On Facebook? Make free voice calls soon
NEW DELHI: There’s good news for all Facebook enthusiasts. From the first quarter of 2015-16, users of the popular social networking site will be able to make free voice calls using popular messaging app WhatsApp, which was bought by Facebook last year.
The latest move by the $200-billion social media firmis likely to pit it directly against Skype and Viber that offer similar services.
WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum recently admitted that the development team was facing a number of technical hurdles in launching voice features.
Telcos in India, meanwhile, are fearing revenue losses.
The Cellular Operators Association of India wrote to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Friday, urging it to make the proposed voice service by Facebook a licenced one.
“I cannot divulge the details of the letter, but any new service that uses the network has to pay a licence fee,” said Rajan Mathews, directorgeneral, COAI.
“It is an issue that we need to examine the details,” a senior TRAI official said.
Telecom experts, however, feel that the introduction of a licence fee will kill the advantage of technology and consumers will have to bear the brunt. “If a licence fee is thrust on a technology, it will attract cost and may pose a higher cost for consumers,” said BK Syngal, telecom expert with Dua Consultants.