Sprint VoLTE Discussion thread [was Sprint partners with BroadSoft for VoLTE]

[Yuhfhrh]

I might give that a shot. Last time I tried to integrate my Sprint number with GV a couple years ago I had all sorts of problems, maybe it's better now.

 

I have no problems with it at all.

 

I'm definitely intrigued. I've had issues with missed calls due to my phone not falling back to 1x to receive calls. My only issue would be waiting until Sprint solves some of the balancing issues. B26 tends to get overloaded at times on some parts of town.

 

How does it handle on 3G EVDO? Any noticeable lag while on calls?

 

As long as EVDO isn't completely dead with throughput, it still works the same. Latency on Sprint's evdo is pretty good after NV. LTE dropping to eHRPD can still maintain the call, as long as your phone registers quick enough. It will even work over 1X data, but there will be a significant delay before they hear what you say and vice versa.

 

You can have it do that. It's been a while since I used Hangouts for incoming calls, but the Hangouts dialer would always ring before the regular dialer would. If I left it go long enough both would start ringing. One really nice thing about integration with Hangouts is no more eCSFB failing and not letting calls through. It's been happening to me a lot the last week or so, I'm probably going back to using Hangouts for incoming calls so I don't miss anymore.

 

To prevent the double calls, you need to go to Google voice settings and remove your phone as a forwarding device (I.e. forward calls to Google chat only.) Then you will only receive your calls over data.

 

For a Sprint/Google Voice integrated number, what effect does enabling the Hangouts Dialer have on the Google Voice app?  Is SMS still delivered to the Google Voice app?

 

AJ

 

None at all, it works the same as before.

[Houston_Texas]

I have no problems with it at all.

 

 

As long as EVDO isn't completely dead with throughput, it still works the same. Latency on Sprint's evdo is pretty good after NV. LTE dropping to eHRPD can still maintain the call, as long as your phone registers quick enough. It will even work over 1X data, but there will be a significant delay before they hear what you say and vice versa.

 

 

To prevent the double calls, you need to go to Google voice settings and remove your phone as a forwarding device (I.e. forward calls to Google chat only.) Then you will only receive your calls over data.

 

 

None at all, it works the same as before.

Calls can be set for only over data? What happens if you're in bad signal area?

 

Sent from my SM-N910T

[Yuhfhrh]

Calls can be set for only over data? What happens if you're in bad signal area?

 

Sent from my SM-N910T

 

If you lose EVDO, you drop the call.

[Houston_Texas]

If you lose EVDO, you drop the call.

That's unfortunate.

 

Sent from my SM-N910T

[red_dog007]

yeah, I have been using Hangouts a lot for calls.  I mostly place calls over Hangouts.  Even on 3G it works great.  I haven't tried 1x data, but maybe I will when I get home.  Receiving calls is largely over 1x. I really only prefer Hangouts because it is a one stop shop.  As far as audio quality, I don't notice and really dont' care.  I can hear fine.  What bothers on calls in phones that don't screen out background noise, which makes it hard to hear the caller.

[RAvirani]

Can't sprint light up VoLTE in strong markets with 800mhz like Denver? I don't think if they did it on a market by market basis (only lighting up VoLTE when the coverage and speeds are good enough), we wouldn't drop that many calls...

[chamb]

Can't sprint light up VoLTE in strong markets with 800mhz like Denver? I don't think if they did it on a market by market basis (only lighting up VoLTE when the coverage and speeds are good enough), we wouldn't drop that many calls...

Be careful what you wish for.  800 CDMA will work fine deep in buildings but 800 LTE probably will have issues.

[Paynefanbro]

Be careful what you wish for.  800 CDMA will work fine deep in buildings but 800 LTE probably will have issues.

 

I think he is referring to just that though. In markets where Sprint's 800MHz indoor penetration is good enough, they could launch VoLTE. That's what AT&T did and it has been working out for them decently enough.

[RAvirani]

I think he is referring to just that though. In markets where Sprint's 800MHz indoor penetration is good enough, they could launch VoLTE. That's what AT&T did and it has been working out for them decently enough.

Exactly.

[Terrell352]

They could also make it a ption in call settings like Verizon and T-Mobile does. If you don't want to use it just turn off volte.

[RAvirani]

They could also make it a ption in call settings like Verizon and T-Mobile does. If you don't want to use it just turn off volte.

Definitely

[WiWavelength]

They could also make it a ption in call settings like Verizon and T-Mobile does. If you don't want to use it just turn off volte.

 

How would you plan to explain that to typical, uninformed consumers?

 

"Turn this setting on for simultaneous voice and data.  Turn it off if you want to avoid dropped calls."

 

That just would make Sprint look bad.

 

AJ

[RAvirani]

How would you plan to explain that to typical, uninformed consumers?

 

"Turn this setting on for simultaneous voice and data.  Turn it off if you want to avoid dropped calls."

 

That just would make Sprint look bad.

 

AJ

 

My idea was to only have it enabled in markets where the network performance was overall pretty good like Denver.  Essentially what AT&T is doing.

