Singaporean operator M1 Limited and Samsung said they have made available Voice over 5G New Radio (VoNR) on M1’s 5G Standalone (SA) network.
The VoNR call service utilizes the SA architecture of 5G network for an improved high definition quality call experience, while providing 5G speeds for data-driven activities throughout the duration of the voice calls.
In comparison to calls made on the 5G non-standalone (NSA) network, which uses existing 4G networks, the VoNR service boasts faster call setup time and seamless voice call continuity, M1 said. M1 customers will be able to enjoy the benefits of VoNR service as M1 gears up for its 5G SA market trial launch later this month.
In addition, VoNR service will open up numerous 5G SA-enabled data services and provide the baseline for quality video conferencing or augmented and virtual reality features, the operator said.
Users with the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, S21+ and S21 customers on the M1 network will be amongst the first in the world to enjoy the benefits of the VoNR network via an over-the-air software update, the carrier said.
“We have once again reached a groundbreaking milestone in our 5G SA journey – to be the first in the world to successfully support VoNR service on our 5G SA network. We are glad to work with Samsung to achieve high quality call and better 5G experience for our customers. With M1’s imminent market trial of the 5G SA network, we are excited to leverage 5G SA’s low latency, ultra-responsive, highly secured and high-throughput mobile connectivity to deliver high performance and reliable 5G services for our consumers and enterprises,” said Denis Seek, CTO of M1.
Earlier this year, the joint venture between M1 and rival telco Starhub, Antina, selected Nokia to support the establishment of a 5G standalone (SA) Radio Access Network (RAN) Sharing network.
Nokia had said that the partnership would enable Antina’s customers – M1, StarHub and other mobile service providers on wholesale arrangements – to benefit from ultra-high speed, low-latency and highly secure 5G SA network and enable new use cases across entertainment, cloud gaming, transportation, education and healthcare.
Under the terms of the deal, Nokia said it will provide equipment from its AirScale portfolio and CloudRAN solution to build the Radio Access Network (RAN) for the 5G SA infrastructure, utilizing the 3.5 GHz spectrum band. Nokia is supplying 5G base stations and its small cells solution for indoor coverage, as well as other radio access products.
Meanwhile, Singtel launched its 5G SA network in the country in April. The Singaporean carrier said that 5G SA will enable applications like self-driving cars, real-time immersive entertainment, and massive IoT connections.
Singtel had partnered with Samsung to launch 5G SA. The 5G SA sites run on 3.5 GHz spectrum. Singtel aims to intensify its 5G SA deployment across the island in the coming months as handset manufacturers progressively roll out 5G SA software updates for existing 5G handsets and launch more 5G SA-compatible models in Singapore later this year.
