Systems IVR (interactive voice answering machine) are widely used throughout the world. Typically, a large reference systems of airports, municipal services, automatic call routing in large corporations, etc. Despite the almost universal availability of touchtone in modern telephone networks, interactive system with the recognition of key words have not lost their value. First of all, thanks to more "friendly" and intuitive ease of use. "Press 1 to enter the main menu, 2 - for help with ..." works well, but to communicate with the system of voice is much nicer and more humane. " In Moscow city telephone network interactive voice may be the only reasonable solution - simply because of the technological specifics of the equipment. Well, it realized the leadership of MGTS, for which a special thank you to him. Not very well that in the system "is the place to be" some "curvature", but it is important to make the first move - bugs / deficiencies can and should be corrected. Much easier to do nothing and ... but we will not roll down on chewing truths. Terminology
"IVR (Interactive Voice Response) - Interactive Voice Response, Interactive Voice Response, the telephone system is an automatic response that provides the user a voice menu, or enter the menu item number from the keyboard. In IVR-systems, the role played by the computer keyboard phone dialer, allowing the caller to request information . The answer goes to the user in a synthesized voice message. In some systems are also used speech recognition technology. It is widely used in datacenters phone calls. "In simple words - "a mechanical voice" on the issue of 2009 offers voice the choice of a menu item, recognizes the spoken keyword and react accordingly, providing the requested information. In some extent, creating the illusion of intellectual communication with callers. In urban MGTS network hardware and software system implements two simultaneous possibilities: the choice number of the menu button keypad (touchtone) or the utterance of a keyword.
Very "neliricheskoe" retreat
The so-called "social factor" inevitably hangs the sword of Damocles over any Russian fixed-line network. Provide "hours of pedestrian accessibility" payphone is required by law, and "oats roads today." With the current pace of "mobilization" public payphone installation in a residential area will pay off in the middle of 22 centuries, if the pay off at all. So if the itch to call, call from your mobile phone and not run into the street to look for the nearest payphone. However, installs and maintains the payphones, at least for the sake of guaranteed access to emergency services.Free reference services must also operate around the clock, but the financial feasibility of the content of staff of operators in the mode 24H is highly questionable. Logical solution - answering machine, bluntly dictating the key numbers: "In case of fire, dial 01 ...." Poorly and provide little information, but until recently has been that way: after 19:30 count on more or less intelligible help on socially important phone numbers was not necessary. Answering machine in 2009 worked as a simple and unsophisticated: within four minutes zadiktovyvalsya audio clips with the phone number of the basic emergency services in an amount of 20 pieces. The need to modernize was obvious, it begs a simple solution - Reference menu with the activation of the desired item by pressing the appropriate buttons. But what about the tens of thousands of retirees and phones with disk dialers? And the ancient Moscow exchanges, which are easier to scrap than to provide additional blocks of tone dialing? The introduction of the system not cheap IVR - a necessary measure, a sort of no way out, and the "exit" out of position. What does not make for the sake penny savings on equipment! If we are not ashamed to put all on the ears and divide by two Moscow-room area, just not to spend money to replace the four dozen antediluvian ATS not able to take more than seven digits of a phone number.Semi-official organ
Quote from the official press release MGTS:Moscow City Telephone Network upgraded automatic operator on the number 09. Current speech recognition technology allows subscribers to quickly get any of the 2 thousand socially important phone numbers. Hardware-software complex "Automatic operator 09" runs from 21:00 to 8:00 on weekdays, and round the clock on weekends and holidays. Avtooperator answers the call and offers the subscriber to choose a way to get information: by pressing the touchtone or pronouncing the key words. Help in the system are divided into several categories: "Emergency," "The city authorities," Information MGTS "," Transport "," Emergency Services "and" Medicine ", but this list can be expanded without limits. <...> The volume of vocabulary avtooperatora is currently 5,000 words. <...> The software package is able to simultaneously handle <...> to 210 telephone channels.
How it works and works right?
In general - yes, is functioning. And even online (not to be afraid of the foreign words). Indeed recognizes progovorennye menu and loads the appropriate subsections. Although not without rough edges. For example, force the system to recognize the phrase "City authorities" have failed - tried three different voices and from different handsets. There is a suspicion that this item was simply untapped - away from sin, you never know what the man was going to complain about "the city authorities? But with the emergency services, emergency assistance and the "medicine" all pretty good: the key words are recognized, sub-loaded and the correct information is given out. Not entirely clear from what considerations were excluded ordinal numbers: the word "one" "two", it detects fine, and the "first", "second", etc. - To any. Although nine out of ten callers probably will say "First City Hospital", not "Hospital Number One."Surely in the lexical database of 5000 words was not found for this three-five dozen of immune cells? The system works perfectly in the "push-button" choice (tone dialing), the volume provides free information grew exactly two orders of magnitude - declared two thousand telephone numbers in the database. But let's not forget the social orientation of the service: most in need of this information, it is those who have other modern channels of access to information not available.In the process of "communication" system is reminiscent of much richer possibilities paid information service 009, but the relatively modest advertising completely forgiven, one must at least doing something to earn real money. As an example of communication with the IVR-MGTS can download and listen to the audio file (600 kb mp3), or you can simply call the 09 and try to get to the desired phone number. In general, the impression is quite favorable, successful introduction of a complex is indeed a rather big step towards the social needs of Muscovites. And, most importantly: the system should really help relieve the expensive "live" channels of communication with the operators of MGTS in the daytime.