Vodacom has recorded a national first by successfully completing a native voice call on its fifth-generation (5G) network, using Voice over New Radio (VoNR) technology. Conducted on the company’s test infrastructure, the achievement marks a significant step towards introducing fully integrated 5G voice services on its live commercial network.

According to the operator, the trial was supported by its advanced Single Packet Core (SPC) platform, a technology framework enabling seamless operation of cloud-native applications, network function virtualisation and cross-technology integration. The test required the orchestration of multiple cloud-based systems and the upgrade of network components to ensure the delivery of voice services without fallback to older 4G or 3G systems.

Beverly Ngwenya, Vodacom South Africa’s Technology Director, described the successful test as a reflection of the company’s longstanding commitment to innovation in connectivity. She noted that in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, automation and data-intensive services, the reliability and speed of networks were central to economic and social advancement.

The company’s adoption of VoNR follows its earlier introduction of native Voice over LTE (VoLTE) in 2014, a first in the South African market, which significantly improved call set-up times and audio quality compared with 2G and 3G voice services. The shift to 5G-based voice promises even faster call initiation, ultra-high-definition audio, and reduced background interference.

Industry analysts have indicated that the development aligns South Africa with global mobile technology trends, where operators in Asia, Europe and North America have begun scaling VoNR deployments. This evolution is regarded as an essential component in creating a full 5G ecosystem, capable of supporting advanced services such as augmented reality conferencing, low-latency emergency communications, and industrial internet of things applications.

Vodacom has stated that while the current milestone was achieved in a controlled environment, it provides the technical foundation for eventual commercial rollout. The operator maintains that these advancements will be instrumental in supporting South Africa’s broader digital transformation agenda, in line with policy objectives to expand high-speed connectivity, enhance service quality, and foster innovation-driven economic growth.