MetroPCS Launches Fully Automated Voice Mail-to-Text Service

Dallas-based wireless carrier MetroPCS Communications has launched a fully automated voicemail-to-text service. This feature, powered by Yap,automatically converts voicemail messages to text messages and sends the content as a text or email message, eliminating the need to dial in and listen to voicemail or write down details.

"Customers are keenly interested in the latest wireless innovation combined with the greatest value," said Roger D. Linquist, president, CEO, and chairman of the board of MetroPCS. "Automated conversion of voicemails to text is the biggest innovation to voicemail in decades. By converting messages to text and sending along as email or SMS, MetroPCS voicemail becomes a convenient real-time communication tool akin to instant messaging and email itself."

"We've truly reached a tipping point where the accuracy of fully automated voicemail-to-text solutions rival, and in some cases exceed, that of human transcribed offerings," said Igor Jablokov, CEO at Yap. "We worked very closely with the MetroPCS team to deploy a service that makes their subscribers' mobile experience more compelling. Voicemail transcriptions can be read, replied, forwarded, stored and searched, just like email."

A key feature to the service is the inclusion of a voice file attached to a converted email message. The file can be saved as a keepsake for sentimental messages or reviewed to determine the caller's mood and inflection when necessary.

MetroPCS offers automated voicemail-to-text service to customers as an a-la-carte add on for $3. MetroPCS has more than 6.6 million subscribers.