Portal

[Barsel]

Can somebody explain this to me please?
If you want to see and talk to another person, do you both have to be members of Facebook?
Presumably you would both have to own a Portal but how do you connect it, do you both have to have an internet connection?
An elderly neighbour of mine has seen it advertised on TV and thought she would buy one so she can see and talk to her family, but I know for a fact she doesn't have the internet and obviously isn't on Facebook.I said I would find out for her,any help appreciated. Thanks.

[Buenchico]

She would need an internet connection and she would need to have Facebook 'friends', Messenger 'connections' or WhatsApp 'contacts'.

Source:
https://portal.facebook.com/gb/help/setting-up-portal/

[ichkeria]

There’s lots of ways you can do it.
You certainly don’t need Facebook but not having an internet connection might be a problem.
“Portal” as far as I know is just a fancy name for a website but someone may know differently

[Barsel]

Thanks guys, looks like she won't be able to have one.

[bednobs]

portal works from an internet connection as said, and that is therefore that if she doesnt want a connection. There are other devices that she could use for video chatting (echo show, mobile (smart) phone) which dont use facebook or whatsapp, but she'd still need internet connection. If she were doing it via a smartphone, she would be able use the phone's data, but it would get used up quickly

[Buenchico]

If your neighbour happens to live next door to you (rather than at the other end of the street), she could possibly share your internet connection. (Most people have far more capacity than they ever need these days. My pub mate gets his broadband connection, free of charge, from the flat next door - with their full approval, I might add!)