Verizon Wireless to License HeyAnita Voice Technology

BEDMINSTER, NJ and LOS ANGELES, CA - Verizon Wireless has licensed technology from HeyAnita to support Voice Gear, Verizon Wireless' suite of voice-enabled services that include voice-activated dialing, voice browsing and corporate e-mail browsing. The companies have signed a multi-year technology licensing agreement under which HeyAnita will provide Verizon Wireless with software and services to deploy a range of enhanced solutions. Jim Straight, vice president, wireless data and Internet services, Verizon Wireless said, "Our technology alliances are integral components of our overall strategy. Advanced, flexible software and service offerings, such as those provided by HeyAnita, allow Verizon Wireless to maintain its leadership position in the wireless industry." "HeyAnita is extremely pleased to have Verizon Wireless as a customer," says Sanjeev Kuwadekar, CEO and co-founder of HeyAnita. "Our product and service offerings fit perfectly with Verizon Wireless' short- and long-term strategies. This multi-year agreement demonstrates Verizon Wireless' commitment to HeyAnita as a technology leader and will serve as the basis for a long-term strategic relationship." The Voice Gear solution provided by HeyAnita utilizes Nuance's automatic speech recognition (ASR) software and Rhetorical's text-to-speech (TTS) software.