The demand for increased mobile connectivity is certainly shaping the telco market direction, as users put more pressure on providers to deliver on higher-quality interactions. These demands are soon to be met in Hong Kong, as 1O1O and one2free announced the launch of the first voice over LTE (News - Alert) network, introducing users to RCS VoLTE.
According to a recent statement, the network will be powered by Hong Kong’s Trusted Network and supported by ZTE (News - Alert) Corporation’s 4G solutions. A full commercial launch is scheduled to take place in the first half of 2014, aligning this move with the projected maturity of devices in the market.
This new RCS VoLTE network looks to provide instantaneous connections, clearer voice quality and reliable video calls using the IP Multimedia Subsystem (News - Alert) (IMS) solution. Access to 4G means not only clearer voice connections, but also a richer multimedia experience. Plus, launching VoLTE provides 1O1O and one2free the opportunity to achieve improved spectral efficiencies, increasing network capacity and enhancing the overall 4G LTE experience.
The launch certainly comes in response to the growing need for access to 4G LTE in Hong Kong. The resulting network is expected to provide stability, impressive speed and greater coverage throughout the region, providing brand new enriched video and voice experiences for customers.
The companies also have also worked to shore up the network experience on the Mass Transit Railway (MTR), upgrading the LTE 1800MHz spectrum from 10MHz to 15MHz on the island over the past year to enable superior network experience through increased speed and capacity.
They seem to have succeeded; a consistent quality network experience was reported by users from June to August of 2013. Users have reported increased performance in network coverage on the MTR overall. Reports indicate that most of their time was spent on the 3G/LTE connection. Moreover, a strong majority of users experienced very little down time with no network connection, demonstrating the efficacy of the new network.
Thus, the deployment and success of such LTE networks will certainly have a far-reaching effect on the global market, as carriers in other regions will certainly look to follow suit. High-quality IP calling is just the tip of the iceberg.
Edited by Blaise McNamee