Sony has officially unveiled PSP's upcoming VOIP service, to be called Go! Messenger. The program will be downloadable and installed into the XMB in a future firmware upgrade. Through it, PSP owners will be able to instant message each other using a "new and intuitive on-screen keyboard." By using a headset, users will be able to voice chat; and by using Go!Cam, video chat will also be enabled.

"With Go!Messenger, PSP is pushing new boundaries, adding unique communication functionalities to all the existing multimedia experiences," said Stephane Hareau, PSP European Marketing Manager, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe. "Enabling more than 8.5 Million PSP users across the SCEE region to communicate with each other, through Video or Voice chat, truly confirms the always evolving nature and potential of PSP.''

The service has been developed in partnership with BT, one of the world's leading telecom providers. Sony plans on adding even more functionality to the PSP through Go!Explore and the Go! branded video download service. European PSP owners will have a lot to look forward to -- hopefully, SCEA will follow-up with its own American service.

BBC News has an exclusive video of PSP's upcoming VoIP functionality. In a deal made with BT, PSP users will be able to make free video calls to other PSP owners, and PC users equipped with the appropriate software. The service will initially only work at home and at BT hotspots, but can be expanded in the future.

In the video above, you can see BT's Steve Andrews speaking on the potential of the platform: "What we've done is allow users to talk, see each other, and send messages to each other on something they take for granted, which is a wonderful device that's called the PSP."

Sony Computer Entertainment of Europe has partnered up with BT to provide "high-quality video calls, voice calls and text messaging" for PSP users. The four-year deal will first provide Softphone, a service which will allow PSP owners to communicate with other internet-connected Softphone users (similar to other VoIP services). The program will eventually expand so that PSP owners can make calls to standard land and mobile phones.

David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, said: "It is very exciting for us to be partnering with BT on such a unique project. The opportunity to combine our market leading expertise with BT's knowledge in communications opens up many possibilities and we look forward to bringing many exciting communication functions to PSP fans."

An American version has yet to be announced. However, a look into the PSP firmware reveals future plans for a Skype extension. We hope that VoIP will be made available soon for PSP users all over the world.