Intel Announces Two Standards-based Software Building Blocks
NEW YORK, NY - Intel announced Intel® NetMerge(tm) Call Manager and Intel® NetStructure(tm) Host Media Processing 1.1, two standards-based software building blocks that run on Intel processor-based servers to enable flexible, lower-cost speech and advanced voice solutions for enterprise customers.
Intel NetMerge Call Manager offers application developers a way to integrate the Microsoft Speech Server with an enterprise existing telephony network. The software uses advanced capabilities within Intel's telephony hardware to construct telephone services from the programming elements that are presented to the application developer. As a result, applications can be built without focusing design resources on the complexities of the underlying telephone network. Intel NetMerge Call Manager and other Intel connectivity products such as Intel® Dialogic® telephony boards are key elements of the speech server reference architecture that has been jointly developed by Microsoft and Intel.
"There is little disagreement about the benefits of speech as a user interface. However, the traditionally high deployment barriers - cost, complexity, and a limited ecosystem - have prevented widespread adoption," said X.D. Huang, general manager for the Speech Technologies group at Microsoft. "Microsoft has the stated goal of 'making speech mainstream.' Intel shares this vision and we are pleased to be working with them to help make speech technology more accessible." Intel also introduced Intel NetStructure Host Media Processing 1.1 software that will further reduce the cost and complexity of voice-enabling enterprise applications by eliminating the need for specialized telephony boards with digital signal processors. With this software developers can build flexible, IP media servers for interactive voice response services, voice mail, conferencing, fax servers and other telephony applications. The software is compliant with the leading Internet telephony standards, including SIP, H.323 and H.450.2.
"With Intel NetStructure Host Media Processing and Intel architecture processors, we gain tremendous advantage in the area of cost, scalability and flexibility," said Mike Durance, vice president and general manager of Toshiba's Telecommunication Systems Division. These platforms also give us the confidence that we can solve our customers' needs today, while addressing their evolving needs in the future." Intel NetMerge Call Manager software is currently beta testing with select customers. It will be generally available in the first quarter of next year when the Microsoft Speech Server becomes available. Pricing for Intel NetMerge Call Manager will be set at that time. Intel NetStructure Host Media Processing 1.1 software is currently available from Intel Authorized Distributors at approximately $20-$112 per port based on the functionality needed.