Vodafone Czech Republic has launched voice over LTE and Wi-Fi calling after getting Ericsson to enable its network.
Ericsson was chosen to conduct a full-scale upgrade of the operator’s core network, which Vodafone said would allow it to offer high-definition voice and simultaneous browsing, as well as video calling over LTE networks.
This included Ericsson’s IP Multimedia Subsystem and its Wi-Fi Mobility Gateway, User Data Consolidation and other professional services.
For customers with devices that do not support native Wi-Fi calling, Vodafone has built an app that allows them to use the functionality.
Petr Dvořák, Vice President for end customers at Vodafone says: “Vodafone will be the first operator in the Czech Republic to offer on a massive scale such calling services going beyond cellular coverage calls.
“Thanks to the freely available Wi-Fi calling application, Vodafone customers can take advantage of this modern service on any phones running Android 4.0 or later, so therefore, on all Android phones which Vodafone has on offer. Wi-Fi calling allows you to connect to any phone number in the same way as you do when placing regular calls from your mobile phone.”
Valter D’Avino, Head of Region Western & Central Europe, Ericsson, says: “With this solution Vodafone Czech Republic will be able to utilize one efficient core network to enable several communication services. Our solutions and global expertise will support Vodafone in their mission to secure superior network performance, to deliver seamless services and consequently providing the best customer experience.”
The launch is the first of both types of technology in the country. There are around 15 million LTE subscriptions in the country and 97 percent of the population can access 4G.