Alaska Service FAQs

In Alaska, we offer HD Voice and data services on our 4G LTE network.

To sign up for service in Alaska, shop for an HD Voice-capable device and plan online.

Learn more about HD Voice.

For coverage in your area, please refer to our Coverage Locator.

Business and government customers can contact the following people for more information:

• State of Alaska and Department of Defense
  Charles Bock: (907) 312-0309, Charles.Bock@VerizonWireless.com
  
  
• Federal and Municipality Accounts
  Amy Reed: (907) 312-0311, Amy.Reed@VerizonWireless.com
  
  
• Other Business
  (907) 777-9800

HD Voice is a suite of services enabled by VoLTE (Voice over LTE) technology. VoLTE is a new technology platform that delivers voice calls over our 4G LTE network instead of the traditional voice network.

The benefits of HD Voice include:

• Clearer, natural-sounding audio between HD Voice-enabled phones that are connected to our 4G LTE network
  
• 1-way or 2-way video calls*
• Simultaneous voice and 4G LTE data
• 6-way conference calls
• Wi-Fi Calling**
  

HD Voice is included in your existing voice plan at no additional charge. HD Voice calls are billed as standard voice minutes, according to your plan.

*Video Calling requires a Video Calling-enabled phone.

**Wi-Fi Calling requires a Wi-Fi Calling-capable phone. Refer to our Wi-Fi Calling FAQs for more information.

Video Calling is a feature that lets you make an HD Voice call combined with real-time video.

Making video calls is as simple and easy as making traditional voice calls. If the person you're calling can accept a video call, you'll see a Camera icon. You can then select that icon to upgrade to a video call. There's no need to download an app or set up a new user ID to place a video call.

Notes:

• Video Calling requires a Video-Calling-enabled phone.
  
  
• While on a video call, your device will switch to Wi-Fi whenever you are near a trusted Wi-Fi network. A trusted Wi-Fi network is one that you've selected to automatically connect whenever it's available. When you're connected to Wi-Fi you will not be charged for any data you use because you aren't using the Verizon Wireless network.

Wi-Fi Calling lets you make and receive calls over a Wi-Fi network if cellular is not available. Refer to the Wi-Fi Calling FAQs for more information including how to set up and use it.

If you live in Alaska, HD Voice service is included automatically with your plan. You can see all available plan options and pricing online.

The minutes used for HD Voice calls are billed as standard voice calls according to your plan. No data charges apply.

A video call is an HD Voice call combined with real-time video. Its voice portion is billed as a standard voice call, according to your plan.

The video portion is billed as data, according to your plan. No data charges apply to video calls transmitted over Wi-Fi.

Note: An average 1-minute video call uses about 6 - 8 MB of data. However, the actual data consumption of your video call may vary. 

As an Alaska resident, HD Voice will automatically be added to your line when you sign up for service.

HD Voice is built on a new technology platform that's different from the platform certain existing features are built upon. Until these features are upgraded to work on the new platform, they won't work on HD Voice-enabled phones.

The following features aren't compatible with HD Voice at this time:

• Ringback Tones
• Call Filter
• Company Name ID

These features won't be available to add to your line until they're upgraded to be compatible with HD Voice.

You should be able to continue using your SIM card in a new HD Voice-capable phone, as long as it's compatible with the new phone.

A new SIM card for a new or existing line of service is free. Learn more about 4G LTE SIM cards and options for getting a SIM card online or from a Verizon Wireless store or Authorized Retailer.

To ensure that the latest software is installed on your phone:

1. Go to Settings.
   
   
2. Select Systems updates or Software Updates.
   
   
3. Tap Check for new system update.

If a new system update is available, follow the onscreen instructions to download and install it on your phone.

To verify HD Voice is ready to use:

1. Open the Contacts app.
   
   
2. Tap on the Groups tab.

If you see a group named "Video Calling," this indicates that HD Voice is ready for use.

Note: If you don't see the Video Calling group, turn off your phone and turn it back on again. If you still don't see it, verify that the latest software is installed on your phone.

You can make an HD Voice call the same way you make a regular voice call (e.g., from your Contacts app, Phone app, etc.), provided both you and the person you're calling:

• Are using an HD Voice-capable phone
  
  
• Have the HD Voice feature enabled
  
  
• Are connected to the Verizon 4G LTE network

You'll know you're on an HD Voice call if an "HD" logo appears in the upper right corner of your in-call screen.

