China Telecom chairman Wang Xiaochu revealed the company's VoLTE development route and stated that China Telecom plans to raise its 4G network coverage to the level of 3G networks and realize the commercial use of VoLTE before 2018.
VoLTE – Voice over LTE – is an IP data transmission technology that delivers high-speed data service and high-quality voice and video communications.
According to Wang, who made the comments during the 7th Smart Terminal and Mobile Internet Industry Summit, China Telecom will implement VoLTE technical testing and verification in 2015.
The company will implement large-scale network construction and start testing and adjustment in various sectors, including chips, terminals, network coverage, business services, intercommunications, and information technology, by 2016; and it will realize full commercial use of VoLTE by the end of 2017.
In addition, China Telecom will accelerate the construction of its fiber optic network to complete the fiber network upgrade of 80% copper cable communities in 2015 and to basically realize a fully fiber network coverage in 2017. The company will also improve end-to-end network speeds.
Total investment figures for the VoLTE rollout were not released.