Lucent Technologies Inc. announced it will offer two new products to service providers as part of its Mobile Communications System for consumers on the go.
Lucent said its Internet Message Management and Voice Browser technologies will allow providers to offer subscribers greater control over the information they receive on their wireless devices. While not the full Internet access users might be accustomed to on their personal computers, subscribers will have access to personally selected information designed for their wireless devices.
“The strategy behind our Mobile Communications System is based on the fact that people are looking for ways to access a variety of information easily and conveniently,” said J. Kim Fennel, vice president and general manager of Lucent’s Messaging Solutions Group. “The Internet Message Management and Voice Browser applications provide users with an effective and flexible way to improve their mobile communications.”
Lucent said with the IMM application, subscriber-controlled filtering options will allow the user to define what messages they receive on which communications devices and at what time.
IMM also allows mobile users to receive e-mail messages with attachments, including voice files, that can be converted into speech and listened to over a telephone or wireless handset or directed to a fax machine if a print-out is needed.
With Lucent’s Voice Browser, mobile users can access personalized Web sites over a cell phone using built-in voice-recognition software. According to the company, the Voice Browser will allow users to navigate and obtain customized information, such as stock quotes, daily schedule, news, traffic and weather updates. The software’s text-to-speech technology makes it possible to convert the text information from the Internet to a voice message accessible through a handset.
“Some of the key applications for future wireless Internet accessibility is voice recognition and voice activation,” noted Paul Dittner, wireless device analyst for the Dataquest/Gartner Group. “For data applications and Web browsing, these are key ways to get information instead of fumbling with a typical cell-phone key pad.”
Lucent hopes to release an English version of its Voice Browser during the second quarter.
