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To: gregor who wrote (34520)	1/20/2000 6:20:00 PM
From: gregor	Respond to of 34592

Recent acquisition of Paragon is the real thing;; /06/00 - Interactive Telesis Purchases Controlling Interest in Paragon Voice Systems; Acquisition Positions Interactive Telesis as Key Player in Automated Speech Recognition SAN DIEGO, Jan 6, 2000 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Interactive Telesis Inc., a leading provider of sophisticated, high-end interactive voice response (IVR) services today announced that it has acquired a 56.67% interest in Paragon Voice Systems, a leading value-added reseller and developer of computer telephony solutions. The acquisition of Paragon signals the commitment of ITI to pursue the deployment of automated speech recognition (ASR) technology and to become one of the premiere hosting facilities for complex ASR applications. The companies will develop an integrated product offering that will offer both IVR and ASR technology under a common product line to maximize the opportunities in offering integrated services to its clientele. Automated speech recognition technology allows computer systems to understand exactly what customers are saying. For example, the technology is sophisticated enough to understand complex voice commands such as "buy 1475 shares of Microsoft at the market price." A recent study commissioned by Nuance Communications found that 74 percent of people prefer using ASR or voice driven applications to live operators. In addition, 84 percent prefer ASR to touch-tone, Web-interface or keyboard methods. By providing users with a far more comfortable and flexible interface than touch-tone, speech-activated applications lower costs and raise customer satisfaction levels. Automated speech recognition is viewed by many as an adjunct to the Internet. The rise of the Web has whetted the public's appetite for instant information. As a result, Web providers are looking for additional ways of providing access including wireless devices and the telephone. According to Donald Cameron, president and chief executive officer of Interactive Telesis, the companies' combined strengths will provide a turnkey solution to businesses wishing to capitalize on the latest advances in speech technologies. "As a provider of IVR services to Fortune 1000 companies, Interactive Telesis has both the infrastructure and experience to deploy robust, speech-enabled applications. Paragon is similarly renowned for its development of leading-edge voice applications. Together, our companies are uniquely positioned to meet the exploding demand for ASR applications in industries ranging from financial services to transportation." "By merging Paragon's expertise in voice systems with ITI's network infrastructure, our companies can provide customers with a single source for developing and deploying complex ASR applications," said Ken Ravazzolo, president and CEO of Paragon Voice Systems. "We look forward to working with ITI to bring the benefits of natural language speech recognition to leading companies nationwide." Ravazzolo added that Paragon has already formed strategic alliances with the two leading providers of conversational speech recognition technology, SpeechWorks International (www.speechworks.com) and Nuance Communications (www.nuance.com). About Interactive Telesis Interactive Telesis is a leading provider of complex, high-capacity interactive voice response (IVR) applications enabling its customers to build relationships via a broad range of interactive technologies. Interactive Telesis offers its solutions to industry leaders such as AT&T, Bell Atlantic, Excite@Home, Global Crossing, GTE, Inacom, MCI Worldcom, Nike, Seagate, Sprint and Yahoo!. Interactive Telesis is headquartered in Encinitas, Calif. For additional information, visit www.interactivetelesis.com. About Paragon Voice Systems Paragon Voice Systems is a leading developer of computer telephony solutions. Based in San Diego and founded in 1991, Paragon Voice Systems specializes in open, PC-based systems and provides solutions to start-ups, Fortune 1000 corporations (including five of the six largest oil companies), educational institutions and government agencies. Paragon's customers include Arthur Andersen, E-TRADE, Hewlett-Packard, Petrolsoft Corp., UCSD, City of Glendale, County of San Diego, Orange County Transportation Authority, and many others. For additional information, visit www.paravoice.com.