Free Facebook phone arrives

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Truphone has announced the first free telephone application for Facebook users. The Call Me application does not require a Truphone account, l nor a special phone, just a Facebook account. It works by enabling the user to choose a number on which they want to take inbound calls, and the Call Me button in their profile can then be used to make free calls.

But, as with all such things, you need to read beyond the marketing hype and headlines to reveal the devil hiding in the detail. Much is being made of this being a 'free' Facebook phone system, but actually the deal is that calls are free only until 'at least December 31st 2007' which is in line with the current Truphone pricing policy. What happens in 2008, which is only a matter of a few weeks away remember, is not clear.

Still, for now at least, it's an interesting and useful addition to the Facebook application armoury, which allows anyone to make a call directly from their PC by simply clicking on the Call Me button to initiate a Truphone softphone call. The softphone application is embedded into Facebook, but interestingly does not require both caller and callee to add their numbers to a directory list.

You could say it is click to call rather than click to call back in fact.

The fact that is can be set to only be visible to a user's friends, and that actual phone numbers are never revealed, helps the social networking friendliness.

Dean Elwood, a director at Truphone, told me that "The Truphone Call Me application is completely embedded within the existing Facebook user experience. We never make a user leave Facebook or have to pick up another device such as a phone; instead, we've embedded a softphone into Facebook. One particularly exciting thing is that anytime a new service that accepts attachments is introduced to Facebook, our application will work on it because the Truphone Call Me button can be dropped into any attachment. So people may use our application in ways that haven't been envisaged yet."

While Truphone CEO James Tagg adds "In the same way that messages on Facebook are always welcome because they are by definition always from friends, phone calls from friends are surely welcome too. We want to encourage people to talk to each other more and, using Truphone, we can help to get people talking again spontaneously and for free."

There's a YouTube clip of the Facebook phone in action here.

Dani AI

Generated

As flagged, the "free phone" headline is only part of the story. Short, practical guidance follows for anyone deciding whether to add an embedded calling widget to a personal profile, page, or marketing flow.

Pre-use checklist:

  • Account & permissions: confirm whether a separate account is required and exactly what profile or contact permissions are requested.
  • Device & browser support: verify microphone/speaker needs, whether a plugin or external softphone is required, and mobile compatibility.
  • Privacy & number handling: check whether your real number is revealed or a proxy is used, and what call metadata the provider stores.
  • Call quality & limits: test for latency, echo and any usage caps or geographic restrictions before relying on it.
  • Security & compliance: ask whether audio is encrypted and which jurisdiction governs stored data.
  • Terms & pricing: promotional "free" offers can change; capture the provider terms and have a fallback plan.

Quick troubleshooting steps:

  • Verify mic and speaker selection in the OS and browser settings.
  • Allow microphone access when prompted and restart the browser if permissions seem stuck.
  • Use a wired connection or headset to reduce echo and packet loss.
  • Test with someone on a different network to isolate NAT/firewall problems.
  • If audio fails, check for mute, wrong device selection, or corporate network blocks.
  • Run short recorded test calls to evaluate consistent call quality.

Practical notes for marketers and publishers:

  • Use click-to-call where staff can promptly answer; display hours and an alternate contact method.
  • Log caller IDs and outcomes into CRM for attribution and follow-up.
  • If calls will be recorded or used for promotion, obtain explicit consent and verify applicable regulations.

Treat any social-network calling widget as a pilot: run limited tests, measure audio quality and conversion impact, then decide whether to adopt it or fall back to traditional phone channels.

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