Facebook and Skype 'exploring partnership'

Social networking website Facebook and Internet telephone company Skype are in talks to establish a partnership that is aimed at integrating their communication services, the Wall Street Journal said, citing a person familiar with the situation.

Under the proposed partnership, Facebook users would be able to sign into Skype through their Facebook Connect accounts, the Journal said.

Once signed in, the users would be able to send text messages, voice chat and video chat with their Facebook friends from within Skype, according to the paper.

The integrated functions are built into Skype's 5.0 version, which is expected to be released in the next few weeks, the person told the paper.

Enabling Skype's voice and video chat on Facebook would be a "logical progression" to the partnership, the person told the paper.

Facebook and Skype could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters.