TMCnews Featured Article

Ever-expanding its global pull and capabilities, Facebook (News - Alert) has updated its iOS messenger app to enable UK users to access the social media site's free voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service. Facebook's VoIP service has been available for desktop-based users, but this is the first time it’s been accessible to iPhone (News - Alert) and iPad users outside of the US and Canada.

The service requires an Internet connection of 4G, 3G, or Wi-Fi. Bear in mind, this means that in using Facebook's VoIP service on your mobile device, you'll be using your phone plan data, so you may want to maximize your data plan or minimize your usage of the feature.

If you have the Facebook messenger app, here's how you use the VoIP on your iPad or iPhone:

1. Head to the Facebook Messenger app
2. Find the 'i' icon in the top right-hand corner.
3. Tap it. This will bring up an option menu wherein you'll see that the 'Free Call' option has now been activated.
4. Proceed with your common FB-savvy sense.

The service also offers a recently added voicemail function, so that if a friend you're looking to chat with isn't online, you can leave a message. The mobile feature only works with one on one conversations – no conference call or group message capability as of now. 

Facebook Messenger can be downloaded for free via the iOS App Store and is also available for Android (News - Alert) and BlackBerry operating systems – but the mobile VoIP calling feature is only available on iOS. Facebook hasn't hinted at bringing the feature to its Android app, but it seems to be only a matter of time.