(Image Credit: Three UK)
Indoor mobile signal — or the lack of it — remains one of the most common frustrations for users. Higher-frequency bands commonly used for LTE in the UK deliver greater capacity but suffer from reduced penetration through walls and buildings, which can create indoor blackspots. Hutchison-owned operator Three is addressing this by becoming the first UK carrier to deploy VoLTE on the low 800MHz band, a move intended to improve indoor coverage and call quality.
Branded as 4G Super-Voice, Three’s VoLTE service leverages newly acquired 800MHz spectrum alongside its existing 1800MHz holdings. Combining the lower-frequency band, which travels farther and penetrates structures better, with higher-frequency capacity allows the operator to reduce coverage gaps, improve call reliability and deliver a more consistent experience indoors.
Danny Dixon, Director of Customer Strategy at Three, commented: “Not being able to use your phone as and when you want, no matter where you are, is one of the biggest pain points for customers. Today’s announcement is the latest step in our efforts to offer customers a quality experience on what is already the UK’s most reliable network.”
While Three is first to introduce VoLTE on the low-frequency band at a national level, rival operators are close behind. EE and Vodafone have previously announced summer launch windows for their own VoLTE services, and Vodafone recently expanded its calling options by launching an app-free Wi‑Fi calling feature.
Mark Windle, Head of Marketing at OpenCloud, added a broader perspective on the potential for VoLTE: “Real innovation will only come if VoLTE can be developed beyond the standard that all operators are set to follow. Service layers that can be openly developed by operators’ in-house teams, systems integrators and independent third party developers enable operators to add innovation and differentiation to their VoLTE services.”
Three reports that its 800MHz network already covers around 50% of the UK population, including large parts of London, Edinburgh, Exeter and Birmingham. The operator plans to increase that reach to approximately 65% by year-end as the 800MHz rollout continues in Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool and Bristol.
Bryn Jones, Chief Technology Officer at Three, said: “By the end of the year, one million of our customers will have access to better indoor coverage and be able to use their phones in more places than ever before. We are proud to be the first network to roll this out across the country.”
There are a few caveats: customers need a compatible handset to take advantage of VoLTE on 800MHz, and Three is implementing a phased device rollout. The initial launch will support the Galaxy S5, with other relatively recent handsets — including newer iPhone models — added progressively through the year.
Are you looking forward to the rollout of 800MHz and VoLTE? Let us know in the comments.