What Happens if I Disable VoLTE?
If you choose to disable VoLTE (Voice over LTE) on your device, there are several things that can happen, and it’s essential to understand how this decision affects your experience. Let’s dive into what this means and why you might want to consider it.
VoLTE is a technology that allows voice calls to be made over the LTE network, providing a clearer, faster, and more reliable call quality compared to traditional voice networks. If VoLTE is enabled on your device, you can make and receive calls while using the LTE network for data, ensuring you don’t have to switch to a 2G or 3G network for calls. Disabling VoLTE, however, means your device will fall back to older network technologies for voice calls, which can affect both call quality and your mobile experience overall.
Here’s what happens if you disable VoLTE:
- Switch to 3G/2G Networks for Voice Calls: Without VoLTE, your device will switch to older networks like 3G (UMTS) or 2G (GSM) to handle voice calls. This is known as “circuit-switched fallback” (CSFB). While 3G and 2G networks can still handle voice calls, they don’t offer the same quality or data capabilities as LTE.
- Lower Call Quality: VoLTE allows for higher call quality due to the wideband codec used for voice transmission. If you disable VoLTE, you will rely on the narrower bandwidth of 3G or 2G, which typically results in lower call quality, including reduced clarity and potential for dropped calls.
- Impact on Data During Calls: One of the key benefits of VoLTE is that it allows simultaneous voice and data use. When VoLTE is disabled, you may experience a drop in data speeds when making a call, as your device will use 3G or 2G for voice, limiting data usage during the call.
- Increased Battery Consumption: Switching between networks (from LTE to 3G/2G for calls) can cause your device to use more power. This is because the device needs to continuously search for and maintain connections on different networks, which can drain the battery faster.
However, in some cases, you may choose to disable VoLTE for reasons such as network coverage issues, compatibility problems with your carrier, or preference for older network technologies. But it’s essential to know that by doing so, you’ll lose some of the benefits of VoLTE, like improved call quality and simultaneous voice and data service.
As we’ve discussed in earlier articles, LTE (Long-Term Evolution) provides high-speed internet and improved voice quality through technologies like VoLTE. So, disabling it essentially takes you back to older, slower methods of communication for voice calls, affecting both your voice experience and data usage. Ultimately, if you want the best of both worlds—excellent voice quality and fast data speeds—keeping VoLTE enabled is the optimal choice.