Apparatuses and methods for facilitating voice communication services in networks and systems
Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining, by a processing system including a processor, that a first resource of a first radio access network is accommodating load in an amount less than a first threshold, resulting in a first determination, determining, by the processing system, that a signal strength of a signal emitted by the first resource is greater than a second threshold, resulting in a second determination, and based on the first determination and the second determination, causing, by the processing system, a voice call initiated by a first user equipment to be supported by the first resource, wherein prior to the causing the first user equipment obtained communication services via a second resource of a second radio access network. Other embodiments are disclosed.
1 . A device, comprising:
a processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
determining that a voice call involving a first user equipment is attempted and that the first user equipment has a first configuration in relation to a first radio access technology and a second radio access technology, resulting in a first determination;
in response to the first determination, determining whether a resource of the second radio access technology is available for fallback to support the voice call by determining whether the resource is supporting an amount of load greater than a first threshold or by determining whether a signal strength of a signal emitted by the resource is greater than a second threshold, resulting in a second determination;
based on the second determination indicating the resource is available to support the voice call, determining whether the user equipment is utilizing data only services that require standalone mode, resulting in a third determination;
based on the third determination indicating the first user equipment is not utilizing services that require standalone mode, using the second radio access technology to support the voice call; and
based on either the second determination indicating the resource is unavailable to support the voice call or the third determination indicating the first user equipment is not utilizing services that require the standalone mode, utilizing a non-cellular technology to support the voice call.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the first radio access technology corresponds to a fifth generation (5G) technology.
3 . The device of claim 2 , wherein the second radio access technology corresponds to a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
commanding the first user equipment to measure the signal strength of the signal; and
obtaining a report or a message from the first user equipment that includes an indication of the signal strength of the signal.
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
obtaining a report or a message that includes an indication of the amount of load.
6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the utilizing the non-cellular technology comprises a use of a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) link.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the utilizing the non-cellular technology comprises a use of a fiber link.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the utilizing the non-cellular technology comprises a use of an over-the-top (OTT) solution.
9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the OTT solution comprises a first instance of an application installed on the first user equipment and a second instance of the application installed on a second user equipment, and wherein the second user equipment is involved in the voice call.
10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the utilizing the non-cellular technology comprises a use of a non-terrestrial network (NTN).
11 . The device of claim 10 , wherein the NTN comprises a satellite.
12 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the voice call is initiated by the first user equipment.
13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the voice call is initiated by a second user equipment.
14 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
determining whether a resource associated with a first radio access technology is available for fallback to support voice connectivity involving a first client device by determining whether the resource is supporting an amount of load less than a first threshold or by determining whether a signal strength of a signal emitted by the resource is greater than a second threshold;
based on determining that the resource is available to support the voice connectivity involving the first client device and based on determining that the first client device is not utilizing data-only services that require standalone mode, causing communication services associated with the first client device to be facilitated by the resource, the communication services including the voice connectivity; and
based on either the determining that the resource is unavailable to support the voice connectivity involving the first client device or determining that the first client device is utilizing data-only services that require the standalone mode, causing at least the voice connectivity to be supported by one or more of the following non-cellular technologies: a wired solution, a wireless solution, an over-the-top (OTT) solution, and a non-terrestrial network (NTN).
15 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the communication services comprise data services.
16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein determining whether a resource associated with a first radio access technology is available to support voice connectivity involving a first client device comprises checking if the resource is congested and has acceptable signal strength and coverage.
17 . A method, comprising:
determining, by a processing system including a processor, that a first resource of a first radio access network is accommodating load in an amount less than a first threshold, resulting in a first determination;
determining, by the processing system, that a signal strength of a signal emitted by the first resource is greater than a second threshold, resulting in a second determination;
determining, by the processing system, whether a first user equipment is utilizing data-only services that require standalone mode, resulting in a third determination; and
based on the first determination, the second determination, and the third determination, causing, by the processing system, a voice call initiated by the first user equipment to fall back to the first resource, wherein prior to the causing, the first user equipment obtained communication services via a second resource of a second radio access network.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the signal strength of the signal is measured by the first user equipment, and wherein the determining that the first resource of the first radio access network is accommodating load in the amount less than the first threshold is performed prior to the voice call being initiated by the first user equipment.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first radio access technology corresponds to a fifth generation (5G) technology and the second radio access technology corresponds to a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the second resource is supported by one or more of the following non-cellular technologies: a wired solution, a wireless solution, an over-the-top (OTT) solution, and a non-terrestrial network (NTN).