Tellme Networks

Tellme Networks Inc

Type	subsidiary of Microsoft
Founded	1999, Mountain View, CA
Headquarters	Mountain View, CA
Key people	Mike McCue, Chief Executive Officer
Industry	Telecom
Products	Telephone services and applications
Revenue	unknown
Employees	360[1]
Website	www.tellme.com

Tellme Networks is a company founded in 1999 by Mike McCue and Angus Davis, based out of Mountain View, California, in the United States, that specializes in telephone-based applications. Tellme Networks was acquired by Microsoft on March 14, 2007 for "close to $800M".^[2] The deal closed in late April. Tellme's phone network processes more than two billion unique calls per year.^[3]

History

In 2000, Tellme launched an internet platform that delivered content to telephones — a concept frequently called voice portals. Early competitors included TelSurf Networks, BeVocal, Hey Anita and Quack.com, which was founded in 1999 and acquired in September, 2000 by America Online to power its competing service AOL By Phone. At least 10 additional competitors appeared in 2000 in various attempts to mimic the funding success of Tellme.^{[citation needed]}

Services

Voice portal customers build Internet-powered, voice-enabled applications on the Tellme Network using Tellme Studio. Tellme Studio is a Web-based VoiceXML development tool. The Tellme platform is based on open standards like VoiceXML, CCXML, and VoIP. The Tellme Voice Portal can be accessed by calling. Tellme also hosts toll-free directory assistance.

Customers

Some of the services running on Tellme's network include directory assistance (4-1-1) for Cingular and Verizon, customer service for Merrill Lynch, E*TRADE Financial and American Airlines, and e-commerce services for Fandango.^[4]

See also

• List of speech recognition software
• Speech recognition

Notes

1. ^ Liedtke, Michael (March 1, 2008). "Tellme's Tale As Microsoft Subsidiary". Associated Press via Wired News. http://news.wired.com/dynamic/stories/T/TELLME_MICROSOFT?SITE=WIRE&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-03-01-04-47-38. Retrieved 2008-03-01. 
2. ^ Microsoft Purchase Of Tellme Adds Voice To Web Initiative, Wall Street Journal, March 15, 2007, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117389108729336936.html?mod=us_business_whats_news, retrieved 2009-06-01 
3. ^ Tellme and Cingular Plan Broader Directory Service - New York Times, October 9, 2006
4. ^ Tellme Press Release August 21, 2006