Verizon has placed the first IMS-based VoLTE (Voice over LTE) call this morning and later placed a voice call while using data.
This new voice protocol has high-definition audio fidelity. The first call was placed at 9:54 a.m. ET Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011, by Balaji Raghavachari, manager of technology for Verizon Wireless, using an LG Revolution 4G smartphone that lasted 33 seconds.
The call originated at Verizon headquarters in Basking Ridge, N.J. and was received by Sanyogita Shamsunder, director of technology for Verizon Wireless, who was also on an LG Revolution 4G smartphone in Baskin Ridge.
During additional calls, the technologists were able to browse the Web and use other data services while participating in voice calls.
Subsequent test calls lasted more than 10 minutes. Technologists browsed the Web, participated in chats, and downloaded applications from the Android Market while on a voice call.
The LG Revolution smartphones were running on the Android 2.2 platform.
Verizon Wireless plans to enhance VoLTE with rich communication services and to optimize performance on its commercial 4G LTE network during 2011. Commercial services are expected to be available in 2012.
Verizon will showcase IMS-based VoLTE calls over a demonstration
network in its booth (Hall 8, stall 8C55) at GSMA Mobile World Congress
in Barcelona, Spain, next week.
The LG Revolution has a 4.3-inch touchscreen, 1GHz Snapdragon
processor, DLNA, HDMI, DivX compatibility, Bluetooth 2.1, Wi-Fi, 3G and
4G/LTE mobile hotspot
capabilities, Bluetooth, and a
microSD card slot. The LG Revolution records and plays 1080p HD video. The LG Revolution has a rear-facing, 5-megapixel camera and front-facing camera for video conferencing.