SpeechWorks and Lucent Deliver Voice-Driven Messaging to Service Providers

BOSTON, MA - SpeechWorks International Inc. (Nasdaq: SPWX) announced that Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU) has selected SpeechWorks' text-to-speech (TTS) software for the company's unified communications platform, Lucent's AnyPath Messaging System. Lucent's latest messaging platform, which is marketed to network service providers worldwide, now features SpeechWorks' ETI-Eloquence TTS engine as one of its available TTS engines. SpeechWorks' TTS technology gives end-users an intuitive experience to access and manage voice, fax and email messages from any phone, PC, PDA or Web browser. "We are excited to be working with SpeechWorks," said J.J. Lhospital, vice president and general manager for Messaging Solutions at Lucent. "Lucent's leadership and large customer base in the messaging market, coupled with SpeechWorks' text-to-speech technologies, make a powerful combination for delivering speech-enabled applications to network service providers. They are looking for ways to generate new revenue streams for themselves, while providing valuable new services to their customers, and our AnyPath system meets that mark." The AnyPath Messaging System enables subscribers to access and manage all of their communications needs - voicemail, e-mail, faxes, text messages, voice-activated Web browsing, etc. - using a telephone, wireless device, or PC. Subscribers, for example, can retrieve voicemails via their PC, listen to their e-mails on the phone, browse the Web using their wireless device, use voice commands to initiate calls from their address book, or attach an e-mail to a voicemail message and forward it. The AnyPath system provides full text-to-speech capabilities, voice-activated dialing, and speech-activated messaging. In addition, the system offers speech-activated Web access via a Personal Communications Information Portal for access to personalized Web-based information channels that offer news, sports, entertainment, and more. The AnyPath system has the capability to gather content from other e-mail and text messaging systems and supports multiple languages. "In today's highly competitive telecommunications market, service providers are fighting to maintain their market position and to differentiate themselves from the competition," said Steve Chambers, chief marketing officer at SpeechWorks. "We are pleased to join forces with Lucent to offer speech-powered applications that will keep service providers on the cutting-edge of offering exciting telecommunications services. This solution offers an attractive return on their investment for the service provider, while, at the same time, delivering value to the end user."