Vodacom South Africa has completed the country’s first native voice call over a 5G network, known as Voice over New Radio (VoNR). The call was made using Vodacom’s test network, marking a key milestone ahead of the service’s full deployment on its live network.

This development represents a major advancement in South Africa’s mobile communications landscape. It builds on Vodacom’s earlier achievement in 2014, when it became the first operator in the country to launch Voice over LTE (VoLTE). Before VoLTE, voice services relied on 2G and 3G technologies. VoLTE improved both call setup times and audio quality. The new 5G-based VoNR service aims to enhance these benefits further, offering ultra-high-definition voice quality, lower latency, and reduced background noise.

Vodacom used its Single Packet Core (SPC) network for this test. The deployment of SPC for VoNR is typically complex, requiring integration of cloud-native applications, orchestration tools, and network upgrades. The successful call confirms the network’s readiness to deliver high-quality voice services across different access technologies, including 5G.

Beverly Ngwenya, Technology Director at Vodacom South Africa, stated: “As a company led by our purpose to connect for a better future, this achievement is testament to our commitment to the continuous evolution of our technology capabilities and in pioneering next-generation connectivity solutions to ensure the delivery of fast, reliable, and secure connectivity for our customers. This is especially important in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the widespread use of modern digital applications. It's a proud moment that highlights the strength of our network and the dedication of our teams in shaping the future of mobile communication.”

With this breakthrough, Vodacom further establishes its leadership in the 5G space. The successful VoNR call forms part of a broader strategy to build a complete 5G ecosystem capable of supporting next-generation services. These services are expected to enhance user experiences by enabling faster, more stable connections and supporting future technologies driven by AI and data-intensive applications.

Vodacom’s continued investment in advanced network infrastructure is aimed at delivering improved digital services for its users while preparing for future connectivity demands. The launch of 5G voice services is expected to play a crucial role in shaping South Africa’s digital future and expanding access to high-quality communication technologies.