VoiceXML Forum Launches Platform Certification Program

NEW YORK, NY - The VoiceXML Forum announced the launch of the VoiceXML Platform Certification Program. The Program consists of a series of tests to determine whether a VoiceXML platform is fully compliant with the latest release of the VoiceXML standard. The VoiceXML Forum has engaged CT Labs to perform the certification testing. Beginning this month, Forum members Vocalocity, VoiceGenie Technologies, Inc. and Voxpilot Ltd. will work with the Forum and CT Labs to test their platforms during the Program's pilot. The Forum intends to expand its VoiceXML certification program in the future to include VoiceXML-compliance certification of applications and tools. "By ensuring that certified VoiceXML platforms meet the requirements specified by the W3C standards, the VoiceXML Forum will help to assure interoperability across platforms, tools and applications," said newly appointed VoiceXML Forum chairman Igor Jablokov. "Our goal is to help eliminate customer confusion over language compatibility and functionality and to accelerate market adoption for speech-enabled applications worldwide." "VoiceGenie has always been an industry forerunner in providing full support for VoiceXML specifications with our speech platform solutions and we are keen to continue this trend as one of the very first companies to participate in the Certification Program," said Adrian Lee-Kwen, vice president of engineering with VoiceGenie. "We fully expect that the VoiceXML Platform Certification will become a mandatory requirement as a means to provide customer assurance that platforms adhere to proper and full implementation of the standards." The Certification Program was conceived and will be managed by the VoiceXML Forum Conformance Committee with support from the IEEE-ISTO and NCC Group. The members of the Conformance Committee represent a range of companies in the speech and telecom industries. Many of the members of the Conformance Committee are also members of the W3C Voice Browser Working Group. Initially, the VoiceXML Platform Certification Program will test for compliance with the VoiceXML 2.0 Candidate Recommendation and the W3C's VoiceXML 2.0 Implementation Report. Following the Program's pilot, VoiceXML platform vendors will be able to submit their products for testing and certification by the VoiceXML Forum. VoiceXML-certified platforms will be listed on the Forum's Web site. Now, the Conformance Test Suite to be used by the VoiceXML Forum and CT Labs in the Certification Program is available, at no charge, for public download from the VoiceXML Forum Web site.