Comverse And SpeechWorks Team To Provide Voice-Driven Solutions To Network Service Providers

Comverse, a unit of Comverse Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMVT), and the worlds leading supplier of software and systems enabling network-based multimedia enhanced communications services, and SpeechWorks International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPWX), a global leader in speech recognition and text-to-speech (TTS) technologies and services, today announced an agreement to integrate SpeechWorks speech solutions into Comverses voice solutions platform.

Comverse And SpeechWorks Team To Provide Voice-Driven Solutions To Network Service Providers

Comverse To Integrate SpeechWorks Speech Solutions Into Voice Solutions Product Suite
For A Complete Carrier-Grade Solution

Singapore, January 25, 2002 -- Comverse, a unit of Comverse Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMVT), and the worlds leading supplier of software and systems enabling network-based multimedia enhanced communications services, and SpeechWorks International, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPWX), a global leader in speech recognition and text-to-speech (TTS) technologies and services, today announced an agreement to integrate SpeechWorks speech solutions into Comverses voice solutions platform. The agreement also marks SpeechWorks enrollment in Comverses Spark AllianceSM partner program, which gives participants a dynamic opportunity to collaborate on developing enriched multimedia communications applications.

Service providers are always looking for applications that can generate new revenue streams, and reduce churn," said Zeev Bregman, Chief Executive Officer of Comverse. The addition of SpeechWorks automated speech recognition and text-to-speech technologies to our open, standards-based platform, together allows us to offer voice services that provide a superior end-user experience, thus creating stickiness and reducing subscriber churn."

Comverses voice solutions applications suite combines a conversational voice user interface, with messaging, communications and content applications and user personalization, all delivered on Comverses carrier-grade, scalable platform. Providing large vocabulary recognition, the SpeechWorks product suite includes the OpenSpeech Recognizer speech recognition engine, optimized for the VoiceXML 2.0 standard, the OpenSpeech Server software, a client-server implementation of the OpenSpeech Recognizer, and Speechify and ETI-Eloquence TTS engines. Large vocabulary recognition is essential in retrieving a name and number or an email address from a directory that can contain more than a million entries. The combined solution - which will be available in multiple languages - will enable individuals to use their voice to place calls to contacts in a personal or system address book; browse the web for personalized news and information; access Internet-based services and information; and create, retrieve and manage voice and email messages.

"Comverse and SpeechWorks are both dedicated to delivering next-generation speech solutions to telecommunications providers worldwide, and as founding members of the SALT Forum, to establishing a standard for multimodal applications on mobile devices, PDAs and smart phones," said Stuart R. Patterson, Chief Executive Officer of SpeechWorks. Together we will deliver applications that help network service providers offer speech-enabled services with an attractive return on their investment, while, at the same time, deliver value to the end user."

About Comverse
Comverse, a unit of Comverse Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMVT) is the worlds leading provider of software and systems enabling network-based multimedia enhanced communications services. More than 380 wireless and wireline telecommunications network operators, in more than 100 countries, have selected Comverses enhanced services systems and software, which enable the provision of revenue-generating value-added services including call answering with one-touch call return, short messaging services, IP-based unified messaging (voice, fax, and email in a single mailbox), 2.5G/3G multimedia messaging (MMS), wireless instant messaging, wireless data and Internet-based services, voice-controlled dialing, messaging and browsing, prepaid wireless services, and additional personal communication services. Other Comverse Technology business units include: Comverse Infosys, a world leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of intelligent digital voice, video and data recording and content management applications for the security, surveillance, law enforcement and contact center markets; and Ulticom, a leading provider of service enabling network software for wireless, wireline, and Internet communications. Comverse Technology is an S&P 500 and NASDAQ-100 Index company. For additional information, visit the Comverse web site at http://www.comverse.com.

About SpeechWorks International, Inc.
Through the power of SpeechWorks technologies, the human voice is all a person needs to access instant information and conduct transactions from any phone or device. Around the world, customer service innovators such as America Online, CIBC Bank, Microsoft and OnStar are realizing returns on SpeechWorks applications that consistently delight and serve customers 24 hours a day. With over 100 partners, SpeechWorks (Nasdaq: SPWX) delivers natural language speech recognition, speaker verification and text-to-speech (TTS) solutions to leading corporations, telecommunications providers, device manufacturers and government organizations worldwide. For a description of our products, services and unique customer programs such as the SpeechWorks Here S.T.E.P. (Speech Technology Evaluation Process) - call 617.428.4444 or visit www.speechworks.com.

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SpeechWorks, OpenSpeech Recognizer, OpenSpeech Server, Speechify, ETI-Eloquence and SpeechWorks Here are trademarks or registered trademarks of SpeechWorks International, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Spark Alliance is a service mark of Comverse, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and other countries. All other product and company names mentioned herein may be registered trademarks or trademarks of Comverse or the respective referenced company(s) or of their respective owners.