Facebook Messenger’s video calling feature is now available worldwide – for the most part.
“Quick update on video calling in Messenger: we’re happy to share we’ve now rolled out the capability globally, with the exception of a few countries we’re still working on improving quality for. So make sure you get the latest and greatest version for iOS and Android, give it a try, and as always… tell us how we can make it even better for you!” said VP of Messaging David Marcus in a Facebook post.
Quick update on video calling in Messenger: we're happy to share we've now rolled out the capability globally, with the…
Posted by David Marcus on Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Marcus doesn’t say which countries were left out, but in a reply to a user’s comment he says, “we would love to offer the service in UAE, but operators are blocking it. Maybe if enough of you ask them to open it up, they will.”
So it looks like UAE is out for now.
Facebook first debuted video calling inside Messenger in April, launching it in Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, France, Greece, Ireland, Laos, Lithuania, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, the UK, the US and Uruguay.
“Accounting for more than 10% of all mobile VoIP calls globally, Messenger already offers people the ability to make voice calls to friends and loved ones around the world,” a Facebook spokesperson told WebProNews at the time. “Video calling will expand Messenger’s real-time communication features, enabling the 600 million+ people who use Messenger every month to reach friends from anywhere in the world – quickly, reliably, and with high quality.”
Video calling is just one way Facebook is bulking up Messenger. The company has opened up the app to third-party developers, added tools for businesses, begun to allow money transfers, and is even considering adding games to Messenger.