Joining Vodacom in supporting Voice over LTE (VoLTE) in South Africa is MTN, who has announced that the service will be available from today for customers with select smartphones.

MTN notes that customers will be able to experience “clearer and crisper voice calls” on the company’s LTE network, also touting faster call connection time.

The first batch of phones supporting VoLTE includes the Samsung S8 & S8+, Huawei P20 Lite, Sony Xperia XZ2 and CAT S61. The second phase to be rolled out from October onwards, will enable more smartphone users to access HD Voice service.  MTN will update the public in due course on when other smartphone brands and models can access HD Voice service.

 In order to enable the HD voice service, customers are required to update their smartphones with the latest software made available by their smartphone manufacturer. Once they accept the software update, their smartphone will automatically be enabled with this service. MTN said that there will be a complementary 1 GB data on offer that can be used for the software update. Once completed, the device will be enabled and HD Voice calls will be billed according to normal price plan rates.

“The rollout of the HD Voice service is part of our ongoing commitment to transform customer experience and improve the quality of their interaction with our network. With the introduction of this service, we hope that our customers will reap the benefits of the investment MTN has put in over the years to build a world-class, Bozza network that is second to none in South Africa. This is one of the ways that MTN is leading in the delivery of a bold, new digital world,” says Jacqui O’Sullivan, executive for corporate affairs at MTN SA.