Phonetic Systems and Infospace to Deliver Speech-Enabled Directory Service Applications
BEDFORD, Mass. and BELLEVUE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 14, 2001--
Applications to provide a non-operator assisted directory service to wireless carriers and voice service providers, and further connect
InfoSpace's base of online and offline merchants with buyers
Phonetic Systems and Infospace, Inc. (NASDAQ: INSP - news) today announced an agreement to provide non-operator assisted, speech-enabled directory service applications for wireless carriers and voice service providers. The directory service applications will also extend the reach of InfoSpace's base of online, offline, local, national and international merchants. The applications make use of Phonetic Systems' ability to voice-enable large and dynamic directories, and InfoSpace's wireless and Internet software and application services.
Phonetic Systems' patented Voice Search EngineTM (VSE) technology, which scales to voice-enable millions of records allowing users to rapidly access information from virtually any size directory, is planned to be combined with the InfoSpace Speech Platform and speech-enabled directory service applications. The directory service applications allow users to request residential or business listings by simply speaking their request to a speech technology system.
For example, a caller dials a number to get a business listing and hears the prompt, ``Please say the city and state.'' Once the caller responds, they are prompted with ``please say the business name.'' When the listing is found, the system responds with the requested number and gives the caller a choice of one or more options. They can choose to complete the call, save the listing to their personal address book or receive the listing via SMS.
``This relationship with InfoSpace is an important step in the continuing evolution of the voice-automated directory search market,'' said JD Howard, CEO, Phonetic Systems. ``Phonetic Systems has demonstrated its strategic commitment to automating directory assistance for the explosive wireless carrier market. We are excited about our relationship and we look forward to working together to create and deliver a valuable new service for wireless phone users.''
``We are focused on speech-enabling InfoSpace's platform and applications with the wireless carrier in mind,'' said Naveen Jain, chairman and CEO of InfoSpace, Inc. ``At the same time, we are focused on applications that derive revenue and we believe directory services are perfect examples of these efforts. We believe that our agreement with Phonetic Systems and their strong technology, combined with our platform and applications, will create a valuable and cost-effective new service for customers, as well as merchants.'' |
