Which Phone Brands Have Band 20 4G Support and VoLTE in Nepal?

Phone brands should always look for compatibility with the available networks in Nepal. There was not much of a concern for 2G, and 3G networks before. But with the introduction of 4G with its extended features, we keep on hearing several issues on smartphones like the unsupported 4G band and VoLTE network.

This is why phone companies work in close coordination with the telecom companies to ensure that their phone works on the existing mobile networks. We have even heard about NTA’s intervention in this matter. They could only permit the import of phones supporting all bands and features available here in Nepal. But it seems that rules haven’t been enforced strictly as necessary, as various phone brands are still not supporting all bands and VoLTE on Nepali mobile networks.

This has kept a lot of smartphone users out of 4G and VoLTE services in Nepal. We can attribute this down to the lack of coordination between NTA, carrier networks, and phone makers. As a result, many smartphone users are in dark regarding the compatibility of Band 20 4G or VoLTE on their smartphones.

This post here will make you familiar with the vital information on Band 20 4G and the supported brands in Nepal and VoLTE ecosystem. Keep reading.

Band 20 4G for Both Speed and Coverage

LTE Band 20 is a widely used spectrum frequency for 4G mobile networks. Band 20 offers flexible solutions for carriers to roll out faster speeds and good coverage in 4G. In terms of the frequency spectrum, LTE Band 20 refers to the 800 MHz which is one of the prominent spectrum bands used by NTC for the 4G network in Nepal. Check out NTC 4G bands.

With a band 20 4G network, a carrier can deliver a very fast mobile broadband while also covering a wide area due to lower frequency. The lower the frequency, the better will be the propagation.

Which brands support band 20 4G?

Earlier, very few phone brands had support for band 20 (800 MHz) which is one of the key bands of Nepal Telecom’s 4G network. Without its support, your Ntc sim will not get a good 4G signal in built-up, basements, lifts, and remote areas. It is also possible that in some cases, you may not get a 4G signal at all. Let’s discuss which brands have this band 20 support.

Samsung seems to be comfortable in supporting the band 20 4G network on the majority of its phones in Nepal. Similarly, Xiaomi has steadily improved its support for this band as they want their 4G phones to work in all conditions. So, it’s very likely that all the latest Xiaomi smartphones have this support.

Apple’s iPhones also largely support this 4G band (800 MHz) on their hardware but were constrained on the software side. But, with the launch of iOS 14.7, Apple worked with Nepal Telecom to make their phone compatible with the band 20 4G. Other brands that support band 20 in almost all phones are Nokia and OnePlus.

Apart from these brands, there are only a few others that come with the Band 20 4G support. It also seems that Chinese phone maker Vivo has just started implementing this spectrum band on its phones for Nepal.

Meanwhile, the fastly evolving and trendy Realme has started offering band 20 4G support on their latest phones. But, as they bring phones from India sometimes, those phones do not support band 20 4G network available in Nepal. The same seems to hold true for other Indian brands or brands importing phones from India.

Another Chinese phone manufacturer Oppo is also on the same boat for their support of the 800 MHz band.

List of phone brands in Nepal with Band 20 4G support

Phone brand	Band 20 4G support
Samsung	Yes for almost all
Xiaomi	Yes for the latest phones
Apple	Yes for almost all
Nokia	Yes for almost all
OnePlus	Yes for almost all
Vivo	Very few
Realme	Yes for few new phones
Oppo	None
Indian Brands	None
Phones brought from abroad	Could not work for some

Besides the Band 20 4G, VoLTE has also been an elusive feature for many 4G users in Nepal. The unique technology makes voice calls possible on 4G network. However, the technology has only found a limited number of handsets to work on it leaving plenty in awaiting. What is VoLTE, its use, and the list of its compatible devices can be found below.

VoLTE Brings Voice Calls to 4G

VoLTE or Voice over LTE is a 4G based mobile technology that brings high-definition voice calls on the fourth-generation cellular network. 4G is a broadband mobile technology and has no native support for calls. When a caller dials a number while on 4G, the smartphone connects to either 3G or 2G network to make the calls happen.

Check out detailed information on Ntc VoLTE.

However, with VoLTE activated on the SIM and the device, a user can make calls and also enjoy high-speed broadband simultaneously. NTC launched its VoLTE service to a wide elation with support on select handsets. Gradually, the telco is adding more phones into its support with software patch rollout.

Which brands support VoLTE in Nepal?

Similarly, for VoLTE, it seems that most of the phone brands have worked with telecom companies to support it. Right now, only Nepal Telecom has a live VoLTE network and phone brands need to customize their phone software for the live VoLTE network. For which, they sit together to come up with the software update and multiple tests to finally release it.

Don’t miss: Top features of VoLTE service; Instant call setup, Video Calls

Like band 20, Samsung is also comfortable in this regard as all of its new phones are compatible with Nepal Telecom’s VoLTE. Earlier, there were some issues with the VoLTE in Samsung phones which are already resolved. Similarly, Xiaomi also supports VoLTE in almost all of its phones while the Mediatek powered phones are yet to get the support. And Nokia also supports VoLTE in its Qualcomm-powered phones.

Apple’s iPhones now also work smoothly with Ntc VoLTE, thanks to the same update which also brought band 20 to the premium phones. The latest brands to support Ntc VoLTE are Oppo, Vivo, ZTE, Oneplus, and Realme for a few selected devices.

List of phone brands with VoLTE support

Phone brands	VOLTE support
Samsung	Yes for almost all
Xiaomi	Yes for Qualcomm powered phones
Apple	Yes for almost all
Nokia	Yes for Qualcomm powered phones
OnePlus	Only one for now (Oneplus Nord CE)
Vivo	Very few
Realme	Yes for new ones
Oppo	Very few
Phones brought from abroad	Won’t work due to different software

Having discussed all of the above in detail, we could have still missed a few small brands which support both of the 4G features. So, please let us know if your phone supports band 20 4G and VolTE in the comment below. This shall help us gather more information about the brands for 4G features.