Verizon Business Launches Open Hosted Speech Services

Verizon has launched its new open hosted speech services, which allows customers to create and host their own speech applications while they continue to rely on Verizon Business’ speech platform, which includes interactive voice recognition services.

According to the company, this new open hosted speech services (OHSS) gives users flexibility and oversight typically associated with customer premises equipment-based solutions, without the large capital costs or burden of platform management.

The new service is based on VoiceXML. Customers retain control and ownership of any VoiceXML-based applications, while also having the option of running these applications on Verizon Business’ hosted interactive voice response platform or porting the applications to another platform of their choice.

Mike Marcellin, vice president of global product marketing for Verizon Business, said: “OHSS combines the benefits of hosted services, such as reliability, geographic redundancy, automatic technology upgrades and low total cost of ownership, with the security and control that were previously only available in a premises-based solution.”