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There was a time when the only free texting service around was BlackBerry’s BBM, but that only worked among BlackBerries. There was Google’s G-Talk and Skype, but WhatsApp was unique in that the login was your own phone number. Koum released WhatsApp 2.0 with a messaging component and watched his active users suddenly swell to 250,000. He went to see Acton, who was still unemployed and dabbling in another startup idea that wasn’t going anywhere.

The two sat at Acton’s kitchen table and started sending messages to each other on WhatsApp, already with the famous double check mark that showed another phone had received a message. Acton realized he was looking at a potentially richer SMS experience – and more effective than the so-called MMS messages for sending photos and other media that often didn’t work. This is what made WhatsApp unique in many aspects. Adding features which integrated the presence of many technologies that were present around yet having its own signature feature simply took the app world by storm. Its popularity increased in folds to say the least. With voice calling being added to WhatsApp, it has grown into an app with a complete communication tool.

“I grew up in Russia, we had a telephone line, but a load of our neighbours didn’t. It became a shared resource for the whole apartment complex. People would come and knock on the door and ask to call their family in another city,” said Koum at the Mobile World Congress event in Barcelona.

 “We’re adding voice to WhatsApp so people can stay in touch with friends and loved ones no matter where they are in the world.”

 Koum explained that this is the next stage in the evolution of the WhatsApp service, continuing its mission to connect users and keep people in touch. He also explained that the company had taken the speed and efficiency of text messaging to voice, saying that WhatsApp had the best voice product out there.

 “We use the least amount of bandwidth out there, and have optimised the hell out of it. We’ve made sure the quality is there, though, just like the messaging functions of WhatsApp,” said Koum.

Koum also explained that there were no changes planned for the company post Facebook acquisition. He said that WhatsApp would be allowed to operate as a standalone company, maintaining its startup mentality with 55 employees, as staying nimble and flexible was of paramount importance for survival in the changing industry.

The voice calling feature will initially be made available to Android and iOS devices, but BlackBerry and Windows Phone will get it at a later date. Trying to outdo rivals like BBM and Skype, Whatsapp’s aim is to make voice calling just as speedy and efficient as their text messaging service. The WhatsApp founder and chief executive, Jan Koum, announced that the new Facebook company was working on voice calling to be introduced into the WhatsApp messaging app, initially on the iPhone and Android in the second quarter of the year, with BlackBerry and Windows Phone to be updated later.