VoLTE icon on Xiaomi phone: decryption and ways to disable

Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often notice a new character in the status bar that looks like a VoLTE or HD sign next to the network indicator, a phenomenon that raises many questions because the icon appears suddenly and is not always clear to the average user. Many begin to worry that a paid service has turned on or a SIM card error has occurred.

In fact, the introduction of this indicator signals the transition of voice communication to a higher digital standard, the technology allows voice to be transmitted as a data stream through the fourth generation 4G LTE network, providing crystal clear sound and instant connection. In this article, we will discuss in detail what lies behind this acronym, what benefits it gives to a subscriber and how to manage this feature in the shell of MIUI or HyperOS.

What is behind the acronym VoLTE and how it works

VoLTE stands for Voice over LTE, which literally translates as “voice over LTE.” Traditionally, mobile networks used different technologies for data and voice calls: voice was transmitted over 2G and 3G networks, and the Internet over 4G. When you started a conversation, the phone often switched to 3G or even 2G mode, which took time and reduced the quality of communication.

New standard allows high-speed channel LTE to transmit voice by packing it in IP-It's just like messengers like WhatsApp or Telegram, but it's at the carrier level, which means that when you talk, your smartphone doesn't leave the fourth generation network. 1-2 The sound quality is comparable to the video conversation.

The technology requires support from three components: the smartphone itself, the SIM card, and the mobile operator’s equipment. If at least one of these elements does not support the standard, the icon will not appear, and the phone will return to normal operation. Modern Xiaomi models have long been built-in support, and often only require the activation of the service from the provider.

Key advantages of technology over conventional communication

The switch to digital voice gives users of a Redmi or Poco smartphone a number of tangible benefits that improve the communication experience, the main difference being the speed of connection and stability of communication even in places with unstable signals, where ordinary calls can be interrupted.

Also, the ability to use the Internet and voice simultaneously is an important plus: In older networks, when an incoming call is made, the Internet often shuts down or slows down very much, which prevented you from sending files or navigating maps during a conversation. With VoLTE enabled, you can safely download files, watch videos or play online games while talking to the other person.

• 📞 High quality sound: Voice is transmitted in format HD, remove extraneous noises and echoes, speech becomes legible even in noisy places.
• ⚡ Instant dial: The time between pressing the call button and beeping is reduced by several times compared to networks 3G.
• 🌐 Simultaneous work: Internet 4G/LTE Continues to work at full speed during voice, without switching to slow EDGE or 3G.
• 🔋 Energy savings: The smartphone does not need to constantly switch between modes 2G/3G/4G, Reduces the load on the modem and retains battery power.

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For maximum communication quality, make sure that the preferred type of network is chosen in the mobile network settings “4G (recommended)” or “LTE”.

How to check for VoLTE support by your carrier and phone

Before looking for a shutdown setting, make sure your plan and coverage region support this feature. The largest Big Four operators in Russia and CIS have long implemented this technology, but in some regions coverage may be unstable, and the service must be activated on the operator side, which often happens automatically when changing a tariff or replacing a SIM card.

Xiaomi smartphones usually automatically detect service support and display the appropriate icon. However, if you change operator or moved, the settings may have gone wrong. USSD-For example, for some operators, the code *155# or *111# allows you to manage additional services.

The table below provides information on the support of the technology by the main operators and the conditions for its activation:

Where to find VoLTE settings in the MIUI and HyperOS interface

In Xiaomi smartphones, LTE voice control is placed in a separate settings menu on the mobile network, and the path to this menu may vary slightly depending on the version of the Android operating system and the MIUI shell, but the overall logic remains the same.

To get to the desired section, you need to open the Settings application, then go to the point «SIM-Maps and mobile networks. Here you select a specific SIM card, if there are two, and you look for a point associated with the use of the SIM card. 4G. In some firmware versions, this switch may be hidden or missing if the operator has not transmitted the appropriate settings profile to the phone.

If you can't find the switch in the standard way, you can search by settings. At the top of the settings menu, there's a search bar where you want to type in the word "VoLTE" or "voice," and the system will suggest you go to the menu item, which is especially true for newer versions of HyperOS, where the menu structure has been changed.

Step-by-step: how to disable VoLTE on Xiaomi

If an HD or VoLTE icon is bothering you, annoying, or you notice that in places with this feature, communication is getting worse (for example, the phone “hits” for a weak 4G signal instead of a stable 3G), the feature can be easily disabled.

Follow the following steps to deactivate:

• 📱 Open the Settings menu on your Xiaomi smartphone.
• 📡 Go to section. SIM-maps and mobile networks.
• 🔢 Click on the SIM card for which you need to change the settings (Sim 1 or Sim 2).
• 🔘 Find the Use VoLTE switch and turn it to the “Switched off” position».

Once the status bar is turned off, the icon must disappear. The phone can briefly lose the network and reboot the communication module, which is normal behavior. If the switch is missing from the menu (gray or not at all), then the settings are dictated by the operator, and you can not turn off the function through the standard menu without using engineering codes.

⚠️ Attention: VoLTE may be disabled and the connection time may increase, and the Internet may switch to the Internet during a conversation. 3G or stop working if you do not have data transmission set up through 2G/3G.

Problem Solving: The icon is missing or not included

Sometimes users are faced with the opposite situation: they want to use quality communication, but the icon does not appear, or the function does not activate. Most often the problem lies in the operator's profile. Communication operators send special configuration messages that prescribe the necessary parameters to the phone, without this profile, the phone does not know that it is allowed to use VoLTE on this network.

Try to request an update, and for this, the SIM card settings menu often has a button called “Update Operator Settings” or similar, and you can call your carrier’s support and ask them to re-activate the VoLTE service on their side. Sometimes it helps to simply replace the SIM card with a new one, as the old cards may not support the standards. USIM, work-related 4G-voice.

Another reason could be custom firmware or global versions of software on Chinese phone models, in which case the software may not have profiles for local operators, and the solution could be to install original firmware or manually edit configuration files, which requires skill and caution.

The impact of technology on battery charge and traffic consumption

There is a common myth that VoLTE is much faster to plant a battery. In practice, the opposite is true. Since a smartphone does not have to constantly jump between 2G/3G/4G communication standards, the power consumption of the radio module becomes more predictable and often even decreases. However, if you are in the zone of uncertain 4G reception, the phone will spend more energy on maintaining the signal, in which case, turning off the function can prolong the life of the device.

As for internet traffic, voice packets transmitted over LTE are not usually charged as normal internet traffic. Operators allocate a separate channel for them or mark them in a special way, so minutes are spent from your voice packet, not from gigabytes. However, it is worth reading the terms of your plan carefully to be sure that there are no hidden charges.

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Disabling VoLTE only makes sense in areas of poor 4G coverage or if the operator has improperly implemented the technology, causing call interruptions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)