DNB and Ericsson conduct first 5G voice call that doesn’t rely on 4G

Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) and Ericsson have jointly conducted its successful Voice over New Radio (VoNR) call on their 5G network. This will enable 5G smartphone users to enjoy high-quality voice calls over 5G without the need to switch to 4G-based Voice over LTE (VoLTE).

According to Ericsson, this technical milestone is a testament to the ability of the DNB network to support both 5G Non-standalone (NSA) and Standalone (SA) architectures.

VoNR utilises DNB’s 5G SA architecture to offer a high-definition audio-video experience throughout the duration of the call. The VoNR test call was conducted on DNB’s live network using Oppo Find X3 Pro phones.

On a typical 5G NSA network that doesn’t have a 5G core, a 5G device would have to switch over to 4G LTE when making or receiving a voice call, which is the current situation with Yes 5G. This would result in a slower internet experience if the 5G device is used to download files and receiving a call at the same time. With VoNR enabled, there will be no interruption as both the network and device can deliver both high-speed data and voice calls simultaneously. A 5G SA network is often seen as the true 5G network as it offers higher speed and lower latency than an 5G NSA network which uses 4G as an anchor.

DNB Chief Technology Officer Ken Tan said, “The successful VoNR demonstration, done for the first time over the live nationwide 5G network is the latest technical milestone of how 5G can deliver a new and superior user experience via a cloud-native 5G Standalone architecture. 5G VoNR can be a key enabler of next-generation immersive applications that combine 5G speeds and high-definition audio. We will continue to deliver 5G capabilities to support technology innovation in Malaysia.”

Ericsson’s Head of Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh David Hägerbro said, “5G VoNR calls are a basic capability needed for future Standalone New Radio (SA NR) 5G deployments and will allow innovative services to be offered in the market. This is another milestone as we work with DNB to deliver a world-class network for Malaysians to enjoy.”

It is worth highlighting that Celcom conducted Malaysia’s first VoNR trial call back in November 2021. It was conducted as part of the 5G demonstration project in Langkawi to validate its end-to-end 5G voice call capacity and data session in parallel over a 5G SA network. The first 5G VoNR call was made between Celcom’s 5G trial sites at Kuah and Taman Berlian in Langkawi.

Related reading

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• Ericsson sets up distribution centre at KLIA to provide faster support for 5G networks in Asia Pacific
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