PipeBeach and Marand Deliver Carrier-grade VoiceXML Platform to Mobitel

STOCKHOLM SWEDEN - PipeBeach, a provider of open voice server platforms and applications for telecom operators together with Marand announced the deployment of the PipeBeach carrier-grade speechWeb VoiceXML platform by Slovenian mobile telephony operator Mobitel. Mobitel has deployed speechWeb, the carrier-grade voice server platform from PipeBeach, and a number of VoiceXML based applications developed by Marand for immediate commercial service. Several of the launched applications have been migrated from a non-standards based IVR-system to the open speechWeb platform provided by PipeBeach. Initially the user interface to the applications is based on touch-tone commands and it is prepared for easy upgrade to support speech recognition. The applications offered by Mobitel using speechWeb include news, traffic information, horoscope, weather, cinema and last minute travel information. During wintertime also other services such as snow and weather updates for all Slovenian ski resorts are available. The services can be reached on a single number as well as direct service numbers for the most widely used services. Using VoiceXML's inherent support for web and Internet application development, Marand could develop and migrate the full set of applications within less than a month. The listed services will be followed by new revenue-generating applications that can be deployed without service interruption on the open speechWeb platform. Open voice server platforms provide a number of advantages compared to proprietary IVR systems. By migrating IVR-applications to VoiceXML, mobile operators and service providers can prepare for a seamless and cost-efficient upgrade of the touchtone user interface to a high-quality voice user interface that uses automatic speech recognition and text-to-speech synthesis. Since VoiceXML allows for an open application development model today's service offerings can be rapidly extended with applications developed by the mobile operator, service providers or independent software vendors. "With the open speechWeb VoiceXML platform we get the possibility to rapidly change our Mobile Portal to the customers needs", says Matej Cerne, Project Manager at Mobitel. "We are impressed with the speed our partners Marand and PipeBeach have brought our new Mobile Portal from idea to implementation." "speechWeb and VoiceXML made it possible to, in a record time, develop and deploy a full Mobile Portal for Mobitel. This proves the strength of VoiceXML as a standard", says Borut Fabjan, System Architect and Technology Consultant at Marand. "We are delighted to see the rapidly increased acceptance of the flexible VoiceXML model among telecom operators. Mobile operators in the forefront such as Mobitel see the user benefits and revenue-generating opportunities enabled by the introduction of open voice servers such as our speechWeb platform", says Dominique Sjögren, Vice President of Sales PipeBeach.