Kabel Deutschland uses EXCELSIS "speech systems" for new pay per view offering

Germany’s largest cable network operator chooses proven standard software from EXCELSIS for voice-controlled film ordering and hires Avaya as general contractor.

Stuttgart and Unterföhring, 25.8.2006. Kabel Deutschland [KDG], Germany’s largest cable network operator with approximately ten million household customers, has chosen the voice recognition software "EXCELSIS Digital TV" for its pay per view offerings "Select KINO" and "redXclub". With this tried and tested standard software, KDG’s digital cable TV customers and subscribers to Kabel Deutschland digital programming packages will be able to order films from the current range automatically by telephone and access them at a chosen time.

The software also allows callers to be prequalified for various services and offers an automated procedure for changing the required personal identification number [PIN]. In addition, the product identifies and authenticates callers automatically. "EXCELSIS Digital TV" is operated based on a state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure from Avaya. Avaya was hired as a general contractor by Kabel Deutschland to implement the innovative project.

"The use of the EXCELSIS standard software and its uncomplicated integration into Avaya’s intelligent communications infrastructure enabled us to adhere to the tight schedule of the project", says Kathrin Anselm, project manager at Kabel Deutschland.

Callers will be able to access the system around the clock by mobile phone or landline and control it by telephone keypad or their voice. They are guided through the system in German. The system first welcomes callers with a phrase appropriate to the time of day and briefly informs them of the input options [keypad/voice]. Then it processes the user input and performs the corresponding dialogue steps. After welcoming a caller, the system determines whether he or she is a first-time user. In the next step it asks whether the caller wants to order a film or use other services. Then the order is processed, or, for example, the requested change of PIN carried out. To complete an order, the system provides the customer with information on the ordered film and any credit in his or her account. The customer can then either order additional films or end the call.

About Kabel Deutschland

Kabel Deutschland [KDG] operates the cable networks in 13 federal German states and supplies approximately 10 million TV households in Germany, making the company Germany’s largest cable network operator. It develops and markets new triple play offerings for digital television, high-speed Internet and telephony via cable. KDG offers a digital TV platform that is open to all programming providers. The company operates the networks, markets cable TV subscriptions and provides comprehensive cable TV services. In the past business year 2005/2006 [up to 31st March, 2006], Kabel Deutschland generated a revenue of over one billion euros and employed approximately 2500 members of staff. More information on Kabel Deutschland is available at www.kabeldeutschland.de.

About Avaya

Avaya designs, creates and manages communication networks for over one million companies all over the world. Working for both large and small businesses, Avaya is a worldwide leader in secure and reliable Internet Protocol [IP] telephony systems, communications software applications and services. Avaya helps its customers take advantage of existing and new networks by promoting the convergence of voice and data communications in business applications and comprehensive worldwide services. Avaya’s aim is to enable its customers to cut costs, reduce risks and achieve outstanding results through innovative communications. Avaya was spun off from Lucent Technologies on 2nd of October 2000 to become an independent company. Before that, Avaya was part of Western Electric and AT&T for over a century. Avaya Labs, a division of the Avaya corporation, works mainly in research and development in the field of communication technologies for businesses and the public sector. The company looks back on 75 successful years as a subsidiary of Bell Laboratories, one of the world's top class research institutions, and owns or has registered over 3,000 patents. In November 2004, Avaya took over communications service provider Tenovis. According to the Synergy Research Group’s "Enterprise Voice Market Shares Report" for the first quarter of 2006, Avaya is the market leader in supplying IP telephony ports, and generated the highest revenue from IP telephony in the enterprise range for the tenth quarter running.

www.avaya.com

About EXCELSIS

Across the globe, EXCELSIS is one of the leading suppliers of standard application software for speech systems. By using this software, companies from all sorts of sectors can automate their call centers. Furthermore, EXCELSIS offers software especially for the sectors of banking, digital TV, transport, suppliers, and trade as well as intersectional software for information systems, customer management and help desk automation.

Companies from all sectors use EXCELSIS's software, thus lowering their costs and improving their service. 9Live, the town of Augsburg, Cablecom, Deutsche Telekom, EnBW, Jamba!, Medion, Orange, Swisscom, UBS and Vattenfall, to name but a few examples, are all customers.

EXCELSIS has partnerships with globally important technology suppliers such as Telisma, Alcatel/Genesys, Aspect, Avaya, IBM, Microsoft, Nuance and Intervoice and employs over 100 staff in Berlin, Berne, Luxembourg, Singapore, Stuttgart, Sydney and Zurich.

Contact

EXCELSIS Business Technology AG
Daniela Sauter - Head of Marketing
Wilhelmsplatz 8
70182 Stuttgart - Germany

Phone +49 711 6 20 30 113
daniela.sauter@excelsisnet.com