VoLTE: 5G will provide the long-awaited boost

Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) technology has been available for nearly 10 years. However, only around 30% of the mobile operators that have launched 4G have also deployed commercial VoLTE services. This is set to change, as the shutdown of 2G/3G networks and, more importantly, the rollout of 5G will boost the pace of VoLTE launches over the next five years. This will drive VoLTE customer adoption and data traffic, as well as VoLTE roaming agreements, as the industry seeks globally interoperable voice and communication services. The renewed momentum for VoLTE provides an opportunity to assess the future outlook for VoLTE around the world, the impact of 5G and the implications for key industry stakeholders.