Ericsson has been selected by SoftBank Mobile Corp, one of Japan's leading operators, to provide and integrate its end-to-end network solution, Mobile Telephony Evolution with VoLTE.
 
Ericsson's VoLTE solution will deliver the most advanced communication services for SoftBank Mobile to enhance consumer experience. With VoLTE as a basis, consumers will be able to enjoy telecom-grade HD voice and video calling alongside other telephony services, while using simultaneous LTE data services on LTE smartphones. VoLTE introduction will also help SoftBank utilize its valuable spectrum resources more efficiently.
 
Junichi Miyakawa, Executive Vice President, Director and CTO, SoftBank Mobile, said: "With the rapid network evolution to LTE, SoftBank Mobile decided to introduce VoLTE as the next generation communication technology for voice and video calling over LTE. We hope to be able to deliver quality communication in a fast and cost-efficient manner by utilizing Ericsson's VoLTE solution."
 
Ericsson is upgrading SoftBank Mobile's existing mobile core network (Ericsson Mobile Softswitch Solution and Evolved Packet Core) with a complete IMS core, which includes the Multimedia Telephony Application Server (MTAS). SoftBank Mobile's best-in-class Ericsson-based LTE network is also being upgraded with new VoLTE software.
 
The VoLTE infrastructure will enable additional new enriched communication services, and will serve as the basis for SoftBank's future network virtualization plans and Telecom Cloud introduction.
 
Until nationwide LTE coverage is deployed, seamless handover of ongoing voice calls from LTE to WCDMA is needed to ensure uninterrupted voice services as the user moves out of LTE coverage. Ericsson will also deploy this end-to-end network handover functionality, SRVCC (Single Radio Voice Call Continuity).
 
Jan Signell, President and Representative Director of Ericsson Japan and Head of Region North East Asia, said: ". By leveraging on the Ericsson installed base in the mobile core and radio network, and our ability to deliver complex Systems Integration projects, SoftBank Mobile will benefit from a fast and cost efficient new service introduction."