[WiWavelength]

My idea was to only have it enabled in markets where the network performance was overall pretty good like Denver.  Essentially what AT&T is doing.

 

How would that setting be automatically activated or adjusted per market?  It still would require user intervention.

 

And no Sprint market, not even Kansas City, is ready for VoLTE.  It would wreck reliability, which Sprint generally leads in RootMetrics now.

 

AJ

[HTCandroid]

How would you plan to explain that to typical, uninformed consumers?

 

"Turn this setting on for simultaneous voice and data.  Turn it off if you want to avoid dropped calls."

 

That just would make Sprint look bad.

 

AJ

 

You could slap that option in the developer options and when you turn it on it can say something like, "this feature is experimental for development purposes." From that point on any developer should know and normal customers become aware they are playing with things they don't understand.

[WiWavelength]

You could slap that option in the developer options and when you turn it on it can say something like, "this feature is experimental for development purposes." From that point on any developer should know and normal customers become aware they are playing with things they don't understand.

 

Then, the setting largely would be irrelevant.  VoLTE hardly would be an option for most users.  And they are the ones who are most important.  Accept reality.  We tech heads and our wants do not matter much.

 

In summary, you guys want an option that will work well for you -- because you are informed -- but will not work well for Sprint and most users.

 

AJ

[RAvirani]

How would that setting be automatically activated or adjusted per market? It still would require user intervention.

 

And no Sprint market, not even Kansas City, is ready for VoLTE. It would wreck reliability, which Sprint generally leads in RootMetrics now.

 

AJ

AT&T seems to have implemented this fine...VoLTE works ONLY in AT&T's VoLTE markets and CSFB is used in other markets. Just to clarify my idea is not rolling out VoLTE over the whole footprint, just allowing it in strong areas.

[lilotimz]

AT&T seems to have implemented this fine...VoLTE works ONLY in AT&T's VoLTE markets and CSFB is used in other markets. Just to clarify my idea is not rolling out VoLTE over the whole footprint, just allowing it in strong areas.

 

You do know that ATT VoLTE has the wonderful plus of SRVCC being implemented alongside well developed fallback to their WCDMA / GSM network right? 

 

With utmost confidence, I will guarantee there is not one major top 100 metro that Sprint services which can deploy VoLTE without CDMA fallback today. Not one. Sprint is far too consistent with its inconsistencies. 

[RAvirani]

You do know that ATT VoLTE has the wonderful plus of SRVCC being implemented alongside well developed fallback to their WCDMA / GSM network right?

 

With utmost confidence, I will guarantee there is not one major top 100 metro that Sprint services which can deploy VoLTE without CDMA fallback today. Not one. Sprint is far too consistent with its inconsistencies.

Markets like Denver where the network is very strong seem plausible, at least to me. Do we have any idea when CDMA fallback will be deployment ready? Lagging behind the other three carriers even on tiny things like this drive customers away and I can't imagine that's what sprint wants.

[lilotimz]

Markets like Denver where the network is very strong seem plausible, at least to me. Do we have any idea when CDMA fallback will be deployment ready? Lagging behind the other three carriers even on tiny things like this drive customers away and I can't imagine that's what sprint wants.

 

CDMA fallback is basically being developed by Sprint alone. You know it's a big headache  when Verizon decided to bypass it in their implementation of VoLTE without fallback. 

 

Markets like Denver are rated strong for data speeds. Reliability of data connections is not tested (dropping from LTE to 3G) and is prevalent even in its strongest and most well developed markets. 

[S4GRU]

Markets like Denver where the network is very strong seem plausible, at least to me. Do we have any idea when CDMA fallback will be deployment ready? Lagging behind the other three carriers even on tiny things like this drive customers away and I can't imagine that's what sprint wants.

I'm pretty confident at this point based on conversations with my sources that CDMA Fallback is not ever going to be ready for prime time. Sprint can really only go VoLTE when B26 is on every site nationwide and optimized for coverage.

 

Sent using Nexus 6P on Tapatalk

[Tengen31]

I'm pretty confident at this point based on conversations with my sources that CDMA Fallback is not ever going to be ready for prime time. Sprint can really only go VoLTE when B26 is on every site nationwide and optimized for coverage.

 

Sent using Nexus 6P on Tapatalk

In my area band 26 doesnt seem optimized. They have it here but, we hardly see it. When it does connect to it, it doesnt stay on it for very long. usually goes back to band 25,41 or 3G.

[kyle_4thousand]

In my area band 26 doesnt seem optimized. They have it here but, we hardly see it. When it does connect to it, it doesnt stay on it for very long. usually goes back to band 25,41 or 3G.

B26 actually does seem to be optimized here in NW Chicagoland. My nearest tower is a mile and a half away and I still get at least 2 bars in my house. When they first turned it on it was pretty similar to B25 penetration, so I would bounce to 3G a lot.

 

I'll drop to 3G in my basement now but it's not a huge deal since I have pretty good wifi.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BlueAngel]

B26 sucks where I am.

[RAvirani]

B26 sucks where I am.

 

At least you have B26 lol they don't have B26 at all in seattle