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One of the key remaining issues surrounding LTE deployment is still the thorny issue of how voice and SMS will be supported. There are various approaches, from falling back to circuit switched networks to implementing full IMS, but one solution gaining some momentum is VoLGA (Voice over LTE Generic Access). The VoLGA Forum has published the first complete set of approved specifications for delivering mobile voice and SMS services over LTE access networks.

The Forum has been working quickly, by standards norms - it is only eight months old - partly because it is reusing the GAN architecture already included in 3GPP for the Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA) technology. Now, the group has published the stage 3 protocol and final specs, available on its website.

The main operator that has publicly supported this approach, T-Mobile, was enthusiastic, though others are more sceptical and are going with IMS (e.g. Verizon Wireless) or vendor specific solutions, the most prominent being from Nokia Siemens. T-Mobile's senior VP for core networks, Uwe Janssen, said in a statement: "We are pleased with the broad industry support for the VoLGA effort, and look forward to upcoming product releases from the vendor community."

As long as voice and SMS remain key revenue and cash drivers (though less profitable as time goes on), they will be important even in the 4G model. SMS is also vital because it is the mechanism by which many cellcos deliver underlying services and communications to their customers, as well as advertising.

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