New Applications Enable Instant Conferencing from Mobile Devices;
Blend Speech Recognition and Presence Technology
Octave Communications, a leader in instant group communications, today announced new mobility applications that enable wireless carriers and service providers to offer enterprises and consumers a host of new subscription services for instant group communications. The applications, called MeetAbout(TM), utilize Octave hardware and software to allow any mobile phone user to instantly start speaking with multiple members of a buddy list via an "always-on, always available" conference room.
MeetAbout enables mobile users to effortlessly start and attend their instant conferences from any mobile device using simple speech, Web browsers or SS7 signaling. Additionally, the applications utilize network presence technology so a mobile user instantly knows the online presence/availability of an individual or group member being contacted.
Based on Octave's flexible, scalable, open conferencing platform, the next-generation system enables carriers deploying the product to quickly offer subscribers an extensive, robust set of instant group communication services that integrate easily with today's carrier networks and with emerging GPRS and 3G packet-based networks. Octave's mobility applications are designed to provide instant group communication solutions for three primary markets:
--Wireless operators looking to deliver "always on, always available" instant conference services to consumers and corporate customers;
--Conferencing service providers interested in expanding their services; and,
--Wireless application service providers (ASPs)/conference service providers (CSPs) looking to increase revenue by providing high-availability turnkey solutions.
"We are very familiar with Octave products and see their new mobility offering as a way for service providers to differentiate their offerings and add incremental revenue via instant group communications," said Bob Moore, president and CEO, BT Conferencing North America, a division of British Telecom. BT is one of the world's largest global telecommunications companies.
"We have standardized on Octave technology because they share our vision for providing comprehensive conferencing functionality and consistently deliver proven technology that enables us to successfully compete in complex global markets."
"More than ever before, service providers are looking to achieve market leverage and position by offering new enhanced services," said Phil Marshall, senior analyst, Wireless Mobile Technologies, Yankee Group. "Octave's MeetAbout introduction signifies a new paradigm for instant group communication that can have significant impact on the services offered to mobile users by the carrier marketplace. With MeetAbout, wireless carriers are able to enhance the user experience and potentially reduce churn rates, while Octave is able to address a broader range of customers, and facilitate significantly more rapid deployment of their technology and its benefits."
"Octave's development of a carrier-class product for instant group communications enables service providers to target a broader class of customers with strategic new advanced service offerings for the mobile user," said Ron Elwell, CEO, Octave Communications. "Increased opportunities for carriers to enter new markets, coupled with the rapid acceptance of our patent-pending technology, created the right conditions for Octave to establish this new mobility offering. With MeetAbout in our portfolio, Octave is well positioned to serve consumers and corporate accounts by offering providers state-of-the-art mobility solutions."
Product and Technology Overview
Octave's MeetAbout is the industry's first comprehensive mobility solution that arms service providers with technology to transform mobile minutes into incremental service revenues through the deployment of instant group communication solutions. Major product features include:
Total Subscriber Flexibility
Subscribers select participants from a buddy lists from a WAP-enabled mobile phone or PDA, from the telephone via natural speech recognition or SS7 signaling feature codes or browser on a PC. The subscriber can contact the group immediately to talk to them instantly or arrange to speak at a specified time in the future. For immediate communication, participants are called to join the discussion automatically. For future calls, members on the list are sent SMS, Instant Message (IM), or e-mail notifications -- depending on their online presence status at the time the subscriber sends the message or by the individual's default preference. At the scheduled time, the system either calls out to the participants or the participants dial into the system.
Technology Integration
Octave has leveraged technology from its alliances and combined those capabilities with Octave's innovative software and hardware technology to deliver new and differentiated group communication services that enable end users to change the way they communicate.
The MeetAbout solution combines:
Online presence & availability: presence technology from PresenceWorks(TM), a company that provides technology to track individual's presence or availability on the desktop;
Wireless availability & location: Teltier(TM) provides a wireless gateway that enables presence/availability and location information for mobile users; and,
Natural speech recognition: SpeechWorks(TM) speech recognition and text-to-speech technology is included. VoiceGenie(TM) provides a voice XML gateway for the application. (See separate announcement issued today regarding Octave's agreements with PresenceWorks, SpeechWorks, Teltier and VoiceGenie.)
Easy-to-use Personalized Feature Set
MeetAbout allows subscribers or enterprises to update contact information on buddy lists via a subscriber's conference home page, which is accessible from a browser. Buddy lists are available from a Wap-enabled phone, PDA or regular phone via feature codes. Personalized greetings, name recording, and dial-out greetings are available. Individuals not on team lists can easily be included using either speech recognition or browser commands.
Expanded Differentiated Branding
Comprehensive optional private branding is available to the carrier or service provider to brand system announcements, greetings, and the subscriber's Web pages. The provider, Octave, or a third-party vendor can perform the customization.
Enhanced User Controls
The subscriber who initiates contact uses Virtual Operator to hear a roster of participants, determine the number of individuals who have joined the discussion, stop an in-process announcement, lock or unlock the call, or record a call for later playback. Subscribers can also mute their own lines, add new participants, and create side conferences.
Carrier-class System Administration
The system administrator can use Web-based functions to configure network connects, feature codes, tones and messages, and system parameters. The system logs call, conference, network, system and transaction events. Every call generates a call/conference billing record with full call tracking. Real-time status is available for traffic routing, maintenance, and troubleshooting. Alarm logs with severity levels, cause, and source information are maintained. Reports can be accessed from system menus or Web browsers.
Comprehensive Security for Subscribers and Service Providers
MeetAbout includes security features to handle carrier and subscriber access needs and to allow for differing organizational responsibilities within the carrier workforce.
Auto detection of mobile phone identification feature determines whether someone has subscribed to group conferencing. Each team member accesses the system via a password and can set up lists as private or shared.
System
The application leverages Octave's high reliability platforms, open Application Programming Interface (API), and UNIX-based servers to manage the telephony/ conferencing components that process real-time audio and provide network connectivity. The highly scalable system provides the telephony voice interfaces to the PSTN and wireless networks using T1/ ISDN/E1 interfaces and also supports native Voice over IP (VoIP) to IP-based Internet and wireless networks. Based on Sun Solaris, the system is a central control point for managing all processes and core services such as subscriber database repositories (subscriber information, group list, billing information, etc.), call processing, voice recognition, presence, SS7 and other control services.
Pricing and availability
MeetAbout is currently available. The application uses peak capacity pricing of $695 per simultaneous user. For more information, email info@octavecomm.com or call 603/459-5200.
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