T-Mobile launches VoLTE in select markets for select devices

T-Mobile today started offering VoLTE (Voice over LTE) services in the Seattle area, saying that a wider rollout will follow later this year. At the moment, only three of T-Mobile’s smartphones support VoLTE: Samsung Galaxy Note 3, Samsung Galaxy Light, and LG G Flex. Users will have to update their handsets to the latest software version (released today) in order to experience VoLTE, as support for it isn't enabled by default.

With VoLTE, T-Mobile customers will be able to use LTE data during phone calls. HD Voice is also one of the features that's usually enabled by VoLTE (although this was offered by T-Mobile even without VoLTE). Another benefit of the new technology is that it allows for faster call setup times.

Users in the Washington Seattle area, you own one of the following devices will be receiving an OTA update to enable the VoLTE service. While others will also find the update available for their Samsung devices through Samsung Kies, installing it wont do anything for your device.

• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 will receive N900TUVUDNE6 [source]
• Samsung Galaxy Light (T399) will receive Android 4.2.2 / baseband T399UVUANE4 [source]
• LG G Flex will receive the Android 4.4.2 / D9592om software update [source]

AT&T should launch VoLTE services tomorrow in select markets, while Verizon intends to do it sometime later this year. MetroPCS (which is now owned by T-Mobile) was the first in the US to offer VoLTE services, starting 2012.

source: T-Mobile