Use Windows Messenger to Make Voice Calls

You can use Windows Messenger to talk with your online contacts. You can make a call to another computer and invite others to join a voice conversation. You can also receive a call from another computer and accept or decline an invitation to talk.

Requirements
Before you can make a call to or receive a call from another computer, the following items are required:

1. A Microsoft Passport.

2. The Windows Messenger program.

3. A list of contacts that you create in Windows Messenger.

4. A full-duplex sound card with a headset (or with speakers and a microphone).

5. A USB port with a USB headset (or USB speakers and a USB microphone).

6. A connection to the Internet. If you are using a dial-up connection, the modem and connection speed must be at least 28.8 kilobites (Kbps) per second.

How to call another computer
To call another computer and invite an online contact to start a voice conversation with you:

1. Start Windows Messenger and sign in to your Passport account by using one of the following steps:

a. If Windows Messenger is running--> double-click the Windows Messenger icon in the status area of the taskbar.

Click--> Click here to sign in if you are not already signed in.

b. If Windows Messenger is not running--> click Start--> point to All Programs--> and then click Windows Messenger.

Sign in to your Passport, and then click OK.

2. Call another computer by using one of the following steps:

a. Click Call--> point to the person that you want to call--> and then click Computer.

or

b. Right-click a contact who is online that you want to call--> point to Call--> and then click Computer.

or

Right-click a contact who is online that you want to call--> and then click Send an Instant Message. When you do this--> the Conversation dialog box is displayed. On the Sidebar--> click Start talking.

If the Sidebar is not displayed--> click Sidebar on the View menu.

3. The following message is displayed in the Conversation window, where contact name is the name of the person who you are trying to call:

You have asked to have a voice conversation with contact name. Please wait for a response or Cancel (Alt+Q) the pending invitation.

4. After you receive this message, you receive one of the following messages:

If the person that you want to talk to accepts your invitation, the following message is displayed:
Contact name has accepted your request to have a voice conversation.

or

If the person that you want to talk to declines your invitation, the following message is displayed:
Contact name has declined your request to have a voice conversation.

5. To end the conversation or to cancel your invitation to start a conversation--> click Stop talking on the Sidebar or on the File menu.