During the Smart Retailer Conference at the Araneta Coliseum, Filipino mobile phone manufacturer Starmobile together with Smart Communications showcased the first ever public VoLTE call made in the Philippines.
The call was made using the VoLTE-capable Starmobile FeatureSmart Evo 1 feature phone in the presence of none other than PLDT-Smart Chair Manny Pangilinan and Chief Technology Information Adviser Joachim Horn.
“This is a momentous event and Starmobile is proud to be part of this pioneering effort. Today, high quality voice calls like you never thought possible is now a reality. With the new and affordable Starmobile FeatureSmart™ Evo 1, we are making this world class, cutting edge technology accessible to our fellow Filipinos.” – Michael Chen, Starmobile COO.
“VoLTE is the platform of the future in terms of improving the quality of mobile phone voice service available to our customers, and we are excited to partner with Starmobile to start bringing VoLTE-capable handsets to the Philippine market.” – Joachim Horn, PLDT-Smart Chief Technology and Information Advisor.
Unlike regular calls made on existing 2G and 3G networks, VoLTE uses 4G LTE connectivity to transmit and receive voice data. Apart from static-free calls, this technology is also capable of “Fast Call Setup,” which eliminates the typical 5 to 10 seconds of waiting time when placing a call. It’s even more efficient in terms of data consumption when compared to more popular VoIP or “Voice over Internet” services. This in turn, also equates to better sound quality.
“VoLTE is a feature usually found only in high-end devices which may cost an arm and a leg. The Starmobile FeatureSmart™ Evo 1 costs only as much as a pair of jeans.”
To enjoy the benefits of VoLTE, both the caller and receiver should be using VoLTE capable devices on a VoLTE-enabled network. In areas wherein this particular service is not available, the Starmobile FeatureSmart Evo 1 is still capable of making 2G or 3G calls.
Smart’s VoLTE service and the Starmobile FeatureSmart Evo 1 will soon be available to the public.
To know more about Starmobile devices, you may visit their website or follow their social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. For more information on JUMPU, check out their social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Emman has been writing technical and feature articles since 2010. Prior to this, he became one of the instructors at Asia Pacific College in 2008, and eventually landed a job as Business Analyst and Technical Writer at Integrated Open Source Solutions for almost 3 years.
