Vip operator, the Macedonian subsidiary of Telekom Austria Group, announced that it is among the first telecom operators in the region to have successfully tested a VoLTE call based on Network Function Virtualization (NFV). Vip operator showed the VoLTE service with a virtualised TAS (Telephony Application Server) running on a virtualised IMS environment, both provided by Mavenir Systems, a provider of virtualised mobile Core Network equipment. In addition, Vip operator also presented a virtualised voice over wireless LAN, also called VoWiFi, on the same virtualised environment. Vip operator´s advanced LTE network has been capable of processing mobile data since middle of 2014.
With the addition of Mavenir’s platform for supporting VoLTE, it has been made VoLTE ready. This means that in the future, anyone equipped with VoLTE capable devices and the right tariff will be able to use the operator´s LTE data network for voice communications as well. The trial shows the way in which customers will benefit from an innovative network infrastructure with services based on a virtualised and scalable technology. With VoLTE in place, the customer will be able to continue viewing video stream, while a voice conversation can be held in parallel. Call set-up times will be reduced to less than 2 seconds. Besides testing Voice over LTE, VIP operator is also showing Voice over Wireless LAN together with Mavenir Systems.
