8x8 Releases 8x8 Connect Calling App for Facebook

8x8, Inc., a provider of innovative business communications solutions, has announced the release of 8x8 (News - Alert) Connect, a point and click VoIP calling application for Facebook. This application enables Facebook users to add a “Call Me” button to their home page to allow users to call them without revealing their actual phone number.

When a user tries to activate the application, the person is asked to make the call by entering the phone number they wish to place the call from, calls the number and then automatically rings the Facebook (News - Alert) user at a number they previously set as their preferred contact number.

By using this application method, a Facebook user can easily be contacted while they maintain their preferred privacy over their number. Users can set a variety of phone numbers as their contact numbers and can easily switch between them.

“8x8 developed this technology for use within the 8x8 Virtual Office hosted PBX service and it was a very simple process to migrate it to Facebook,” said 8x8 President Dan Weirich (News - Alert), in a statement.

“Many Facebook users are small business owners or employees in larger enterprises who will use this application in their personal and business lives and will hopefully look to 8x8 when seeking business communications solutions in the future. Making this technology available to a wider audience is something we believe will help 8x8 establish itself as the pre-eminent brand for next generation communication solutions.”

The 8x8 application is free and can be easily downloaded and configured in Facebook. To find and use the application, simply login to your Facebook account and type 8x8 Connect in the search bar to start the download process.

In other 8x8 news, the company announced at ITEXPO introduced key developments that are expected to deliver better communication solutions to customers throughout the global marketplace.

8x8 also recently suffered a brief power outage. According to Joan Citelli director, corporate communications of 8x8, service was fully restored to the company’s VoIP service called Packet8, as well as the firm’s Web sites www.packet8.net and www.8x8.com by 4:30 p.m. PT.

The outage, which Citelli said was caused by “an Internet element beyond our control,” lasted up to four hours for some customers.