Setting up LTE connection using the Quectel EM06 4G LTE Module on the Edge-V and FreeBSD

Edge
13

Asked to ChatGPT :

I would like to know if I can place and receive phone calls using the EM06 4G module on the khadas Edge-V.

Bro replied :

That’s a good question. The short answer is: maybe, but with important caveats. It depends on which variant of the EM06 you have (or intend to use), and whether your setup supports the required interfaces (audio, etc.). Here’s what I found and how to assess feasibility:

What the EM06 is and its capabilities

  • The EM06 is a 4G LTE module (Cat-6) in M.2 (NGFF) form factor. auroraevernet+3quectel.com+3Amazon Web Services, Inc.+3

  • According to the EM06 hardware-design documents, the EM06 series comes in two “types”:
    • Telematics version — supports both voice + data
    • Data-only version — supports only data (no voice) سیسوگ+1

  • So whether voice calls are possible depends on that version. If you have the telematics version, voice is supported in hardware. quectel.com+3auroraevernet+3Amazon Web Services, Inc.+3

  • On Quectel’s product listing, the EM06 supports “DTMF, USB 2.0 interface, multi-constellation GNSS, etc.” quectel.com

  • Some third-party listings show “Voice Call Support: Yes” for EM06-E modules. Techship

  • However, in some user reports / forums, people using EM06-E report issues making voice calls (e.g. “NO CARRIER” on dialing) — possibly due to missing VoLTE support or the modem falling back to 3G/2G which may not be supported in their area. Quectel Forums

  • Also, the hardware design documentation states that for the voice function (WCDMA) the module consumes a certain current and uses an audio interface (PCM) for audio path. Amazon Web Services, Inc.+1

Thus, EM06 can support voice if it’s the telematics version and properly interfaced.

Limitations / compatibility with Edge-V

Even if the EM06 (telemetrics version) supports voice, that does not guarantee you can use voice calls seamlessly when it’s plugged into the Edge-V. There are several potential showstoppers:

  1. Edge-V M.2 interface lacks USB lines for 4G module
    On the Khadas forums, a staff or user (numbqq) states:

    “Edge-V doesn’t support the EM06 4G module with M.2 interface … it is because Edge-V M.2 interface don’t contain the USB signal so you can’t use the M.2 interface 4G module on the Edge-V M.2 interface. But you can use a USB interface 4G module.” Khadas Community

    In other words: the M.2 socket on the Edge-V might be wired only for NVMe (PCIe) and not include the USB data lines that many LTE modules need, meaning the module might be “detected” at the board level, but it has no interface to exchange data/commands. Thus, in practice the EM06 might not work on Edge-V via M.2 even for data, let alone voice. Khadas Community

  2. Driver / firmware support
    Even if hardware paths exist, you’ll need drivers in Linux (or your OS) to interface with the module, expose modem ports (e.g. via ttyUSB* or cqdma / qmi / wwan interfaces), support audio (PCM paths), and support voice calls (e.g. via AT commands or modem drivers). If the particular firmware build for Edge-V does not include voice/modem support, you may need to build or patch it.
    Also, many users indicate that EM06 was supported on VIM3/Android builds by Khadas. Khadas Community+2Khadas Community+2
    But for Edge-V, user posts suggest they were unable to detect or use the module when using the M.2 slot. Khadas Community

  3. Network / VoLTE support constraints
    Even if hardware & driver support are present, voice calls these days often require VoLTE (voice over LTE) on many networks (if the 2G/3G fallback is disabled). If the module or your carrier does not support VoLTE, and your network does not support 2G/3G fallback, voice calls may fail. As one forum user wrote for EM06-E:

    “If it does not support VoLTE, the module will automatically drop from 4G network to 3G or 2G when making a call. If you do not support 3G network, you need to support VoLTE on the SIM and base station side …” Quectel Forums

    So your carrier, SIM plan, and module firmware must support VoLTE (or fallback) for voice to reliably work.

  4. Audio path / routing
    Even if the module supports voice, you need to connect its audio interface (usually digital voice: PCM, I2S, etc.) to the Edge-V (or external audio codec) so that the board can drive a speaker / mic. If there’s no connection from module to audio subsystem, you might have “voice capability in modem” but no way to hear or speak through it.

Conclusion: what is likely in your case?

Given the evidence:

  • The Khadas forum explicitly states that the Edge-V’s M.2 interface lacks USB lines for LTE modules, meaning EM06 over M.2 won’t work on Edge-V. Khadas Community

  • Even if you bypass that (e.g. by using a USB-based EM06 or external modem module), you’d still need voice support (telematics version), driver support in your OS, and VoLTE support from your mobile carrier.

  • Some users report the EM06-E works only for data (and SMS) but not for voice, in their setup. Quectel Forums

So, in practice, placing and receiving voice calls using EM06 on Edge-V is quite unlikely unless you overcome multiple hardware, driver, and network hurdles and have exactly the right module variant.

If you like, I can help you design a working setup: e.g. a USB 4G modem that works with Edge-V and supports voice (VoLTE) and how to wire up audio. Do you want me to propose one?