Just a short note to join us on Google+ today!

Source: https://plus.google.com/107817757465111982454

Five years ago in 2006, the first public 1.4 beta of VXI* VoiceXML Browser launched, and in our blog post today we celebrate with “Five Years of VXI*”. There are  more than 200 customers worldwide with production’s services, 3000 registred users, developers, students… VXI* can be deployed to replace traditional IVR platforms from small businesses to large corporations’ projects requirements. Over these years, VXI* has matured with Asterisk’s evolution and adding hundred of amazing features to an IVR like Video, Flash, Dialers and a large selection of TTS/ASR free or commercial engines.

Happy 5th Birthday, VXI*! We are looking forward to seeing where the next 5 years take you!

Timeline summary:

2006

• 2006-09: VXI* 1.4 released! – Launched as Beta… for Asterisk 1.2…
• 2006-11: VXI* 1.5 released! – Asterisk 1.4 and NOW supported!

2007

• 2007-03: VXI* 2.0 released! – More TTS engines and software inside improvements…
• 2007-07: VXI* 2.1 released! – Account managements for hosting services…
• 2007-10: VXI* 2.2 released! – Videocall over 3G/SIP/H323 enabled over VoiceXML…

2008

• 2008-04: VXI* 3.0 released! – Asterisk 1.4, 1.6  and 64bit kernels supported…
• 2008-09: VXI* 3.1 released! – ASR added thru Asterisk Speech Rec. API…

2009

• 2009-12: VXI* 4.0 released! – Dynamic grammars…
• 2009-06: VXI* 4.1 released! – TTV, RTSP and Video IP/3G extensions improvements…
• 2009-09: VXI* 4.2 released! – Outbound Dialer extension…

2010

• 2010-01: VXI* 4.3 released! – VXI* virtualization for Cloud Telephony enabled…
• 2010-03: VXI* 4.4 released! – ASR improvements VCR, Hotwords…
• 2010-06: VXI* 5.0 released! – MRCP v1 and v2 client added…
• 2010-09: VXI* 5.1 released! – Flash/RTMP added to VXI* channels…
• 2010-11: VXI* 5.2 released! – Asterisk 1.8 supported…

2011

• 2011-03: VXI* 6.0 released! – Ringback tones over VoiceXML…
• 2011-05: VXI* 6.1 released! – XML/Text parser with the CURL object added…
• 2011-09: VXI* 6.2 released! – 2011′s current stable release…

Thank you for your continuous support!

A one-time password (OTP) is a password that is valid for only one login session or transaction. OTPs avoid a number of shortcomings that are associated with traditional (static) passwords. The most important shortcoming that is addressed by OTPs is that, in contrast to static passwords, they are not vulnerable to replay attacks. This means that, if a potential intruder manages to record an OTP that was already used to log into a service or to conduct a payment or any other secure transaction, he or she will not be able to abuse it since it will be no longer valid. Manage a OTP service with an IVR powered by VoiceXML like VXI* is really easier, allowing a dynamic programing to connect any backoffice system.

What is an IVR transaction with OTP?

IVR + OTP (interactive voice response) transactions are those made over the phone where certain credit-card details are to be entered into an automated system in order to make payment to a merchant for the purchase of his goods/services.

What is an OTP example?

An OTP is a four or six-digit code that you obtain from your card-issuing bank. It is a single-use password, valid for a limited period from the time of placing a request for it. You will need to obtain an OTP before every IVR payment transaction or any other process.

How to obtain an OTP?

You can obtain an OTP through various modes like your card-issuing provider’s website, the Internet, SMS, IVR etc. The mode varies from business to business.

How to use the OTP?

The OTP is required at the time of making payment or any other secure transaction on the IVR, where you will be prompted to enter it along with the other details like your account number, personal ID, credit-card number, card expiry date and CVV number.

More information:

One-Time-Password on Wikipedia

Very good post from Angie Reed, Product Marketing Manager at Digium talking about how users and entreprises are always looking for better Communication Solutions. Smart Phones are user-centric devices but Businesses require better Phone Systems.

