SpeechWorks Introduces SpeechSecure Server to Support Distributed Network Architectures

BOSTON, MA - SpeechWorks International Inc. (Nasdaq: SPWX), a developer of speech technologies and services, announced the immediate availability of its SpeechSecure Server 2.0 speaker verification software. SpeechSecure Server adds support for SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) version 1.2 as an XML-based messaging protocol to enable a web service model for speaker verification. The use of SOAP provides deployment flexibility for partners and customers by allowing SpeechSecure to be supported with a variety of programming models and operating systems within a standards-based framework. SOAP has been submitted to the W3C as a proposed standard and is being adopted by a growing list of organizations. "Edify has long supported open standards, like SOAP, in our platform," said Ted Bray, senior product manager of voice products at Edify. "With SpeechWorks' adoption of SOAP, we are now able to quickly integrate our multi-channel contact center solutions to their speaker verification offering." SpeechSecure utilizes patented voice biometric technology to verify a caller's identity based on the vocal pattern characteristics that are unique to each individual. SpeechSecure verifies if a caller is authorized to access desired information by comparing a caller's utterance with the reference voiceprint model associated with the claimed account. This not only provides organizations with another layer of security against external intruders, but also prevents sharing of passwords between employees and others with internal access to secure systems. SpeechSecure Server includes logging and reporting specifically focused on speaker verification events and performance metrics and is compatible with Microsoft SQL Server software as the voiceprint data repository. Since it is compatible with a Web services deployment model, SpeechSecure Server 2.0 can be deployed across network-based architectures for greater flexibility and scalability. It can also be managed independently of other network resources, allowing for additional security for voiceprint management, maintenance and overall performance. With support for standard HTTP (Hyper Text Transport Protocol) and SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) transport and messaging protocols, SpeechSecure Server 2.0 reduces platform and application integration requirements. These standard messaging and data format protocols enable faster deployment of speaker verification solutions for distributed telephony architectures supporting speech recognition or touchtone (DTMF) applications. "Secure access to information continues to be a top priority for organizations around the world," said Steve Chambers, chief marketing officer at SpeechWorks. "By simplifying the deployment of advanced speaker verification solutions and adopting a standards-based approach, SpeechSecure Server can be deployed in a wider variety of networks across global industries. This allows more of our customers to benefit from the security and convenience that speaker verification can provide."