Smart, Samsung roll out voice-over-WiFi service

MANILA, Philippines — PLDT wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. is partnering with Samsung in rolling out voice-over-WiFi (VoWifi) services next month.

Smart said customers could soon make VoWiFi calls using latest Samsung smartphones, starting initially with selected subscribers by October after Samsung releases its latest firmware over-the-air update.

“In addition to constantly innovating to be able to deliver more services to our customers, we are also happy to be working hand-in-hand with device manufacturers like Samsung in bringing technologies like VoWiFi closer to our subscribers,” PLDT-Smart senior vice president for network planning and engineering Mario Tamayo said.

“At Samsung, we aim to inspire the world with our innovative technologies, products, and design that enrich people’s lives by creating a new future. We are excited as we take part in this new endeavor to shape the future of communication in the Philippines,” Samsung Philippines business unit head for IT and mobile Jerry Mañus said.

VoWiFi or WiFi Calling enables customers to make and receive calls and text messages over a WiFi connection using their smartphone’s native dialer, without having to install a third-party app.

Apart from improved calling and messaging experience, WiFi calling also offers extended network coverage, as customers can make and receive voice calls, as well as video calls, wherever there is WiFi connection.

Earlier this month, Smart and its technology partners Huawei Technologies Inc. and Samsung made the first successful VoWiFi call over a live network in Cebu, a first outside Metro Manila.

“This pioneering initiative is a key part of PLDT and Smart’s integrated efforts to continuously improve and evolve our voice services. We will continue to strengthen and revolutionize our network so that we can deliver relevant services such as WiFi Calling and VoLTE, as well as voice/video over 5G in the near future,” Tamayo said

Smart last year also made the country’s first Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE) mobile call, which uses LTE or 4G to conduct calls.

With VoLTE, customers with VoLTE-capable devices can stay on the 4G/LTE network when making and receiving calls, which makes call set-up time in LTE faster. Call set-up time is the amount of time it takes for the voice call to connect.