Verascape Launches VeraServ 2.0 VXML Platform

Verascape announced the release of VeraServ 2.0, the latest version of its VoiceXML speech platform. It has been enhanced to offer further benefits to enterprise customers, service providers and voice ASPs.

VeraServ 2.0 incorporates the latest in VoiceXML standard upgrades to ensure application portability between platforms and Nuance 8.0 speech recognition software, which improves recognition accuracy, especially for mobile phone users. And, with the January 2003 launch of VeraServ 2.1, Verascape will deliver call push functionality, offering VeraServ customers new avenues for outbound customer interaction, such as alert notifications and automated surveys.

"Verascape is on the move," said Rich Houser, chief technology officer, Verascape. "Version 2.0, which we're launching at SpeechTek, reaffirms our position as the most open, scalable, reliable, and manageable platform on the market."

Version 2.0 enhancements include support for two W3C standards - Speech Synthesis Mark-up Language (SSML) and Speech Recognition Grammar Specification (SRGS). Since these standards are independent of the underlying speech recognition and speech synthesis technologies, customers can write platform-independent applications. Platform independence provides customers flexibility to migrate between hosted or on-premise deployments, eliminating the lock-in caused by proprietary VoiceXML solutions.

"It's very important for our customers to maintain application interoperability and staying current with the latest standards is the best way to ensure that," said Houser.

Version 2.1 will include the addition of call push functionality, which allows recipients to interact with outbound VoiceXML applications.

Verascape has used the VeraServ platform to run multiple call push applications, including one with U.K.-based MASC Communications, a Verascape partner.

"We've successfully demonstrated that we can continuously utilize VeraServ's full capacity for outbound calls, and make full use of all available telco resources," said Houser.

"Given the massive scalability of the VeraServ platform, we'll be positioned to address the outbound communication needs of even the largest enterprise and telemarketing firms. Verascape's telco-grade solution has a superb platform for our commercial deployments," said Simon Farr, chief technology officer, MASC. "MASC's operational prowess in VoiceXML and VeraServ's call push capability deliver real cost savings through voice applications."