In keeping with the company’s website, it delivers “optimized video and sound high quality on calling apps,” even in occasions of congestion. That won’t sound thrilling by itself. However below the hood, Verizon is utilizing community slicing to spice up video name efficiency, which is a brand new know-how solely attainable on a standalone 5G community.
Not like remote robot banana surgery, community slicing is an actual good thing about 5G know-how that we are able to fairly count on to see in additional locations within the subsequent few years. Slicing lets community operators present the appropriate sources for sure sorts of demanding actions the place a powerful connection is important. Proper now, meaning boosting efficiency for video calls, however sooner or later it may imply having the ability to prioritize the information wanted to soundly information an autonomous car via an intersection.
The catch is that you simply want a standalone 5G community to tug this off, and far of the US’ 5G networks nonetheless function on 4G cores. T-Cell has been capable of transfer faster on this because of its Sprint acquisition, and it rolled out its first characteristic primarily based on slicing this fall with a service that gives priority to first responders. Verizon has been testing slicing for the past year or so, however that is its first rollout of a client characteristic primarily based on the know-how.
With a view to attempt Enhanced Video Calling out for your self, you need to meet a selected set of necessities. It’s obtainable in “more than 150 metro areas” right now, with extra to be added in 2025. However you additionally have to be on Verizon’s priciest plan, Limitless Final, which prices $90 monthly for one line with autopay. And also you’ll want an iPhone 14 or newer working iOS 18.2. Samsung Galaxy S23 and newer and Pixel 9 telephones shall be appropriate too, however assist for Android video calling apps on Android is arriving in 2025.
