In early
January, Facebook began testing free calling over Wi-Fi and cellular data for
all Messenger for iPhone users in Canada, and said that a US
launch could be coming soon. Apparently, the test went well — a new free
calling button has appeared in the app. Facebook has confirmed to The Verge
that the feature began rolling out to US users today, and requires no update
through the App Store. To make a call to another Messenger for iPhone user, all
you need to do is open a conversation with that person, tap the "i"
button in the top-right corner, and tap Free Call.
US Users Can Now Make Calls Over Their Data Connection Or Wi-Fi
What this
means is that if you live in the US, you can now call other Facebook users for
free over Wi-Fi or using your phone's data connection while you're on the go.
When you call someone, a push notification appears on their screen that says
"Ellis Hamburger is calling," for example. The feature is especially
critical for people with bad cell service at work or at home, and for those who
want to conserve cell phone minutes. It's also a huge step for Facebook — which
with a single feature emerges as one of the largest communities of VoIP users
in the world. Yes, competitors Viber, Vonage, and Skype have had the feature
for some time, but all have much smaller user bases.
Facebook has
had a partnership with Skype for video calling inside Facebook's website
since summer 2011, but Messenger still notably lacks video calling. Facebook
offered no more details or information about an international rollout, VoIP
calling through its Messenger for Android app, or VoIP calling through its
website, but we'd bet these things are coming soon. [The Verge]
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