Cantata Technology and Direct 2 Mobile Marketing Win Microsoft Speech Server Partner Spotlight Awards; Recognized for Achievements Developing High-impact Speech and Telephony Applications

Business Wire, May 31, 2006

NEEDHAM, Mass. -- Cantata Technology(TM), the world's leading independent provider of enabling communications technology, announced today that it has won the Microsoft Speech Server Partner Spotlight Award for its Brooktrout(R) TR1000(TM) for Microsoft Speech Server platform. The award was presented at the Microsoft Speech Server Partner Summit in Seattle. Microsoft also presented an award to Direct 2 Mobile (d2m) for a cutting edge mobile application based on the Brooktrout TR1000 for Microsoft Speech Server platform. The Microsoft Speech Server Partner Spotlight Award recognizes achievements in developing useful, customer-friendly, forward-thinking applications for automated speech and telephony solutions that also cut costs for companies of all sizes. E[acute accent]Cantata was established in 2006 through the combination of Excel Switching Corporation and Brooktrout Technology(R). E[acute accent]"Cantata's Brooktrout TR1000 for Microsoft Speech Server won for Best Tool / Utility Solution because it provides customers with an all-in-one, single-installation procedure that further simplifies deploying and managing the Speech Server platform," said Clint Patterson, director of product management for Microsoft Speech Server." Microsoft is pleased to recognize our partners like Cantata for their efforts in making speech technology affordable and attainable to companies of all sizes and with all levels of telephony experience." E[acute accent]The Brooktrout TR1000 is a family of high performance speech processing boards supporting a wide range of telephony interfaces. Ranging from 2 to 120 channels per board, the TR1000 features Windows-certified drivers and single API that allows developers to scale their systems with no changes to their software applications. These features are especially beneficial for Microsoft Speech Server customers, who sometimes have limited telephony experience. The TR1000 is ideal to support applications for speech, IVR, fax, messaging, and conferencing.

E[acute accent]Second Award for Cantata-based Innovative Mobile Application

E[acute accent]Microsoft bestowed another Speech Server Spotlight Award for a cutting edge mobile application deployed on Cantata's Brooktrout TR1000 for Microsoft Speech Server. The application, by Direct 2 Mobile (www.d2mm.com), won in the Best Mobile Solution category. It provides a real-time marketing tool for retailers that allows shoppers to receive promotions to their cell phones while they are in a store. Consumers dial into the d2m system and speak the name of the store where they are located. The d2m application recognizes the name of the store using speech recognition and validates the account using caller ID. Then the application sends a message using Short Message Service (SMS) to the consumer's cell phone with directed promotions and offers available specifically in that store. E[acute accent]"d2m's application is a cutting edge example of how retailers can satisfy the expectations of today's savvy consumer without driving up overhead costs," said Patterson. E[acute accent]d2m chose Cantata's Brooktrout TR1000 for Microsoft Speech Server to rapidly prototype a multimodal application using touch tones, speech recognition, and Short Message Services. The Cantata product included a starter kit with everything d2m needed-- Windows-certified drivers, a four-port analog telephony card, Telephony Interface Manager (TIM), and an evaluation copy of Microsoft Speech Server 2004 R2. Once the application was completed, d2m converted the prototype to a multi-span T1 production system.

E[acute accent]About Direct 2 Mobile

E[acute accent]d2m (Direct 2 Mobile), established in 2005, is a mobile application service provider (MASP) with a real-time marketing tool for retailers and brands. The patent pending technology gives marketing department's direct access to shoppers in the store - at the shopper's request- building powerful data and value from each customer visit. d2m is the medium between retailers and brands, and their customers, delivering the correct incentives at the right time. The company's real-time mobile marketing solution changes the value and measurability of marketing and opens a new door for increased profitability, customer satisfaction and loyalty.

E[acute accent]About Cantata Technology

E[acute accent]Cantata Technology, established in 2006 through the combination of Brooktrout Technology and Excel Switching Corporation, provides enabling communications hardware and software that empowers the creation and delivery of anytime, anywhere IP-based communications applications. Leveraging more than 20 years of experience, Cantata offers the broadest range of products, along with a worldwide network of partners that allows service provider and enterprise customers to develop new products, introduce new services, and cost-effectively transition networks to IP. Headquartered in Needham, Mass., Cantata maintains multiple locations worldwide in North America, Asia, and Europe. For more information, visit http://www.cantata.com.