Speech Technology eWeekly - February 01, 2004

Q & A

Peter Leppik, CEO, Vocal Laboratories

Vocal Laboratories (VocaLabs) recently issued its SectorPulse report for mobile phones, comparing the quality of customer service for four major carriers. VocaLabs CEO Peter Leppik says Verizon Wireless came out on top in just about every metric. Find out what else Leppik had to say about this customer service report.

Speech Technology News

Aliant Selects Customer Contact Solution from Nortel Networks

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C - The IP customer contact solutions will allow call center agents remote office capabilities to respond quickly to customers.

SVOX Introduces Mobile Senior and Mobile Accessibility

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - SVOX introduces mobile communication solutions that are speech enabled with TTS for senior citizens and the visually impaired.

Z-TEL To Launch Broadband Voice and Data services based on Cisco Systems

TAMPA, FL - Z-TEL to launch VoIP services to small and medium businesses and multiple dwelling units.

Verizon Wireless Introduces Voice-Activated Phonebook

WOBURN, MA - Verizon Wireless recently implemented a Voice Activated Phonebook (VAP) provided by Voice Signal.

IVoice Files Additional Patent Application

MATAWAN, NJ - Methodology for Talking Prescription Bottle With Voice Instructions via Wireless Technology tells users what medication is inside and the proper dosage.

MacSpeech Releases iLife 04 Voice Solution

SALEM, NH- The new ScriptPaks support iLife04 and adds over 250 voice commands for controlling aspects of GarageBand and iDVD.

IBM releases CCXML, a Proposed Standard with the W3C

MIAMI FL - IBM announces availability of new speech software aimed at reducing the time of speech application development.

Electronic Arts Licenses Fonix Speech Solutions

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Fonix signs license agreement for voice command solutions for EA games with Electronic Arts.

SandCherry to Offer Pre-Packaged Voice Application for Vertical Industries

BOULDER, CO - Software is designed to allow small- and medium-sized enterprises to utilize speech-enabled services within medical, financial services, retail and utilities.

Fonix Voice Interfaces Soon Available for PlayStation2

SALT LAKE CITY, UT- Fonix® Corp and Sony Entertainment implement voice commands without requiring large amounts of memory.

Clarity Technologies Software Deployed in Telephony Products

TROY, MI - Two private label manufacturers are deploying traditional telephony products.

ScanSoft files patent suit against Voice Signal Technologies

PEABODY, MA - ScanSoft is seeking monetary damages for infringement regarding voice-activated dialing for mobile phones.

NextUp.com Announces Strategic Partnership with Cepstral

CLEMMONS, NC - NextUp.com will offer Cepstral's synthetic voices to consumers, educators and businesses as part of its TextAloud MP3 PC software.

Brooktrout Releases Low-Density Version of Voice Platform

NEEDHAM, MA - The Brooktrout TR1000 is targeted at developers of enterprise voice applications.

Ontario OneCall and Accu-Link Deploy Ticket Management 2.0

ENGLEWOOD, CO - Ticket Management 2.0 uses voice-recognition technology to simulate call agents allowing existing agents to be re-deployed.

Wizzard Software Appoints Bruce Phifer

PITTSBURGH, PA -Former IBM business development executive will focus on creating new markets for the company's speech-based technologies.

Holdcom announces agreement with Oddcast

GLEN ROCK, NJ - The [V]Host suite of products provides functionality required by larger organizations as well as small to mid sized businesses.

IKEA Uses Nortel Networks IVR technology in Central Europe

FRANKFURT, GERMANY - IKEA deploys IVR solution from Nortel Networks, a self-service platform that automates the transaction process conducted by contact center agents.

Voice Signal Refutes Patent Infringement Charges

WOBURN, MA - Voice Signal claims that after talks broke down, ScanSoft announced its lawsuit at a critical time to negatively impact Voice Signal's customer discussions.

Philips to Introduce Mobile Speech Recognition Solutions for Radiologists

VIENNA, ITALY - Radiologists will be able to dictate reports independent of their workstation, using mobile input devices.

SPIRIT Offers New Software Product RealDuplex For Hands Free Car Kits

MOSCOW, RUSSIA - RealDuplex speech recognition module enables implementation of voice-activated communication.

Microsoft Announces New Partnerships

REDMOND, WA - The Speech Partner Program is designed for implementing speech solutions, deployment and integration services.

Countrywide Home Loans Improves Mortgage Process

MENLO PARK, CA - Countrywide deploys a voice automation solution to improve the mortgage application experience for its customers.

NSC and Metaphor Partner on Telephony Voice Driven Services

NEW YORK, NY and WELLESLEY, MA - Companies align to provide products and services needed to develop, deploy and maintain voice driven services.

New Voq Phone by Sierra Wireless Incorporates ART Speech Technology

ATLANTA, GA - The smARTspeak NG software is designed to enable fast and easy call initiation and control of wireless devices.

