Z-Tel Technologies Licenses Nuance's Speech Recognition Technology
TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 24, 2001--
Speech Recognition Capability and Access to Voice Web to Become Standard Features of Z-Line Home Edition(TM)
Z-Tel Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZTEL), a provider of advanced, integrated communications services to residential customers, and Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:NUAN) announced today that they have entered into an agreement for Z-Tel to license Nuance's speech recognition software, including Nuance(R) 7.0, Nuance's Voyager(TM) voice browser and Verifier(TM) voice authentication products. Z-Tel intends to use this software to integrate speech recognition capability into its bundled local and long distance service package, Z-Line Home Edition, and eventually make speech recognition a standard feature of the Z-Line offering.
When fully implemented, Nuance's Voyager will allow Z-Line Home Edition subscribers to use simple voice commands to place calls, retrieve messages, conduct transactions and access the Web over the phone. Subscribers will be able to access the speech recognition features by dialing "00" on their home phone or by calling a toll free access number from any other phone.
Through the integration of Voyager with Z-Line, Z-Tel plans to be able to provide customers with a standard voice interface that will allow them to access a broad range of telecommunications services, including voicemail, email, directory assistance and voice-activated dialing. The voice interface would also allow subscribers to access voice-enabled Web content and commerce sites, or Voice Sites, using simple spoken commands and their telephone. Voyager can also provide continuous call control, allowing users to place multiple phone calls and navigate between Voice Sites, without ever having to hang up the phone.
"Nuance's Voyager will be able to give Z-Line subscribers immediate access to the growing Voice Web of interconnected, voice-enabled Internet sites and applications, just by speaking," explains Ronald Croen, president and CEO of Nuance. "We believe that Z-Tel's speech-enabled services will make the touchtone dial pad obsolete and dramatically expand the way people use the telephone."
In addition to Voyager, Z-Tel will also be using Nuance's SpeechObjects(TM) and VoiceXML, the emerging standards for voice-driven applications.
"We are enthusiastic about our new relationship with Nuance," said Gregg Smith, president and CEO of Z-Tel. "We are building a more robust product by working toward integrating speech recognition into our core service offering, and Voyager is a critical element of that offering. This speech recognition initiative demonstrates that Z-Tel is committed to the evolution of product and service innovations. Not only will speech recognition eventually allow our customers be able to pick up the phone and say, `call Mom,' but with our City of America program, if `Mom' is a also Z-Line Home Edition member, that call will be free, even if she lives on the other side of the country."
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 BeVocal, Lycos, Merrill Lynch, Nomura Securities, Sprint PCS, and Tellme Networks. 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. For more information about Nuance, visit www.nuance.com or call 1-888-NUANCE-8.
Nuance, Voyager, Verifier and SpeechObjects are registered trademarks or trademarks of Nuance Communications, Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
About Z-Tel Technologies, Inc.(TM)
Z-Tel Technologies, Inc. provides consumers bundled local and long distance telephone services, combined with enhanced, Internet-based communications features that enable them to manage all of their voice communications needs. Z-Tel currently sells this bundle as "Z-Line Home Edition(TM)" in seventeen states, representing over sixty percent of the U.S. population, and had 256,000 active customers at the end of the third quarter of 2000. For more information about this innovative new service or about Z-Tel, please visit the Company's web site at www.z-tel.com.
Z-Tel Technologies, Inc. is a trademark, and Z-Tel is a registered trademark, of Z-Tel Technologies, Inc.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Nuance and Z-Tel that are based upon current expectations and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. In order for Z-Tel and Nuance to utilize the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, you are hereby cautioned, and Z-Tel and Nuance hereby note, that these statements may be affected by the risk that favorable growth and financial trends may not continue; the risk that Z-Tel will be unable to efficiently and successfully enter new markets, the risk that Z-Tel's existing financing will not be sufficient to fund anticipated growth and that additional financing may not be available on favorable terms or at all, the risk that further state expansion by Z-Tel may not be achieved, the risk that Z-Tel and Nuance will be unable to successfully integrate speech recognition capability into Z-Tel's bundled local and long distance service package, Z-Line Home Edition, and make speech recognition a standard feature of the Z-Line offering in the manner and with the functions currently contemplated or at all, the risk that Z-Tel's customers may not be receptive to, or accept, or find value in, a voice-based navigation system, as well as the risk factors described in detail in Z-Tel's 1999 Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed March 28, 2000 and in Nuance's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2000; and in Z-Tel's and Nuance's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Z-Tel undertakes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements.
CONTACT:
Nuance, Menlo Park
Matt Keowen, 650/847-7836
mkeowen@nuance.com
or
Z-Tel Technologies, Inc., Tampa
Doug Jackson, 813/233-4779
djackson@z-tel.com
KEYWORD: FLORIDA CALIFORNIA
BW0084 JAN 24,2001
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