If a wired headset or a Bluetooth® headset is connected to your phone, HD Voice calls may not be delivered to the headset unless the headset is also compatible with HD Voice.

Yes, even if Mobile Data is set to Off on your phone, you can still make or receive HD Voice calls. However, you won't be able to make or upgrade to a video call.

A 1-minute video call typically uses about 6 - 8 MB of data. However, the actual data usage of your video call may vary.

If you're worried about data overages, switching to a current Verizon plan can help. With Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited and Above Unlimited, you'll get unlimited data*, talk and text and more. Or consider switching to a shared data plan, which includes Safety Mode.

In order to make a video call, both you and the person you're calling must:

• Use a Video-Calling-enabled phone
• Be connected to the Verizon 4G LTE network

You can initiate a video call in any of the following ways:

• Video Calling group: Select a contact from the Video Calling group in the Groups menu within your Contacts app.
  
  
• Contacts app / Address Book: Select a contact that's capable of Video Calling and tap the Camera icon.
  
  
• Phone app: Enter the mobile phone number of a contact that's capable of Video Calling and tap the Camera icon.
  
  
• Call History logs: Select a phone number indicated with a Camera icon.
  
  
• During an HD Voice call: You can upgrade an HD Voice call to a video call by tapping the Camera icon on the in-call screen, if it's available.

A video call can be established only after the called party accepts the video call request.

Note: You can also convert an HD Voice call to a 1-way video call by either turning on your front-facing or rear-facing camera. If the person you called does the same on their side, the 1-way video call is turned into a 2-way video call.

You need to be on the 4G LTE network to start a video call. But as long as your phone is connected to a known Wi-Fi access point (e.g., your home Wi-Fi network), a video call will be automatically handed off to Wi-Fi. If Wi-Fi connectivity is lost in the middle of a video call, the video call will seamlessly transition back to the 4G LTE network.

A Wi-Fi icon will appear on the in-call screen of a video call when the call is carried over Wi-Fi.

In your Contacts app, you'll see a group called "Video Calling." All of the contacts listed in that group are capable of Video Calling.

You can also tell if a particular contact can receive a video call by opening up that person's contact card. If there's a Camera icon beside the Phone icon, you can video call with that contact.

To set up a conference call with up to 6 phones:

1. Call the first phone number as usual.
   
   
2. While on that call, tap Add call to call the second phone number.
   
   Note: When the second call is established, the first call will be automatically put on hold. You can swap between the two calls.
   
   
3. Tap Merge to join the two calls and form a 3-way conference call.
   
   
4. Keep calling up to 3 additional phones to form a 6-way conference call.

You've successfully set up a 6-way conference call.

If you aren't able to make or receive an HD Voice call, it may be due to one of the following reasons:

• HD Voice isn't activated on the line you're calling
  
  
• VoLTE Call is set to Off on your phone or on the phone you're calling
  
  
• The person you're calling isn't using an HD Voice-capable phone at the time of the call
  
  
• Either your phone or the phone you're calling isn't connected to the Verizon 4G LTE network

If you're not able to make or receive a video call, it may be due to one of the following reasons:

• Video Calling isn't activated on your line or the line you're calling (i.e., Video Calling is blocked on your line)
  
  
• Video Calling is set to Off on your phone or the phone you're calling
  
  
• Mobile Data is set to Off on your phone or the phone you're calling
  
  
• Either your phone or the phone you're calling isn't connected to the Verizon 4G LTE network at the time the call was initiated


• The person you're calling declined your video call request
  
  
• Your phone or the phone you're calling isn't capable of Video Calling

Your phone regularly syncs up its video calling capability status with the network, and this may be due to the status being temporarily out of sync.

You can force a real time synchronization of the status by following these steps:

1. Open the Menu option within the contact card.
   
   
2. Tap Refresh.

The Camera icon should appear. If the Camera icon still doesn't appear after you refresh, it's possible that person is no longer capable of Video Calling.

If the Camera icon is disabled while you're in an HD Voice call, it may be due to one of the following reasons:

• Video Calling is set to Off on your phone
• Mobile Data is set to Off on your phone

If you're taking a cruise to Alaska, refer to our Trip Planner tool for rate and coverage information while onboard the ship.

For coverage information within Alaska, refer to our Coverage Locator. Enter the cities you plan to travel to in the field provided, and you'll be shown a map with coverage details. You may also want to check your current plan details to see if you'll be charged while roaming. That information is listed on the My Plan page in My Verizon.