Facebook Messenger App gets Voice Call Feature

Many of you have heard about WhatsApp, Tango and Skype that allows people to make free calls and messages between them. Facebook has also entered in this race by introducing a new feature in the Facebook Messenger App that enables you to make voice call to your friends for free.

The new voice call feature is only available to iPhone users only and to people living in U.S.. The Facebook Messenger App uses the cellular data connection or Wi-Fi connection to make calls to other people.

This feature is added to the current Messenger App and users do not require updating the app to avail this feature. Anyone who wants to place a free call can do it by tapping the “i” icon on the top right of chat window and then selecting the “Free Call” option from the contact card. In order for it to work, both the parties must have Facebook Messenger App installed in their iPhones otherwise the “Free Call” button will appear grayed out.

Facebook first started testing this new feature earlier this year in Canada where they added the ability to record a voice message and then send it to the selected recipient from the friends list. This new feature will provide a much greater challenge to the big cellular companies in the US including the AT&T and Sprint because people that tend to have longer call duration will avoid it to reduce their call charges from the cellular network.

Many people believed that this feature is almost the same as the Apple’s Facetime application that allows two iOS devices to connect with each other for the same purpose, however, the Facetime also allows people to make video calls too.

Calls made from the Facebook Messenger App have a similar layout and design as the traditional voice calls that people normally make on their iPhone.

In a statement made by Facebook, it said that they are working quickly to roll out this feature on Android and BlackBerry too. So for those, who are using Android and BlackBerry powered mobile devices still have to wait a tidy bit more than the iOS users to get their hands on the Facebook Messenger App Voice Calling Feature.