Telecom providers are looking for ways to expand into the VoIP market. A Canadian service provider babyTEL is starting a service that lets Facebook users access phone and answering machines without leaving Facebook.

YackPack provides a similar service by embedding the app in the webpage, babyTEL provides the service via a small Java runtime that runs in the background on your computer. The Java runtime runs on PCs or Mac.

Calls can be initiated via Java application’s built-in directory or directly from within Facebook. For this service to work, both parties need to have the app running. So instead of simply sending text messages back and forth, you can now talk in real time or send voicemails back and forth and get notified when the other party is logged in.