Press Releases

Budapest, November 3, 2022 13:00

From October, 2022 Magyar Telekom's post-paid customers with 4G Voice-enabled handsets may enjoy the benefits of 4G Voice on Slovak Telekom’s network in its 4G coverage area. Slovak Telekom’s 4G subscribers may also use Magyar Telekom's 4G network for voice calls when visiting Hungary, with a suitable device and fee plan.

From October 2022, VoLTE (4G Voice) technology, which provides HD sound quality, will be available even in roaming mode (on Slovak Telekom's network) for  all residential monthly plan customers and most business monthly plan customers traveling to Slovakia, so Telekom customers may enjoy the benefits of 4G Voice, i.e. excellent voice quality and fast call set-up outside the domestic market. Magyar Telekom introduced VoLTE technology in 2017, and the 4G network, which now has almost nationwide coverage and offers a better customer experience than previous technologies, is already used by more than 3 million customers for voice calls, and already manages more than 70 percent of the mobile voice traffic.

With VoLTE (4G Voice) the voice call is transmitted in data packets, the voice service is HD quality and the 4G data connection is also provided in parallel. The VoLTE service allows the use of  mobile internet during calls, so one may use data services (internet browsing, sending emails, maps, navigation, etc.) while being in a call. Telekom's own VoLTE (4G Voice) technology, which has been operating reliably for years within Telekom's own network in Hungary, will be available for roaming calls from the autumn of 2022. As a first step, Magyar Telekom and Slovak Telekom made it possible that voice calls between the two operators' networks can be made in a VoLTE-based operation mode. The data connection used by the technology does not incur any extra costs with customers, and does not reduce the amount of data included in the customer's fee plan.

The service is already available in default mode on a growing number of devices and since October 10, 2022 it can be also be used while roaming, connected to Slovak Telekom’s network. “Magyar Telekom plans to conclude a 4G roaming agreement with other service providers, first with European operators belonging to the Deutsche Telekom Group, so that its customers do not have to stop using the 4G service quality during their vacation or business trip. Soon we will be able to announce the next country with which we implement roaming for data-based voice services," added Lubor Zatko, Magyar Telekom's Chief Technology and IT Officer. András Szőnyi, development expert of the Telekom Core Network, outlined the following in an interview on the Pont Most on Blog about the rollout: "Based on the experience of the past period the rollout to post-paid customers went really well, and the service will soon be available to our remaining monthly plan customers as well. The long-term objective is of course to make VoLTE roaming work in as many countries as possible.”

4G Voice and roaming requires a 4G Voice-capable device with a 4G-capable SIM card, and it is recommended to upgrade the phone to the latest software version, with 4G network coverage and active service. 4G Voice is a standard technology supported by an increasing number of manufacturers with the relevant operating system.

5G-capable phones currently use VoLTE (4G Voice) technology to manage voice calls, while the data connection also operates on the 4G network during the call, which does not result in a noticeable speed reduction for users, and Telekom already works on the implementation of 5G-based voice services.