Fraunhofer IIS and Nokia make breakthrough in next-generation voice services with the first interoperable IVAS live call over Nokia’s 5G IMS network.
This milestone was achieved by participants from Fraunhofer and Nokia during the recent 3GPP SA4 meeting in Dallas, proving that immersive audio communication is ready for real-world deployment.
“This is a significant achievement that brings immersive voice communication closer to reality. It signals to mobile network operators, implementers, and other industry stakeholders that IVAS is ready for deployment and opens up new possibilities that could transform everyday telephony into more realistic experiences as the industry moves towards 5G Advanced and 6G,” acknowledged Manfred Lutzky, Head of the Audio for Communications Department at Fraunhofer IIS.
The test involved Nokia’s IMS network and two different client setups, each using distinct immersive audio capture methods and IVAS coding formats. Despite these differences, the call worked seamlessly. This is interoperability at its best, and it shows how global standards can turn innovation into practical solutions.
“This interoperable IVAS call over Nokia’s 5G IMS network marks a major milestone towards everyday immersive audio communications. It follows the world’s first IVAS call which Nokia made last year. The test showcased seamless interoperability between different spatial audio formats — including Metadata-Assisted Spatial Audio (MASA) and Ambisonics — proving live immersive cellular calls are nearer to industry adoption. We’re pleased to partner with Fraunhofer and invite widespread industry collaboration to bring IVAS standardized audio experiences to life — because in audio technology, hearing is believing,” added Jyri Huopaniemi, Head of Audio Research at Nokia.
What is IVAS and why does it matter?
Immersive Voice and Audio Services, known as IVAS, is the new mandatory voice codec defined in 3GPP Release 18, the global standard that ensures technologies work across networks and devices worldwide. It enables spatial audio transmission over 5G with low latency and supports formats ranging from mono and stereo to multi-channel, Ambisonics, and object-based audio. In short, IVAS transforms calls from simple voice exchanges into rich, three-dimensional sound experiences—ideal for conferencing, remote assistance, and even XR applications.
This achievement is the result of close collaboration among leading technology companies, including Fraunhofer IIS and Nokia, working together under the 3GPP standardization process to make immersive communication a reality.
Experience it live
Want to hear the future of voice? Visit us at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Suite 34-204 at The Venetian, for a hands-on IVAS demo. Or join us at MWC Barcelona 2026 at the Fraunhofer IIS booth CS64 to experience immersive calls firsthand.