Sasktel First with SpinVox ‘Real Visual Voicemail’

Sasktel First with SpinVox ‘Real Visual Voicemail’

SaskTel signs deal with SpinVox for Voice-to-Screen™ services

SpinVox, the world expert in Voice-to-Screen messaging for consumer, enterprise and carrier markets, today announced an agreement with SaskTel, the leading full service communications provider in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, to roll-out SpinVox Voice-to-Screen services to its customers. The agreement extends SpinVox’s rapidly growing footprint in North America.

As the first carrier to deploy SpinVox Voice-to-Screen services in Canada, SaskTel will be able to offer its subscribers the ability to have their voice messages converted to text and sent directly to their cell phone, or as email to their PC. The service works with any cell phone, requires no software download or upgrades and is immediately available to any subscriber, anywhere. Now, at glance, you can see not only who has called, but what they have said.

Incorporating the SpinVox solution into SaskTel’s network will be easy and economical because it leverages the uReach Technologies Converged Services Framework (CSF) for fixed-line, wireless and broadband voice messaging today. Deployed in 2006, the uReach solution allows SaskTel to quickly alter voice messaging application workflows, update user interfaces and integrate backend systems so SpinVox could be rapidly deployed. As a result, SaskTel’s time-to-market and total-cost-to-implement will be a fraction of what it would have been utilizing purpose-built or legacy infrastructure.

SaskTel plans to deliver SpinVox services initially to its wireless subscribers in Q307 followed shortly by deployment to its wireline customers. The Company serves business and residential customers with voice, data, dial-up and high-speed Internet, entertainment and multimedia services, security, web hosting, text and messaging services, and cellular and wireless data services over its digital networks.

“SaskTel is known for delivering quality communication solutions, and deploying SpinVox is a natural progression in our goal to consistently provide innovative products and services that support our high standards of service,” said Robert Watson, Chief Executive Officer for SaskTel. “With SpinVox, our subscribers will benefit from a leading-edge service that is intuitive and easy to use. It’s the promise of visual voicemail, but with the audio already converted as text – it couldn’t be simpler.”

SpinVox CEO Christina Domecq commented, “SpinVox enables SaskTel to create new value from their existing core voice and messaging services. They will be one of the first to deploy Real Visual Voicemail in North America, a service that will literally transform the most useful messaging product, voicemail, and create really exciting, valuable new services that actually make life simpler. We are delighted by SaskTel’s energy and commitment to a whole new category of messaging – Voice-to-Screen – and their plans to lead the Canadian market.”

uReach Technologies CEO Krishnamurty Kambhampati added, “Connecting innovative network operators like SaskTel and cutting-edge service providers like SpinVox is what our Converged Services Framework was designed to do. Working together, we’ll be launching a service that will differentiate SaskTel in its market, delight its customers and drive messaging revenues.”

The SaskTel announcement comes on the heels of an agreement with Cincinnati Bell, which leads 12 scheduled deployments of SpinVox this year with carriers worldwide for its multi-lingual voicemail-to-text service. SpinVox is available in four major languages: International English, Spanish, French and German with further languages in development.

Earlier this year SpinVox launched a new range of world first products, building on its award winning Spin-my-Vmail™ service, connecting the best of Web 2.0 to mobile by using Voice-to-Screen technology that enables speaking a blog, memo and broadcast messaging from any phone. SpinVox transforms everyday messaging with simple, reliable and relevant products and makes sending messages as simple as speaking them; receiving as easy as reading them on-screen; and replying as effortless as a click.

SpinVox has invested over four years researching, developing and deploying a world-class ISO-certified, carrier-grade service platform. “As a managed service provider any network or service provider can rapidly and cost effectively implement any Voice-to-Screen products and deliver true service value-add,” concluded Domecq.

About SaskTel

Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corporation (SaskTel) is the leading full service communications provider in Saskatchewan, offering competitive voice, data, dial-up and high speed internet, entertainment and multimedia services, security, web hosting, text and messaging services, and cellular and wireless data services over its digital networks. The Corporation also provides security monitoring services through SecurTek, directory services through DirectWest, in-room communications services to the healthcare sector through Hospitality Network, telecommunications consulting service through SaskTel International and an out-of-province sales and service channel in Alberta and British Columbia. SaskTel and its wholly-owned subsidiaries have a workforce of 5,200 full-time, part-time and temporary employees. Visit SaskTel at www.sasktel.com.

About uReach Technologies

uReach Technologies, Inc is the leading provider of converged communication solutions for the service provider market. The uReach Converged Services Framework (CSF) offers a standards-based and IMS-compliant approach for uniformly deploying value-added voice and data services across wireless, wireline and IP properties quickly, economically and in scale. Running exclusively on open systems, uReach Enhanced Voice Messaging, Audio-SMS, Multimedia Messaging, Single Number Service are currently deployed with over 40 service providers in 38 countries improving the way millions of subscribers communicate everyday.

uReach is a privately held company headquartered in Holmdel, NJ with offices in Andover, MA. For more information, visit www.uReachTech.com.

About SpinVox

SpinVox brought together the two most popular methods of communication – voice and text – and created a new category of messaging called Voice-to-Screen. Its award-winning services are now driving new recurring revenues for mobile and fixed-line operators.

At the heart of SpinVox is its patented Voice Message Conversion SystemTM (VMCS), which underpins the company’s retail, enterprise, service provider and global carrier products. VMCS is hosted on an enterprise-class hardware and telephony services infrastructure to meet the rigorous demands of global carriers. Having invested over four years researching, developing and deploying a world-class, ISO-certified, carrier-grade service platform, VMCS is capable of integrating directly with any carrier’s voice messaging platform, enabling carriers to offer highly innovative Voice-to-Screen messaging products to all of their subscribers.

SpinVox created the world’s first Voicemail-to-Text service in 2003 and launched it in 2005 through partnerships with major UK retailers such as The Carphone Warehouse, The Link, Caudwell Group/4uBusiness and Hutchinson 3G. Today, SpinVox is available in four major languages: International English, Spanish, French and German with further languages in development. SpinVox is headquartered in the UK with offices in nine countries, including North America and is privately backed by private equity and international finance giants with funds in excess of US$60 million.

Click here to see the full list of awards: http://www.spinvox.com/news/awards.php

Voice-to-Screen, Spin-my-Vmail, and Voice Message Conversion System are registered trademarks of SpinVox Ltd.
Contacts

Porter Novelli for SpinVox
For North American Media Inquiries:
Jennifer Moore, 404-995-4505
jennifer.moore {at} porternovelli(.)com
or
For uReach Technologies
Cynthia Frew, 732-335-5419
cfrew {at} ureachtech(.)com