Airtel Kenya subscribers with 4G smartphones can now enjoy crystal-clear calls on the Airtel network thanks to the introduction of VoLTE.
VoLTE, short for Voice over LTE, allows users to make calls over a 4G LTE data connection as long as both devices in use are 4G LTE capable and on a 4G LTE network.
In the case of rival Safaricom which rolled out VoLTE four years ago, subscribers have needed 4G SIM cards as well which allowed their 4G-ready devices access to the telco’s 4G network.
The presence of VoLTE on a device is denoted by the VoLTE sign on the status bar as can be seen in the image below.
An “HD” inscription may also appear on the call screen when a VoLTE call is on.
“With the launch of VoLTE, all Airtel customers can make clear calls on the 4G network while enjoying the advantage of HD voice available on Android and iOS devices. VoLTE automatically enables High Definition for a clearer voice call experience with the same call rate as normal calls,” Airtel Kenya says in a statement.
Back in 2019 when Safaricom launched VoLTE on its network, it was quite a big deal differentiating what devices were supported and which ones weren’t. At this point, VoLTE has been around long enough that this is no longer necessary. It’s just that if you are an Airtel subscriber, your calls still weren’t being made through a 4G LTE network. Now, they can.
Other than crisp HD voice calls, VoLTE assures users of faster call connectivity times and, in these days when we spend most of our time on smartphones on data-intensive tasks, the ability to multi-task, receive a call while you complete a crossword puzzle on the New York Times website or app, or play Wordle or something else that’s using data in the background. Many should have experienced instances where when a call connects, data disconnects, putting whatever it is they were doing on a hold. That’s no longer the case with VoLTE involved.
“VoLTE offers a richer calling experience and clearer calls achieving High Definition voice quality. This is due to the ability of 4G networks to support a higher data capacity which in turn can carry up to three times more data per call compared to 3G networks and six times more compared to 2G networks. VoLTE also eliminates background noise, background jitter and other distortions that are characteristic of older calling technologies,” Safaricom wrote in a release to newsrooms when it debuted VoLTE.
Announced alongside VoLTE is a new 1GB Amazing Data bundle from Airtel that costs just Kshs 50 and lasts for 24 hours, reminiscent of Safaricom’s Giga bundle that cost Kshs 99 back in the day – it has since been replaced by Tunukiwa bundles.
According to the Communications Authority of Kenya, Airtel had 17.6 million mobile subscribers by the end of 2022 and a 27.9% share of the country’s mobile broadband subscriptions. Safaricom led with a 65% share of the country’s mobile data market. Mobile data subscriptions account for 66.7% of the country’s internet subscriptions.
network from my side it’s very bad
Good