks (Wi-Fi, ADSL, fiber, etc.), while VoLTE operates only on a dedicated priority channel in the 4G network. This means that VoLTE is only available in areas where 4G is deployed.
VoIP is not a priority on the network and is completely dependent on the fluctuation of internet service quality: if too many connections occur simultaneously, the call quality is affected. When the amount of data sent exceeds the network’s capacity, the packets including those of Voice IP are placed in what we might call a “queue“.
VoLTE, on the other hand, is a priority due to a dedicated stream on the 4G network. During peak 4G consumption, bandwidth is dedicated to VoLTE, reducing impacts and ensuring more stable and better quality calls.
VoLTE offers a smoother user experience than VoIP. VoLTE calls are established more quickly (about 2 seconds) and are more stable, while VoIP calls connect more slowly (about 8 seconds) and may be subject to interruptions.
Although VoLTE and VoIP are both voice communication technologies, they have significant differences in terms of voice quality, user experience, availability, and cost. If voice quality and user experience are priorities, then VoLTE is likely the better option.