That’s right, that most technology users want immediate access to information – a single device for my camera, music (MP3 Player), GPS, email and, of course a phone. A smart phone is that powerfully useful tool that makes life easier. So, for better or worse, they are willing to incur the sunk cost associated with changing cell phones frequently just to gain the latest features and capabilities. Then, is it really a surprise that businesses want to improve their communications too? Like the mobile phone, users want a single interface to access their phone calls, their associated emails, presence, chat, CRM systems, caller location services and so much more. Phone systems need to be more intuitive for business processes by optimizing IVR capabilities, integrating call queues, generating reports and even facilitating video calling. These too need to be powerfully useful tools to make businesses more productive.

So, before you look for gold in refurbishing cell phones, consider first how your office communications can improve and how you can actually save money with a smarter phone system. Some key benefits of advanced IVR / IVVR apps are:

1. Extend your office automation to your caller/customer
2. Attending the call at the first ring, it will be never overloaded
3. Multilingual and personalized greetings to the caller as per caller ID
4. Provide advanced voice interaction self-service and ability to check balances
5. IVR works 24 hours a day and it never greets a caller with tired voice!

Source: Digium Blog – Cell Phones Stashed in Your Closet? Digesting the Dreaded Total Cost of Ownership

At I6NET we are pleased to talk about new complementary services and tools to improve your IVR and Business Objectives. A good Voice User Interface design and call optimization are some of the key factors required to be successful with your VXI* platform rollouts.  That requires more than technology…. of course.

VUI Cloud (http://www.vuicloud.com) is a call optimization service delivered through the Web that improves the caller experience and helps you get better results from your voice applications.

The service allows you to add personalization, reduce costs, adapt to individual callers in real time, adjust audio playback speeds (Words Per Minute spoken) and caller response timeouts on the fly, optimize the caller experience and get advice from leading Voice User Interface design experts. It also allows you to quickly learn where and why your callers are opting out with behavioral analytics that go way beyond traditional IVR/ACD reports.

Developers can access VUI Cloud technology for free via the web based API and a Performance-Based Pricing model is used for production calls. Leveraging the power of this service is as easy as adding some simple HTTP calls to your voice application and allowing the technology to do the work. It’s really that simple. Gain deep behavioral insight and significantly improve the caller experience in days, not weeks or months. The service even lets you make improvements to the caller experience without ever changing the call flow or audio prompt content.

VUI Cloud is the world’s first “Call Optimization as a Service” offering, and it’s remarkably easy to use.

To learn more about how the service works, pricing and deployment options, click here

Now, our website displays an application-style theme when viewed from an iPhone, iPod touch, Android, Opera Mini, Palm Pre, Samsung touch and BlackBerry Storm/Torch mobile devices. Mobile Browsing makes reading faster for all our blog’s posts from any mobile social network like Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin…

Try it now from your mobile phone! http://www.i6net.com

A new important step has been taken for Asterisk thanks to UniMRCP, The Open Source MRCP Client Project witch provides a standard (MRCP) speech interface for all Asterisk servers. Now your VXI* VoiceXML browser for Asterisk can run more ASR engines for your VoiceXML applications as never before. Many Speech Recognition components were not yet available for Asterisk’s Speech Recognition API but with MRCP v1 and v2 most relevant vendors are ready for your IVR / IVVR.

Our team is currently committed to help UniMRCP project to improve Speech Recognition integration for many engines like Loquendo, Nuance, Lumenvox, Vestec… Our main outcome is to get the best open standard MRCP Client for Asterisk / VXI*, delivering all packages with an auto-installer to setup easily your IVR solution based on VXI*.

Currently we are working on different ASR/MRCP engines for UniMRCP Client like:

• Loquendo ASR
• Vestec ASR
• Lumenvox Speech Engine
• Nuance Recognizer
• Verbio ASR

You can find more MRCP Servers to run over UniMRCP; our support team can answer to your questions, if you are selecting any ASR server for your VoiceXML services over VXI* platforms.

For more information: http://www.i6net.com/purchase/mrcp/

(more…)

TMCnet recently interviewed Ivan Sixto, co-founder and president of I6NET and Fakhri Karray, co-founder and president of Vestec about Asterisk-based ASR solutions. Both companies are now entering in the mainstream as a lower-cost, more flexible and obsolescence-resistant alternative to traditional proprietary software for IVR.

By Brendan B. Read.

Source: TMCnet-Q&A  with i6net and Vestec on Asterisk-platform ASR