Ericsson, Samsung, Verizon Try VoLTE

BARCELONA -- Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC), Verizon Wireless and Samsung today at Mobile World Congress made one of the world's first LTE voice calls over a smartphone with an IMS client for Voice over LTE (VoLTE) according to GSMA specifications. The companies accomplished this over Ericsson's LTE demonstration network based on commercial products and using Samsung's 4G LTE smartphone, which will be available through Verizon Wireless in the United States later this year.

VoLTE will provide consumers and users with rich communications services and outstanding call quality. These demonstrations are among the many steps toward commercial availability of interoperable, global devices and network infrastructure supporting voice services over LTE.

Based on established industry standards, VoLTE will give network operators the ability to offer enhanced voice services on LTE networks around the globe. Consumers benefit from additional mobile services such as presence, video and chat, which can be available from any device, location or service provider in both mobile and fixed broadband data networks.

"Today's demonstrations are important because operators need to start making strategic decisions about how to maintain and develop their current voice and SMS businesses when launching LTE mobile broadband networks," said Johan Wibergh, Head of Ericsson's Business Unit Networks. "VoLTE allows operators to provide telecom grade voice services, along with enriched multimedia services, using an interoperable, global standard."

Ericsson AB (Nasdaq: ERIC)