As of April 2025, the global landscape of Voice over LTE (VoLTE) roaming agreements has expanded significantly, reflecting the industry’s shift towards all-IP voice services and decommissioning legacy 2G/3G networks.
Global VoLTE Roaming Agreements
According to the GSMA, over 900 VoLTE roaming agreements have been established worldwide. These agreements involve more than 250 mobile network operators across approximately 120 countries. The need for seamless voice services drives this growth as operators phase out older network technologies.
Regional Deployment Overview
The deployment of VoLTE roaming varies by region:
- Europe: Leading in VoLTE roaming adoption, with widespread bilateral agreements among operators.
- Asia-Pacific: Rapid expansion, particularly in Japan, South Korea, and Australia.
- North America: Strong presence, with major carriers supporting VoLTE roaming.
- Middle East & Africa: Growing interest, with several operators initiating VoLTE roaming trials and agreements.
- Latin America: Emerging deployments with a focus on enhancing cross-border voice services.
Important Considerations
- Device Compatibility: Ensure your mobile device supports VoLTE and is compatible with the visited country’s LTE bands.
- Network Support: Both the home and visited networks must have VoLTE roaming agreements.
- Plan Activation: Some operators may require activating specific roaming plans or settings to enable VoLTE services abroad.