The Root, News Report, Posted: Jan 08, 2013

In what seems like a continual quest for complete world domination, Facebook is testing some new changes that would allow all of the social network's billion users to make calls for free.

Canadians are the first to test out this new feature, which is part of the upgrades to Facebook's Messenger app. The phone calls will be made using VoIP technology, which is the same process currently used by Skype. This means that your phone calls get sent over the Internet, as opposed to normal cellular-telephone networks. The benefit of VoIP is that you can still make a phone call even if you're in a location where you can't get a cellular signal, as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection. The idea of "free" is relative, though, since the calls will be counted against your data plan.

The Messenger app already lets you send free text messages to your Facebook friends, and the latest update allows everyone to send free voicemails as well. You will need to install or update the app on your phone, and the people you want to communicate with also have to have the app installed. If successful in Canada, the phone-call feature will roll out to all Facebook users. Read more here.