LIVE FROM GSMA MOBILE ASIA EXPO 2013: China Mobile today described the availability of a mature voice solution as “critical” to the continued development of its TD-LTE 4G network, and said it would look to launch voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) technology next year.

Speaking at the 2013 GTI Asia Conference, Li Yue, president of China Mobile, said the company is set to begin testing the technology towards the end of 2013, before moving through pilots in the first half of 2014, and then onto a full commercial launch.

Aligning with the launch of a VoLTE white paper yesterday detailing China Mobile’s 4G voice plans, Li noted a number of advantages of moving to VoLTE, including an all-IP architecture that will cut its costs and increase its capacity significantly, as well as supporting the launch of HD voice services.

So far, only a handful of VoLTE launches have taken place on FDD-LTE networks, with SK Telecom of South Korea being perhaps its most vocal proponent in the Asia region.

Craig Ehrlich, chairman of the Global TD-LTE Initiative, said his group is also working on making VoLTE commercially available on TD-LTE networks in 2014, including the “synchronised and converged” development alongside the FDD VoLTE technology.

This will also include work to deliver global roaming for “all the LTE family”.

“We are aggressively promoting the maturity of LTE voice-targeted solutions,” he said.

Xi Guohua, chairman of China Mobile (pictured), also noted the continued rollout of its TD-LTE network, which already covers 15 cities with 22,000 base stations.

He said the company is making “full efforts” to cover 100 cities with more than 200,000 base stations, noting that the bidding process for the supply contracts is already underway.

Xi also said that the procurement process for 160,000 terminals is under way, including a mix of data devices and smartphones, with a new round to be launched in September.