Almost all 4G-capable mobile phones in Australia support VoLTE, but not all. It's no longer certain when the unlucky few will be cut off, thanks to the Optus and Telstra 3G network shutdown possibly being delayed due to concerns about emergency call support, but it will eventually happen. Vodafone finished shutting down its 3G network in January this year.
What is VoLTE?
The types of 4G we use in Australia fall under the category of 'Long-Term-Evolution' (LTE). The technical term for making calls over LTE networks is 'Voice over LTE' (VoLTE).
Once billed as ‘HD calling’, VoLTE is now the standard technology for mobile phone calls, and it will be the most basic option possible once the nation's 3G networks shut down.
As you might guess from the name, HD calling allows better-quality audio. The higher data rate of 4G also means VoLTE can make your phone calls sound clearer, thanks in part to a degree of background noise filtering.
Does my phone have VoLTE?
If your phone was released from 2019 onward, you can be reasonably confident it has VoLTE.
Even so, there are an estimated 740,000 (generally older) phones in Australia that work on 4G, but can't make emergency Triple Zero calls over VoLTE. There are also quite a few much 4G phone models that don't support VoLTE at all.
This could be a serious safety issue once Optus and Telstra shut down their 3G networks. The 3G shutdown dates are currently June 2024 for Telstra, and September 2024 for Optus, but these dates might be pushed back due to the aforementioned safety concerns. Vodafone had already finished shutting down its 3G network before the potential delays were proposed.
Here are some 4G phones that won't be able to make calls at all on the Telstra and Optus networks after the 3G shutdown:
4G phones that won't be able to make calls with Telstra
|
Apple iPhone 5 Apple iPhone 5C Apple iPhone 5S |
Samsung Galaxy S5 Samsung Galaxy S6 |
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Samsung Galaxy Note 4 |
4G phones that won't be able to make calls with Optus
|
Apple iPhone 5 Apple iPhone 5C Apple iPhone 5S Google Pixel 2 XL |
Huawei Y6 Prime Oppo A57 Oppo F1s |
Optus X Smart 4G Samsung Galaxy S5 Samsung Galaxy Note 4 |
If you'd like to know more, check out our guide about which 4G phones won't work after 3G networks are shut down.
Telstra VoLTE
Your Telstra calls are likely already using VoLTE whenever possible, no matter if you're on a prepaid or postpaid plan.
That said, Telstra didn't manage to shut down its 3G network before the Federal Government announced possible delays, and so not all the telco's calls operate over VoLTE just yet.
Check out Telstra's prepaid and postpaid mobile plans:
|
#1
|
Telstra
$44.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Telstra
$54.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Telstra
$64.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Telstra
$74.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
Telstra
$74.00/mth
Min. cost $24
Link not supplied
|
|
#6
|
Telstra
$84.00/mth
Min. cost $42
Link not supplied
|
|
#7
|
Telstra
$99.00/mth
Min. cost $49
Link not supplied
|
|
#8
|
Telstra
$200.00
Per 6 Month Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#9
|
Telstra
$349.00
Per 12 Month Renewal
Link not supplied
|
Telstra also allows VoLTE on all its network resellers (MVNOs). Here's a selection of the most popular plans on the Telstra network:
Optus VoLTE
Calls via the Optus Network already use VoLTE where possible, though still fall back to 3G when necessary. That is, until the telco shuts down its 3G network, currently slated for September 2024.
Here are Optus' prepaid and postpaid plans:
All other providers on the Optus Network also support VoLTE. Here are some popular plans from Optus mobile resellers:
Vodafone VoLTE
All calls from prepaid and postpaid phone plans on the Vodafone Network use VoLTE. Given the telco finished shutting down its 3G network in early 2024, there's no option to fall back to 3G when VoLTE coverage is spotty.
Here's a look at how Vodafone's mobile plans compare:
|
#1
|
Vodafone
$13.00
Per 7 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#2
|
Vodafone
$40.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#3
|
Vodafone
$45.00/mth
Min. cost $45
Link not supplied
|
|
#4
|
Vodafone
$50.00/mth
Min. cost $50
Link not supplied
|
|
#5
|
Vodafone
$50.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
|
#6
|
Vodafone
$55.00/mth
Min. cost $55
Link not supplied
|
|
#7
|
Vodafone
$60.00
Per 28 Day Renewal
Link not supplied
|
Vodafone resellers all support VoLTE (if they didn't, their customers wouldn't be able to make calls). Check out these popular plans from other providers on the Vodafone Network:
VoLTE FAQs
VoLTE vs. WiFi calling
Where VoLTE makes calls over 4G, WiFi calling utilises a fixed broadband connection. WiFi calling can be useful in areas with poor mobile coverage or high congestion, but on your end, you shouldn't notice which is being used except for under rare circumstances.
Not all telcos in Australia support WiFi calling. Some smaller providers are missing this option.
Is VoLTE free?
You don’t pay extra to use VoLTE versus 3G calls. It's also a standard phone inclusion these days, so there's no cost added to a handset just because it has VoLTE.
Will my phone work with VoLTE?
Your phone probably already uses VoLTE for calls. If you're concerned the 3G network shutdowns will affect you, check out our guide about which 4G phones don't work with VoLTE.
Alex Angove-Plumb
Digital Content Editor
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