Repost from: http://www.geekwithlaptop.com/facebook-will-add-video-conference-features

Facebook could start offering video-conference service for its 600+ million users. The biggest social network in the world could make a partnership with Skype for this, as we are being told by Bloomberg Business. Sources from the company (Facebook) declared for the American publication that the discussions and negotiations between the two companies started since last year.

Skype was founded in 2003 by the Swedish entrepreneur Niklas Zennström and Dane Janus Friis. The Skype software was developed by Estonian developers Ahti Heinla, Priit Kasesalu and Jaan Tallinn, the same individuals who together with Niklas and Janus were also originally behind the peer-to-peer file sharing software Kazaa. In April 2003, Skype.com and Skype.net domain names were registered. In August 2003, the first public beta version was released. At the moment, their membership base is more than 650 million people, pretty much the same figure that Facebook has.

Introducing a video-conferencing service would be considered as an answer from the social network to Google and Apple, companies that are already offering this feature through their software platforms. Currently, the video-conferences represent 41% of the total connections being made using Skype.

Some Facebook functions are already integrated in the newest versions of the client-program Skype and if this partnership will come to an end, the video calls will be done directly using the browser.

Facebook announced last year a new communications platform which will grant unified access to the instant messaging system offered by the company and an email account based on such addresses as user@facebook.com

The new video-conference system could be integrated in the platform that Facebook will released and which isn’t yet public, being still tested.

To do this you will need to already have a facebook account. If you do not have one, you can register an account here.

Once you have an account you can being setting a business to start networking online within Facebook.

First you will need to go to www.facebook.com and click the link at the bottom of the page: ‘Create a Page for a celebrity, band or business.’

Then select the type of page you want to setup, in this case we will chose ‘Company’

Choose your category, then type in your company name. Click submit – You may be required to copy in a security check.

Next step is to assign you account to your facebook account -  This way it gives you one login for management, not multiple. Select ‘I already have a Facebook account’, and type in your facebook email address and password.

Next you will be presented with you company page! Go through the 4 steps facebook provides, uploading you logo, posting you for wall update, etc. As shown in the red box in the screenshot below, you can now switch to using facebook as the company, this allows you to comment on posts, Search and ‘like’ other companies you might use, and begin networking and spreading your company name across Facebook. Enjoy!