Intervoice, Inc. (Nasdaq:INTV), the world leader in converged voice
and data solutions, has announced that its IP-based multimedia enhanced
solution released in early 2005, Omvia(R) Media Exchange, can equip
wireless service providers with value-added, revenue-generating services
to fight customer churn while empowering subscribers with real-time
personalization options. Omvia Media Exchange offers service providers
an attractive suite of multimedia applications -- such as
voice-navigated messaging, custom ringback tones, email, images and
video --all from a single subscriber mailbox with an intuitive,
easy-to-use self-service portal. The timely solution provides
leading-edge services such as the advanced speech navigation of voice
mail, text-to-speech-based email retrieval and deposit as well as
voice-to-MMS push/pull. Intervoice is addressing the growing momentum of
wireless telecommunications services on a global basis with the
announcement of a significant order received for its Omvia Media
Exchange solution to an international distributor in Latin America as
well as from Turkcell, the leading network operator in Turkey, announced
in March 2005.
According to a recent report from Frost & Sullivan, a leading
industry analyst firm, the timing could not be better for carriers to
deploy other wireless services to sustain the market pressures and
create an opportunity to revenue generation through existing customers.
In this environment, network operators and carriers are increasingly
betting on wireless data services. Additionally, the analyst report
stated that the mobile youth market in North America is the highest
growth market in the world. Almost 44 percent of 10 to 18 year olds in
the United States own cell phones--which accounts for a market of 16
million users. Coming of age in a world where information is real-time,
younger people tend to prefer sending short messages (SMS) and Instant
Messages (IM) to each other rather than use traditional voicemail. Frost
& Sullivan also estimates that with close to 2.5 billion messages
being sent monthly in the U.S., the market for various types of mobile
messaging concepts is definitely poised for tremendous growth.(1)
In addressing explosive growth of the youth market, Intervoice
recently announced a messaging capability to combine the advantages of
voicemail and text messaging to a new generation of subscribers while
helping carriers to drive greater demand. As another compelling,
innovative capability of Omvia Media Exchange, the Media Messaging
service from Intervoice allows subscribers to receive their voice
messages almost immediately in the form of a Multimedia Messaging
Service (MMS) message containing a voice file accompanied by a picture,
avatar or graphical image.
Increased adoption of prepaid wireless services is another
contributing factor to the growing volume of cellphone ownership.
Prepaid services have been growing at an average 18 percent in recent
years and are viewed as the main way to reach the roughly 40 percent of
Americans who do not yet have a cellphone. Prepaid usage currently
accounts for more than half of wireless users in Germany and the United
Kingdom. Since prepaid wireless has a reputation for high churn, service
providers must provide exceptional service to retain client
relationships.
"Wireless communications are definitely here to stay but
subscribers' allegiance to their providers may be in
question," said Ron Nieman, Intervoice senior vice president and
general manager, Network Strategic Market Unit. "As predicted,
Americans have finally mirrored comparable global adoption rates of
cellphone usage resulting in increased pressure on service providers to
meet subscribers' demands for dynamic new applications while
driving revenue, uptake and average revenue per unit (ARPU). Omvia Media
Exchange from Intervoice gives services providers heightened
responsiveness to the rapidly evolving marketplace needed for a
competitive edge," added Nieman.
About Intervoice
Intervoice, Inc. (Nasdaq:INTV) provides leading enterprises,
network operators and developers with the platform, software,
applications and services necessary to optimize the customer experience
through voice automation solutions. Omvia(R), the open, standards-based
Intervoice product suite, offers unparalleled flexibility for advanced
multi-media messaging, portal, IVR and payment applications. The
company's two business units focus on enterprise and network
markets, providing solutions that improve operational efficiencies,
drive revenue and increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Building
on more than 20 years of systems integration and service delivery
experience, the Professional Services Agility Suite from Intervoice is
designed to provide proven best practices toward design, implementation,
and optimization of voice applications. Intervoice systems are proven in
more than 23,000 implementations worldwide across all industries
including: Ameritrade, Amtrak, Atmos Energy, Citibank, CSX
Transportation, MasterCard, O2, Rogers Wireless, SBC, Travelocity,
Verizon and Vodafone. A Microsoft Certified Partner and Certified
Partner for Learning Solutions, Intervoice is headquartered in Dallas
with offices in Europe, the Middle East, South America, Africa and
Asia-Pacific. For more information, visit http://www.intervoice.com. (1)
Frost & Sullivan, "North American Mobile Messaging
Market," July 5, 2005.
For more information, call 972/454-8231 or visit
http://www.intervoice.com.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Worldwide
Videotex Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Copyright 2005, Gale Group. All rights
reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.
NOTE: All illustrations and photos have been removed from this article.