
While both AT&T and Verizon Wireless have already fallen short of their initial timelines for VoLTE (AT&T projected rollout for the end of 2013, while Verizon Wireless had initially planned for late 2012 to early 2013), it now appears that both are closing in on a launch. A major “X factor” in the U.S. adoption of VoLTE will be the consequences of Sprint’s prospective purchase of T-Mobile. T-Mobile was the first to launch VoLTE in the U.S., with a three-device pilot program in Seattle that began on 22 May 2014 and is scheduled to expand throughout the year. Sprint, on the other hand, has no announced plans for VoLTE, relying instead on its CDMA network to provide HD voice calling. It will be interesting to see which course the combined entity pursues following the acquisition.
The benefits for of VoLTE for operators are clear and much discussed. In the coming months, it will be critical to examine these test programs and rollouts to see if any operator can capture a competitive advantage by implementing the technology faster or more effectively.
The above item appeared in a recent issue of The Tarifica Alert, a weekly resource that analyzes noteworthy developments in the telecoms industry from around the world. To access all of the latest articles and issues: http://www.tarifica.com/TarificaAlert.aspx
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