Nuance Cements Leadership in Voice Portal Market
Voice Portals Bring Internet-Based Information and Services to Every Phone
MENLO PARK, Calif., Feb. 22, 2000 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuance today announced its Voice Web Portal Program, a strategic initiative designed to speed the development of the voice and mobile portal marketplace, and the emergence of the Voice Web. The program provides a comprehensive set of products and services for the creation of voice-driven Internet content, commerce and services for delivery over the telephone. Charter program members include leading voice and mobile portal service companies such as BeVocal, Curious Networks, General Magic, GoSolo, NetByTel, Parigon Communications (formerly Authentix), Star*Free, U-Access, Ucallnet, VocalPoint, Webley and Xtime.
``Voice portals bring the power of the Internet to the more than 1.5 billion phones around the world,' said Ronald Croen, president and CEO of Nuance. ``These portals herald the emergence of a Voice Web that has tremendous growth potential. Nuance is committed to supporting the efforts of these companies and partners through the delivery of products that embrace open standards and enable the cost-effective creation of voice interfaces to the Internet.'
About the Voice Web
The convergence of the Internet and the telephone is now forming a vast new network -- a Voice Web -- where Internet content and commerce can be accessed from any phone, anywhere in the world using spoken commands. Similar to Web portals like Excite and others, voice portals aggregate and offer a variety of content via the telephone. Everything from driving directions to stock quotes, commerce to personalized information services are delivered by these portals. A number of voice portals, content providers, network carriers and e-businesses are helping to build the foundation for the Voice Web.
Vital to realizing this vision is core technology from Nuance: including speech recognition and voice authentication software; SpeechObjects(TM), reusable components that speed development of speech applications; and the Nuance Voyager(TM) voice browser. Through Voyager's standard voice interface, users can navigate the vast resources of the interconnected Voice Web.
``Since the birth of toll-free 800 number in the '60s, Americans have adopted the phone as the most convenient way to get information and conduct transactions,' said Mark Plakias, director, voice and wireless commerce at The Kelsey Group. ``What Nuance is doing with its Voice Web portal strategy will drive the next revolution in voice commerce that is every bit as fundamental, fusing the 'dot com' world with the ubiquitous phone and wireless handset. The Bell System drove the first revolution, but Nuance's Voice Web Portal Program recognizes that the next one might be driven by three guys in a garage.'
About the Voice Web Portal Program
The Voice Web Portal Program is designed to assist emerging voice and mobile portal companies throughout the process of building and deploying voice portal applications, and to establish the standards upon which the Voice Web will be built. Members of the program will be able to designate their applications and services as ``Voice Web Ready,' indicating compatibility with emerging Voice Web standards such as VoiceXML and SpeechObjects. Voice Web Portal Program highlights include:
-- Nuance speech recognition and voice authentication software licenses
for prototyping and piloting applications
-- Voice interface design consulting
-- Demonstration coaching
-- Nuance Developer Network memberships
-- Business development support linking voice portals with content
providers
-- Technical support
-- Co-marketing support
Next week, Nuance will exhibit at the CTIA Wireless 2000 show in New Orleans, Feb. 28 - Mar. 1, 2000 in the Authentix/Parigon Communications booth, #2267.
About Nuance
Nuance develops, markets and supports a voice interface software platform that makes the information and services of enterprises, telecommunications networks and the Internet accessible from any telephone. Every day, millions of people interact with Nuance systems at blue chip companies like American Airlines, Charles Schwab, The Home Shopping Network, Lloyds TSB, Sears and United Parcel Service. Nuance is also driving the creation of the Voice Web and delivering software for V-Commerce(TM) (voice-enabled e-commerce) services and applications. Nuance is headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif. with global sales offices and partners supporting solutions in multiple languages around the world. To experience Nuance's state of the art technology, call 888-NUANCE-8 or visit www.nuance.com.
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