International 4G calls and texts (VoLTE/SMS over IP roaming)
From February 2022, the 2G/3G networks in the United States will be completely shut down (this decision was taken by the American operators) to free up space for new technologies (4G, 5G, etc.).
As a result, only 4G and VoLTE/SMS over IP-enabled smartphones can access roaming services in the United States. (VoLTE stands for Voice over LTE/4G). In other words, only customers with a compatible smartphone will be able to make/receive phone calls or send/receive SMS messages and surf while roaming in the United States.
From now on, roaming in the United States will only be available to 4G and VoLTE/SMSoIP-compatible smartphones. No compatible smartphone = no roaming.
Furthermore, the 2G/3G networks in Europe and Asia will also become progressively inaccessible. Therefore, to benefit from the best coverage and optimal roaming service, it is now strongly recommended to use smartphones compatible with VoLTE and SMS over IP.
Orange Belgium has currently signed roaming agreements with the following operators* to provide VoLTE and SMS over IP services:
- USA:
- AT&T (from February 2022)
- T-Mobile US (from February 2022)
- Extra details USA:
- Some major American mobile operators have decided to no longer support 2G and 3G networks in the USA: AT&T and T-Mobile will stop their respective networks in February and July 2022.
- We recommend selecting manually T-Mobile US as your roaming operator between February and July, this will allow you to keep on communicating regardless your type of mobile phone.
- As of July 2022, certain mobile phones that worked before in the USA will no longer be able to communicate. Only 4G smartphones with the feature ‘VoLTE/SMS over IP in roaming’ will have access to the roaming services in the USA.
*Other operators/destinations supporting the VoLTE and SMS over IP roaming service will be available soon. Please refer to our website updates for more details
Which smartphones are compatible with VoLTE and SMS over IP roaming?
The list of compatible smartphones is available here.
You must enable the “international roaming service – Voice and data roaming” and enable data roaming on your compatible smartphone to take advantage of this service.
What is the tariff impact?
No extra charges: you do not pay more than your regular calls; the price per minute with VoLTE remains the same as the price per minute that was applied on 2G/3G networks.
Your SMS messages will also be deducted the same way as an SMS on 2G/3G.
