The Voice over New Radio (VoNR) call was made on Vodacom’s test network but no timeline has been made to get it on the live network
Vodacom South Africa has successfully made it said was country’s first native voice call on 5G, using Voice over New Radio (VoNR). The call was made on Vodacom’s test network – an important prelude to launching the service on the live network but no timeline has been specified to make this happen.
South African mobile operators introduced VoLTE around a decade ago and with the introduction of VoNR, operators don’t need to step down to an older mobile technology like 4G/LTE (or even 2G/3G) for traditional phone calls.
Vodacom’s Single Packet Core (SPC) was used for the VoNR call – a significant technical evolution in mobile network architecture. Unlike traditional networks that rely on separate systems for voice and data, the SPC unifies all traffic types into a single, packet-based core designed for 5G. Deploying this technology is complex because it requires running cloud-native applications on virtualised infrastructure, managed through sophisticated cloud orchestration tools.
This allows the network functions to be dynamically deployed, scaled, and updated, but requires new operational approaches and significant hardware and software upgrades across the existing network.
One of the key challenges Vodacom said it addresses with the SPC is enabling Voice over New Radio (VoNR), which requires the network to maintain ultra-low latency and high reliability while seamlessly handling handovers between different radio access technologies. Achieving this means managing complex signalling and session continuity in a fully IP-based environment, all while ensuring voice quality remains uninterrupted and clear.
Successfully completing a VoNR call on this platform shows that Vodacom’s network is not only capable of supporting a bevy of advanced 5G services but can also now provide smooth, high-quality voice communication across multiple technologies – at least in the lab.
“As a company led by our purpose to connect for a better future, this achievement is testament to our commitment to the continuous evolution of our technology capabilities and in pioneering next-generation connectivity solutions to ensure the delivery of fast, reliable, and secure connectivity for our customers,” said Vodacom South Africa technology director Beverly Ngwenya.
“This is especially important in the era of AI and the widespread use of modern digital applications. It’s a proud moment that highlights the strength of our network and the dedication of our teams in shaping the future of mobile communication,” she added.
VoNR can transform everyday mobile use by enhancing the quality and efficiency of voice communications. For users, this translates to clearer and more reliable voice calls, even in areas with high data traffic. However, this all depends on how extensive the 5G kit supporting it has been rolled out in the network.
Vodacom is bullish around its prospects. “This achievement underscores Vodacom’s 5G leadership and marks a significant step in our evolution in offering a fully-fledged 5G ecosystem, enabling future-ready services for our customers,” said Ngwenya.
