Vivo Brings VoNR and 5G+ Support to Brazil with iOS 27

Vivo, one of Brazil's leading telecommunications companies, is officially preparing to launch Voice over New Radio (VoNR) technology, which enables calling on a 5G network for iPhone users. By offering services over its independent 5G Standalone (5G SA) infrastructure, this new feature aims to build voice communication entirely on the next-generation network. The steps in the development process also bring integration with the most up-to-date versions of mobile operating systems. This move, closely followed by the technology world, once again highlights the importance the company places on the smartphone ecosystem. This innovation will allow devices to transition directly to 5G standards, moving away from current calling technologies.

This technological leap was directly identified in the third beta version of Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 27. Examined by developers and tech enthusiasts, this software version revealed a newly added toggle specifically in the voice and data sections of the carrier settings. This feature, which was analyzed in detail through screenshots submitted by readers, offers users the option to make calls over 5G. This new setting, integrated into the operating system's interface, is considered a significant indicator of how soon the VoNR standard will be fully operational. These clues in the software world constitute the first concrete evidence of how hardware and infrastructure investments will be reflected to the end user.

Diving into the technical details of the innovative system, it is evident that the technology completely eliminates the devices' reliance on the 4G network for calls. Unlike the traditional Voice over LTE (VoLTE) structure, VoNR routes voice and video calls directly over the 5G core network, offering a much more optimized communication environment. This promises a highly fluid experience, particularly by minimizing latency times during data transmission. Users will be able to enjoy high-resolution video streaming as well as clearer voice quality during their voice and video calls. This infrastructure, which is essentially revolutionary in terms of call quality, will allow uninterrupted performance to be achieved even in congested situations where the network is narrow.

Another reflection of this update on the user experience will be the new '5G+' badge appearing in the upper corner of the screen, indicating signal quality. Users are starting to notice that with the iOS 27 version, the Vivo signal now appears with this new label in certain regions. This badge is a universal indicator used by operators to inform users that their devices are connected to a more advanced and pure 5G Standalone (5G SA) network. Since voice must be transmitted over a 'pure' 5G core for VoNR technology to function fully, the emergence of the 5G+ label directly supports this technology. The arrival of this label, which has been available on Android devices for a long time, to the iOS platform positions Vivo as the first operator to offer this standard in Brazil.

These innovative steps in the Brazilian market can also be seen as a natural extension of the 5G Advanced (5GA) tests that Vivo initiated a while ago. These comprehensive infrastructure investments in pure 5G technology are gradually raising mobile communication standards across the country. However, although it has generated great excitement in the tech world, it is not yet officially clear when and under what conditions the operator will open this service to the general public. Following the relevant news and leaks, journalists' efforts to contact Vita to confirm the matter are also ongoing. Until a possible official announcement from the operator, it remains to be seen what kind of competitive environment these developments will create across the industry.