MetroPCS vows at least one VoLTE phone in late 2012
updated 06:30 pm EST, Thu February 23, 2012
Commitment to VoLTE still there, but timing slips
MetroPCS will be adding Voice over LTE (VoLTE) services during the second half of this year. The flat-rate wireless provider's CEO, Roger Linquist, revealed this during his quarterly analyst conference call to discuss the company's most recent financial results. He indicated that the company plans on offering at least one phone capable of supporting VoLTE.
MetroPCS currently routes all its voice traffic over its CDMA network. Moving voice calls over to VoLTE would give the carrier a more efficient way to wield the spectrum it controls and improve quality in the process.
The wireless provider may have been considering VoLTE for some time. In February of last year, it was reported that MetroPCS was set to launch an HTC phone which supported the technology. The phone still hasn't made its appearance. Linquist also used an earnings conference back in August to confirm plans that the company was going to transition to VoLTE and offer supporting handsets. At that time, the CEO gave early 2012 as the window for early deployment.
If MetroPCS does follow through on its promise to deliver VoLTE this year, it could be the first carrier to do so. Verizon is also committed to the technology, but is not planning for deployment until early 2013. [via Fierce Wireless]
