Speech-recognition technology has been around for nearly twenty years, but unreliable recognition accuracy has plagued developers and frustrated users. However, in the last two years, with accuracy at almost 95 percent the market for voice applications is ready to take off.

According to Cahners In-Stat Group, the speech-recognition software market will grow from $200-million today to $2.7-billion by 2005.

Such predictions are not surprising to two speech-recognition software companies, Tellme and HeyAnita, both of which have signed agreements with a major carrier.

Last month, Tellme signed a letter of intent with AT&T Wireless, which last year invested $60-million in the software company, to carry popular voice applications such as its weather updates, traffic reports, stock queries, and sport scores. AT&T Wireless expects to offer its subscribers the voice services later this year. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies plan to explore the provisioning of more advanced voice communication and messaging applications for the carrier’s mobile customers.

Recently, Sprint PCS said it will deploy HeyAnita’s voice-activated Web services. Like AT&T Wireless’ subscribers, Sprint’s users will have access to Internet-based information via a series of voice prompts. After an extensive search, Sprint went with HeyAnita because of its voice browser’s ability to customize subscriber offerings, its scalability for a nationwide rollout, and its ease of use, said Nancy Sherrer, a spokesperson for Sprint.

HeyAnita’s CEO Sanjeev Kuwadekar said that Sprint will launch the service nationwide by spring, while landline customers will have to wait to the end of the year.

For more information:
http://www.tellme.com/about/releases/010321.html
http://www.heyanita.com/news/pr010416.htm