Digium and Aumtech Certify a Multi-Language Speech Recognition Server Solution with Asterisk

Digium and Aumtech today announced a partnership that brings a speech alternative, featuring server-based licenses that support 48+ ports of multilanguage automated speech recognition (ASR) for the Asterisk platform, with support for a first-year cost of $1,975 and $1,275 annually thereafter.

Aumtech is introducing its Media Resource Control Protocol (MRCP) Connector utility, which enables Asterisk customers to access Microsoft Speech Services 2007 ASR. This includes unlimited grammars and multiple languages of ASR; the list of 14 available languages and voices is constantly growing. Asterisk users can access this speech solution on Asterisk and on a variety of interactive voice response (IVR) solutions, including Aumtech’s VoiceXML 2.1 Certified IVR platform, or other standards-based IVR platforms.

The Aumtech MRCP Connector for the Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Speech Server allows companies using Linux to build speech-driven applications with the Microsoft ASR product. “We are very pleased to provide this significant value in high-quality speech recognition to Digium’s customer base, while introducing our Speech solutions to the Asterisk world, and opening the door to Speech solutions for the largest and smallest of Asterisk users,” said Tom Porter, executive vice president at Aumtech. “We have developed a special program for Asterisk users to try this solution firsthand, so they can compare the quality of this high-value solution to those that cost $1,500 per port."

Bill Miller, Digium’s vice president of product management, concluded, “Our Asterisk customers have long recognized the value of speech recognition applications; however, most have delayed implementing these technologies due to the high entry costs. Aumtech’s solution is the lowest-cost at higher capacities for world-class speech technology and may prove to be the ‘tipping point,’ finally bringing speech to the masses, and will benefit our customers worldwide.”