TeleCorp PCS and CMVT Introduce First Voice-Activated Voicemail Service in the U.S.
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Wednesday September 13, 11:26 am Eastern Time
Press Release
TeleCorp PCS and Comverse Network Systems Introduce First Voice-Activated Voicemail Service in the U.S.
Latest Technology Delivers Multi-Dialect Recognition, Convenience, Safety and Productivity
ARLINGTON, Va. & WOODBURY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 13, 2000-- TeleCorp PCS, Inc. (NASDAQ NM: TLCP - news), AT&T Wireless' largest affiliate, and Comverse Network Systems, a division of Comverse Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMVT - news), and the world's leading supplier of software and systems enabling network-based enhanced services, announced today the introduction of the nation's first voice-activated voicemail service.
This innovative new service provides TeleCorp's SunCom digital wireless subscribers with the ability to retrieve messages and interact with their voicemail systems verbally. A free service for SunCom subscribers, voice-activated voicemail is now available to customers in Memphis, Tennessee and will be rolled out to SunCom's 36 markets in the coming months.
Voice-activated voicemail frees subscribers from having to awkwardly navigate their voicemail by pressing buttons; instead, they use simple, spoken commands. Users are able to review, respond to and delete messages just as they would using a traditional touch-tone system. Voice-activated voicemail also includes a ``barge-in'' option, which enables the system to recognize spoken commands while a system prompt or message is playing.
Comverse and TeleCorp performed extensive research on this product in TeleCorp's markets to ensure the quality and reliability of this new technology. By working with voice prompt speech samples from areas with unique accents and speech patterns - including New Orleans, Memphis, Puerto Rico and parts of New England - Comverse and TeleCorp have created a voice-activated service with an accuracy level that far exceeds other voice-activated services on the market today and one that specifically accommodates multi-lingual and multi-dialect commands.
Voice-activated voicemail service in Europe has shown to increase airtime usage eight to ten percent as well as provide subscribers real value in convenience and enhanced safety.
``TeleCorp's new voice-activated voicemail service is a real benefit to our customers, offering them increased convenience and productivity as well as enhanced safety,'' said Gerald T. Vento, chairman and CEO of TeleCorp. ``By being the first to roll this advanced service out, we are demonstrating our innovative spirit and our commitment to providing our subscribers with the latest and greatest. To introduce such an offering, we turned to the global leader in voice portal and enhanced services, Comverse Network Systems,'' concluded Vento.
``We are pleased to be delivering exciting advancements in speech recognition and multimedia enhanced services with service providers such as TeleCorp,'' said Itsik Danziger, president of Comverse Network Systems. ``The voice-activated service developed by Comverse and deployed by TeleCorp, has been specifically designed to recognize unique accents and speech patterns, complementing their users' needs and focused on delivering personalized communication services.''
About TeleCorp PCS, Inc.
TeleCorp PCS, Inc has licenses to serve approximately 16.7 million people, and provides its SunCom digital wireless service in the following 36 markets: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Houma, New Iberia, Thibodaux, Hammond, Alexandria and Lake Charles, Louisiana; Memphis, Jackson and Dyersburg, Tennessee; Oxford, Mississippi; Little Rock, Hot Springs, Russellville, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Blytheville, Pine Bluff and Jonesboro, Arkansas; Beaumont, Texas; Columbia/Jefferson City, Missouri; Concord, Manchester, Portsmouth and Nashua, New Hampshire; Worcester, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts; and San Juan, Ponce, Mayaguez, Humacao and Arecibo, Puerto Rico. TeleCorp is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. More information on the company can be found on the Web at telecorppcs.com.
About Comverse Network Systems
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For additional information, visit Comverse Network Systems' web site at <http://www.comversens.com>.
About Comverse Technology, Inc.
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Visit Comverse Technology's web site at comverse.com. |
