Internet phone service provider Skype said users of its services can make video calls to their Facebook friends.

Skype and Facebook users can now connect with each other without having to switch chat clients.

Earlier in July, Facebook had allowed users with webcams to make Skype-powered video calls on its site. It had also been possible to chat with one’s Facebook friends through Skype’s instant-messaging feature, without a video component.

Jonathan Rosenberg chief technology strategist of Skype said the company wants to facilitate communication between a billion with video. Working with Facebook "is really taking us a big step closer to that goal,” he added.

Skype has integrated Facebook-to-Facebook video-calls into its latest desktop client, further strengthening the ties between the two services.

Skype design chief Rick Osterloh said, "Initiating a Facebook-to-Facebook call from within Skype is quite easy; all you need to do is connect your Skype and Facebook accounts. Then, select a Facebook friend and hit the video call button in Skype — your friend simply picks up the call from Facebook."

Skype is now a Microsoft-owned enterprise since October following the Redmond-based company’s acquisition.