Nuance Cements Leadership In Voice Portal Market
Voice Portals Bring Internet-based Information and
Services to Every Phone
MENLO PARK, Calif. - Feb. 22, 2000 - 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?,
reusable components that speed development of speech applications; and
the Nuance Voyager„ 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? (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 1-888-NUANCE-8 or visit www.nuance.com.
nuance.com
NUAN IPO scheduled for the week of 4/3 if I'm not mistaken.
Regards,
John Madarasz |
