VoNR in Phones

Reality check

Most 5G phones in the UK are using VoLTE for voice calls, not VoNR – because they are in 5G NSA coverage rather than 5G SA coverage. A phone needs to be in 5G SA coverage, have the operator’s VoNR provisioning active, and have compatible firmware to use VoNR. Flagship 5G phones from 2022 onwards generally support VoNR in hardware.

Hardware requirements for VoNR

A phone must have:

A 5G SA capable modem (supporting NG-RAN and 5GC interfaces)
IMS client firmware with VoNR capability (SIP over 5G SA)
EVS codec support in the audio stack
EPS Fallback capability (to maintain calls when moving out of 5G SA coverage into LTE coverage)
A SIM with ISIM credentials provisioned for IMS (same requirement as VoLTE)

Key chipset generations supporting VoNR

Chipset	5G SA support	VoNR capable	Notable devices
Qualcomm Snapdragon 888	Yes	Yes (with firmware)	Launched 2021 flagships
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/2/3	Yes	Yes	2022-2024 Android flagships
Apple A15 / A16 / A17 Pro	Yes (iPhone 13+)	Yes (carrier dependent)	iPhone 13 series onwards
Samsung Exynos 2200/2400	Yes	Yes	Galaxy S22 series onwards
MediaTek Dimensity 9000+	Yes	Yes	Mid-high Android 2022+

Why VoNR may not activate even on a compatible phone

Having a VoNR-capable phone is necessary but not sufficient. VoNR activation requires all of the following:

5G SA coverage at your location – not just 5G NSA coverage. If the operator has not deployed 5G SA in your area, VoNR cannot activate regardless of your handset.
Operator VoNR provisioning – the operator must have enabled VoNR for your SIM profile on its 5G SA network. This is not automatic with all subscriptions.
Carrier firmware configuration – VoNR requires carrier-specific IMS configuration. Operators push these as OTA updates or carrier bundles. A phone that received its firmware before the operator deployed VoNR may need an update.
ISIM SIM credentials – same ISIM requirement as VoLTE.

How to tell if a call is VoNR

On most devices, the status bar does not explicitly label VoNR calls differently from VoLTE calls. The indicators to look for are:

The signal indicator shows 5G SA (some devices distinguish SA from NSA, often shown as “5G+” or a different icon)
During the call, the 5G SA connection is maintained (not dropping to LTE)
Audio quality is noticeably different – EVS fullband has more presence and range than AMR-WB
On Android engineering mode screens, the bearer type shows 5G NR with QoS flow 5QI 1