Tampa Electric to Deploy Voice Platform from Genesys

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - Genesys voice platform allows Tampa Electric to direct customers to particular agents or departments based on real-time statistics, customer data, or pre-defined business rules.

Loquendo Releases Portuguese Female Persona

TURIN, ITALY - Amàlia is Loquendo's latest addition to its group of text-to-speech offerings.

Loquendo Presents New Male Voice Persona's Jorge and Jordi

TURIN, ITALY - Integrators are provided with life-like voices that can read dynamic data and prompts in bilingual voice applications.

Clarity Technologies Software Deployed in Telephony Products

TROY, MI - Two private label manufacturers are deploying traditional telephony products.

Philips and GST Sign Distribution Agreement

VIENNA, AUSTRIA and TRENTO, ITALY - Gruppo Soluzioni Tecnologiche will distribute Royal Philips Electronics speech recognition technology.

VoiceXML Forum Endorses Advancement of VoiceXML 2.0 Specification

PISCATAWAY, NJ - Forum also announces the availability of the X+V specification, version 1.2.

Angel.com Launches IVR for Web Services

MCLEAN, VA - Angel.com announced the rollout of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems for Web services.

Fonix iSpeak Selected by e'Star Laboratories for Monolith MP3 Player

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Fonix iSpeak is shipping with the Monolith MP3player to increase functionality with Fonix speech solution.

ScanSoft and HTS to Provide Automated Directory Assistance Service Using Speech Recognition

LONDON, UK and GHENT, BELGIUM - The solution will cover the entire UK residential and business database.

US FAA Selects STR for TTS

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA - Transcribed weather broadcast provides pilots with a continous broadcast of weather information using STR's TTS technology.

Convedia Supports Mobile Applications Requiring Extensive IP Voice and Video

VANCOUVER, CANADA - The media servers offer a broad range of voice services such as push-to-talk, speech-controlled services and presence-enabled conferencing.

MacSpeech Releases Italian Version of iListen 1.6.4

SALEM, NH - New version adds the ability to address items in the Mac OS X Services menu.

BeVocal System Selected by Liberty Wireless

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - Liberty chooses BeVocal technology to shift routine billing, account management, order and payment calls to a speech-automated system.

Natural Speech Communication Adds Echo Cancellation Capabilities

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - Echo canceller allows the maximum capacity of the ports to be utilized.

Unveil and UpSource Form Joint partnership

CAMBRIDGE, MA - Hosted speech service to the contact center market to be offered based on Conversation Manager™.

Nuance introduces voice authentication software Nuance verifier 3.5

MENLO PARK, CA - Nuance unveils latest version of voice authentication software that aims to boost performance across a wide range of industries.

Apptera Introduces Packaged Applications for Financial Services

SAN BRUNO, CA - Financial Services Suite includes a set of speech applications to automate an array of transactions.

Loquendo Presents New Italian Male Voice

TURIN, ITALY - Silvana, Valentina and Paola, are Loquendo's Italian female voices.

ScanSoft and Unified Communications Announce the Launch of OneVoice

COMCENTRE, SINGAPORE - Customers can access their personal address book, a public address book, calendar and information services using speech commands.

iVoice Announces Spin-off of its Wholly-Owned Subsidiary Trey Resources

MATAWAN, NJ - Trey is engaged in the development of automatic appointment reminder technology and looking to expand its business.

Apptera Introduces Packaged Applications for Financial Services

SAN BRUNO, CA - Financial Services Suite includes a set of speech applications to automate an array of transactions.

Phonetic Systems and Oracle Partner to Deliver Speech-Driven Portal Applications

BILLERICA, MA - To support the integration Oracle is running an internal trial of its voice-enabled corporate directory built upon Phonetic Systems Voice Search Engine.

Kirusa and 8hertz Partner To Deliver Multimodal Applications

BEME, SWITZERLAND - Kirusa and 8hertz to promote each other's multimodal solutions and application development services across Europe and North America.

Sennheiser Communications Releases Three USB Headsets

OLD LYME, CT - Units are designed for the gaming market.

SRC Introduces Packaged Speech Recognition Services

LONDON, ENGLAND - SRC's packaged speech recognition service captures caller's name and address details over the telephone.

Kurzweil Educational Systems Announces Kurzweil 3000

Kurzweil 3000 includes audio and word usage tools designed to enhance learning.

Gary Barnett Named Aspect President and CEO

SAN JOSE, CA - Aspects interim CEO since August 2003, Barnett will serve in that capacity on a permanent basis.

Angel.com Launches IVR for Web Services

MCLEAN, VA - Angel.com announced the rollout of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems for Web services.

ScanSoft Introduces RealSpeak Word Solution

RealSpeak Word is based on a coding-by-synthesis model rather than the traditional method of recording audio data.

VoiceObjects Secures Order from German Bank

COLOGNE, GERMANY - Postbank deployment will be based on a new automated telephone banking system.