Tencent ups the ante with mobile Internet call app

Shenzhen-based Internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd on Tuesday fired a fresh salvo against leading telecom operators with its Internet calling app for mobile gadgets.

The app, WeChat phone book, allows users to make free calls using wireless networks or telecom operators' networks, send voice mails, use its phone book and even make high-definition quality voice calls. The so-called free calls can be made as long as the user links his phone number to his WeChat account.

Although Tencent tried to maintain a low profile and hardly gave the new app any publicity, its ploy of releasing it on Singles' Day, when most people are obsessed with online shopping, seems to have paid off. Due to the large number of users of the new app, the service remained unavailable on Wednesday morning and it was forced to update users frequently on when services would be restored.