Being an Android smartphone user on Verizon means you’re used to some of the finer things in life such as great coverage, getting nickeled and dimed for everything imaginable, and being able to use both voice and data at the same time. Simultaneous voice and data has been available on most Android phones by coming equipped with two separate radios and maintaining separate connections to the 1x and EVDO or LTE networks. Verizon’s upcoming Moto X (2nd gen), set to launch on September 26th, will handle simultaneous voice and data quite differently from previous Android phones.

Verizon’s new Moto X will be the first Android device that requires Verizon’s Advanced Calling 1.0 to enable simultaneous voice and data connections. Oddly enough, the Moto X is not launching with Advanced Calling 1.0 support and will require a software update that’s slated for later this fall. The new Moto X isn’t being singled out here, this change and requirement will be coming to future Verizon phones as well.

Verizon’s Advanced Calling 1.0 enables VoLTE (Voice over LTE), think VoIP for cellular networks. This means if you make a phone call while on Verizon’s LTE network, your phone will no longer use the CDMA connection to place the call. Your call will go out over the LTE data connection instead. Thanks to the bandwidth available on LTE networks, your phone has a large enough data connection for all of your voice and data needs. Besides simultaneous voice and data, Advanced Calling 1.0 also adds high definition voice calls, 1-way or 2-way video calls, and 6-way conference calls. Of course these features are only available if you’re in Verizon’s LTE coverage area and are using a Verizon VoLTE-enabled smartphone.

While this might be a bit disheartening if you’re an avid user of simultaneous voice and data due to a pending future update that enables this functionality, Verizon is headed in the right direction. This is all part of their grand scheme to do away with their aging CDMA network. This is the first step towards the future.

Thanks Mr. D!