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Tag: VoWiFi

  • Thailand’s AIS launches VoWiFi

    Thailand’s AIS launches VoWiFi

    Thailand’s AIS has launched Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi) services, and Taiwan’s APT has announced plans to do the same.

    AIS, Thailand’s largest mobile operator, is initially offering VoWiFi for selected iPhone models, including the iPhone 5s, 5c, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus and iPhone SE.

    The company will offer VoWiFi as a complementary add-on for AIS’s 4G services, offering calls at standard rates as well as the ability to send and receive SMS.

    AIS has announced plans to expand its WiFi hotspot network from 120,000 to 160,000 this year and to 200,000 by 2017. The operator is aiming to have more than 10 million 4G subscribers by the end of 2016.

    Taiwan’s APT has also announced plans to launch VoWiFi services, without announcing a timeframe.

    Comments from APT suggest that the operator will initially support selected iPhone models and the Android-based InFocus M372 with the VoWiFi service.

    Currently the operator’s 4G network covers around 94% of Taiwan, including 98% of metropolitan areas. The company passed the 4 million subscriber milestone at the end of May.

    Last week, Singtel announced that it is planning to launch VoWiFi services in August  following successful HetNet trials.

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  • SingTel to launch VoWiFi in August

    SingTel to launch VoWiFi in August

    SingTel has revealed plans to launch Singapore’s first commercial Voice over Wi-Fi service in August following the success of its recent HetNet trials.

    The trials, conducted in collaboration with IDA Singapore, confirmed that voice calls and texts can be sent over Wi-Fi in areas which are challenging for mobile signals.

    Service continuity can be maintained as smartphones transition between cellular and Wi-Fi networks, without the need of an installed mobile app. SingTel said this will allow its customers to make uninterrupted calls over Wi-Fi in locations including basements and the upper floors of skyscrapers.

    The trials also demonstrated the readiness of SingTel’s HetNet to support the IoT by providing reliable connections to sensors and other connected devices, the operator said.

    “In the near future, with millions of connected devices fuelling data demand, ensuring a consistent experience for multiple mobile customers across different locations is paramount,” SingTel CEO consumer Singapore Yuen Kuan Moon said.

    “With pervasive connectivity and higher data capacity set to become the norm, it was important for us to conduct a HetNet trial to gain further insights.  Given our positive trial results, we are ready to support the Internet of Things with our networks and provide SingTel mobile users with high-quality voice calls and SMS island-wide.”

    IDA co-managing director Gabriel Lim said 90% of HetNet trial users had an improved mobile experience, including superior connectivity, download and upload speeds and transitions between wireless and cellular networks.

    “We will use the lessons from the trial to work with our industry partners to further enhance the experience of Singapore mobile users,” he said.

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  • M1 trials HD VoWiFi over HetNet technology

    M1 trials HD VoWiFi over HetNet technology

    Singapore’s M1 has launched the nation’s first public native HD voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi) trial using HetNet technology.

    The trial service supports calls to and from fixed numbers without having to use a separate calling app, and allows for two-way mobility between Wi-Fi and mobile networks for seamless handover.

    M1 is using smart network prioritization technology to ensure quality voice calls over Wi-Fi even during periods of heavy network usage.

    The operator is working with the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) of Singapore on the deployment as part of the authority’s HetNet Trials initiative.

    The service is currently available to HetNet Trials users at M1’s Wi-Fi deployment sites in the Jurong Lake District. The company has deployed six HetNet hotspots throughout the district, at locations including train stations and bus interchanges.

    In addition to VoWiFi, M1 is working with IDA on the trial of Wi-Fi services on public buses.

    Last month mobile operator 3 Hong Kong launched a premium voice over Wi-Fi service that supports the use of up to five devices, including smartwatches tablets and PCs, along with a smartphone connected to the same account.

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