
The news comes after screenshots showing VoIP calling capabilities in WhatsApp, which Facebook recently agreed to acquire for $16 billion, surfaced last month. It’s a strike against Microsoft’s Skype division and other companies that offer voice over IP calling on mobile devices, and another sign of how Facebook is trying to expand its reach and appeal. (Group messaging is a feature that Facebook recently added to the app.)

At this point, it’s not possible for users to set up conference calls through group messaging. The app will inform users that the call will use up their cellular data, and then connect to the friend in question. To make a call, users tap on a phone button in the upper right-hand corner of a conversation with a friend.

Users can make calls for free over wi-fi, and calls over cellular data will count against a user’s data plan usage, but won’t cost more money than that. Facebook updated its Messenger app for iOS and Android today to include the ability to make voice calls through the app.
