Messenger App Brings Free VoIP to US Facebook Users — At a Price

The Washington Post (among many others) reports on a development from Facebook that may excite many more users than does the much-hyped announcement about richer search capabilities: after launching a Canadian trial balloon not long ago, Facebook is expanding the reach of its free in-app VoiP communications with free voice comms via the company's smartphone app. "Excite" for some people will also mean "infuriate": to get the free candy, the recipient will need to have shared his or her number with Facebook, which many people will understandably be loath to do. From the WaPo article: "To use the feature, Facebook users must hit the 'i' info icon in the corner or a conversation or contact information page. That panel has a 'Free Call' button that you can use if your friend has shared a mobile number with Facebook and is available for a call. The company slowly has been building out the features available in chat — most notably with the 2011 Skype partnership that put video calling on the Web version of its site. When it released Facebook Messenger last fall, it became even clearer that messaging and mobile applications were priorities for the company."

Comments

Share a mobile vs. land line number

[tepples]

That panel has a 'Free Call' button that you can use if your friend has shared a mobile number with Facebook

Based only on the summary, it appears this won't work for someone who has a land line and a Wi-Fi-only tablet, such as an iPod touch, iPad, Nexus 7, etc. The article mentions the iPod but doesn't say one way or the other whether there's a provision for iPod touch users.

Irrational

[ZombieBraintrust]

There is no way for this service to work if Facebook doesn't have the reciepients number. Someone must have the recipients number in order for a connection to be created. Getting angry over that seems really irrational. Putting your phone number in Facebook is a step above putting it in the phonebook. At least with Facebook you can restrict viewing the info to friends or friends of friends.

Re:Irrational

[gstoddart]

At least with Facebook you can restrict viewing the info to friends or friends of friends.

And any advertiser Facebook decides they want to share it with.

That's how they'll jump to mobile phone spamming.

[Ollabelle]

The warnings in Facebook's reports to the SEC always mention advertising revenue on mobile phones as one of their challenges. And this is how they will build their database of mobile phone numbers.

At some point, they'll "streamline" the privacy settings so the numbers will be shareable, visible, etc. so the advertising revenue can start coming in.

My cell phone air time is not free

[damn_registrars]

Hence this service which depends on it is not either.

Re:Correct Number

[Technician]

I wonder if a Google Voice cell phone would work. It does text and voice. I can forward the call or not for a do not bug me mode. I have a Google Voice number I give out to salesmen and scammers to protect my regular cell phone.

I use my GV number to call back collection agencies that keep calling my landline looking for it's prior owner to complain. If I call from another number to complain, they don't put it in their database that someone took the call.