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The Facebook video call - this seldomly used app is absolutely free of charge

The Facebook video call - this seldomly used app is absolutely free of charge
I remember the days when we have to pay much for a long distance voice call, spending hundreds of pesos to pay up when our phone bills arrive.

But now, technology has made it possible to make free voice and video calls to our Facebook friends over the Internet, thanks to Facebook’s voice calling feature in its Messenger app.

What's great about the app is it's toll-free. No charges even for international calls when you're using a Wi-Fi connection (except when you're using data connection where you have to spend minutes from your network's voice plan).


Here's how to use it:

1. Make sure you and your FB friend have the Facebook Messenger app installed on your Android or iOS phones, and both of you are connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi connection.

2. From your menu, tap the Messenger button to open the app.

3. Once opened, you'll see the usual list of your FB friends. Tap to choose who you want to call.

4. When you and your friend's conversation threads open onscreen, tap on the phone icon located at the upper right hand corner of the app display.

5. The screen will now be replaced by your friend's name and a text below the profile pic which reads, "connecting". If accepted, you can now make the voice call.

6. You can also opt to use the video call by tapping the video icon located at the center right of your screen. Once accepted, you and your friend can now talk face to face.


The free voice and video calling feature is arguably the best feature from the Facebook Messenger, though many FB users have not made use of this app to its full extent; which is the ability to call their friends, regardless of their physical location without having to spend a single minute from their network's voice plan.

But do remember that this feature is very much different from Viber or Skype as this entirely concentrates on calling friends that are Facebook-based, whereas others use the contact numbers stored in the phone’s address book to make voice calls.


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