Automatic speech-recognition systems have won acceptance among decision-makers in recent years. The mood in voice business is optimistic. Experts estimate only ten percent of the potential applications for speech-processing have been exploited, and the transfer of know-how from pioneers to newcomers has only just begun.

More transparency is necessary. Until now, there has been no English news-channel to address decision-makers, designers and developers, and serve their specific needs. Most of the available information is of commercial origin and only conditionally applicable for planning, implementation and tuning of speech applications.

One reason is that the market for speech applications is very fragmented. This complex technology requires successful coordination of products from multiple suppliers. There is often a shortage of informed technical knowledge available in the planning phase, because there is no forum for the exchange of information about speech solutions. In addition, far too few developers know enough about dialog-design. Rapid growth in this market will soon reveal the dearth of qualified specialists critical for the success of speech applications.

The requirement: On the one hand, customers demand show-cases and individual prototypes before they are prepared to invest in voice applications; on the other hand, there are hardly any reasonably-priced platforms for development and testing.

Our mission: Establish a network of competence for speech technology
Thus the SPEECH Community has a clear assignment: to be a catalyst for the spread of speech technology:

• as a COMMUNICATION PLATFORM for systematic exchange of information among experts.
• to organize KNOWLEDGE-TRANSFER with case studies and whitepapers
• help provide REASONABLY-PRICED SOLUTIONS for companies of all sizes
• to offer a RAPID, SIMPLE, and INEXPENSIVE introduction to the development of speech applications
• Last, but not least, to promote the use of OPEN STANDARDS

Bernhard Steimel, Jens Klemann
Publishers
publisher@SPEECH-community.com

In 2004 two German consulting firms under Bernhard Steimel (mind Business Consultants) and Jens Klemann (STRATECO) performed in-depth research for a market report about the speech business. One of their conclusions was that the market urgently needed an information and knowledge hub.

With the support of market players like T-Com, Nuance, Genesys and VoiceObjects they launched the web based VOICE Community in early 2005, offering a news channel focused on five areas of voice business in Germany, a great variety of best practice case studies, technical information, whitepapers, market reports, tutorials and a discussion forum.

www.voice-community.de was an instant success – in the first year alone the community gained more than 1.000 members, won more than 20 renowned expert writers, and built up a content base of more than 350 web pages full of relevant, commercial free content.

In 2006 VOICE Community introduced the first free of charge online development and testing centre in the German speaking world and for the first time in the industries history offered a platform that allowed anybody to learn, develop and test speech applications. Today the VOICE Community offers more than 100 best practice case studies, more than 100 expert’s articles and a huge number of specifications, code examples, tutorials etc. They published more than 800 news articles only in 2006 and convinced more than 300 developers or companies to use the free of charge development and test centre.

The stunning success of this project has been internationally recognised: with the United Kingdom and Ireland divisions of Genesys and Nuance asking the publishers to internationalise the concept and to start a SPEECH Community in UK.

SPEECH Community only works with selected partners, who supplement our portfolio of technologies and services so that we can provide optimal solutions for our membership.

All information provided is free of charge for registered users, provided for knowledge-transfer only, and free of advertisements.

Partners of SPEECH Community are:

BT has been active in Germany since 1995. Today BT is one of the country’s leading suppliers of networked IT services, with more than 1,000 corporate and public sector customers. We help our customers improve their national and global competitiveness, building solutions matched to their individual needs.

BT Germany offers a wide range of networked IT products, services and expertise, from voice telephony, hosting and storage to solutions for call centres, mobile working, security and business continuity. These range from standardised products to managed services and the outsourcing of entire operations.

BT Germany has over 1,400 employees and in the financial year 2006/07 (Status: 31.3.2007) had a turnover of EUR 838 million - about 6% up on the previous year.

Find out more on www.btglobalservices.com

Envox Worldwide is headquartered in Boston, with other major offices located in London, Singapore, Stockholm, and Zagreb. The company has a global network of channel partners including VADs, VARs, System Integrators, Service and Solution Providers, ISVs, OEMs, ASPs, consultants and other resellers. Envox is committed to the long-term success of its partners and customers by providing outstanding support and services, timely product introductions and enhancements and maintaining its "price/performance" advantage.

Envox Worldwide's goal is to maintain a leadership position in the evolving Voice Solutions market. Key drivers in this market include significant cost reductions, improved customer service, the creation of new revenue sources, facilitating commerce and the shift to open, standards-based solutions. Key market segments that the company is focused on include interactive voice response (IVR), enhanced self-service, contact center & CRM, automated directory assistance, alerts and notifications, mobile Internet, voice portals, carrier services and unified communications among others.

Envox Worldwide has established strategic relationships with key technology partners throughout the voice solutions market such as Dialogic, Nuance and Microsoft. These companies work closely with Envox Worldwide to ensure the kind of tight product integration that leads to successful solutions development and customer satisfaction. Together with its technology and channel partners, Envox Worldwide offers a total solution by providing products, solutions, consulting services, system integration services, training and support.

Find out more on www.envox.com