Intel's Dialogic division has released a communications platform
that integrates IP telephony with speech recognition and voice/fax
services as it gears up for a boom in computer telephony
integration (CTI), writes Antony Adshead.
The company said it has overcome some major technological
hurdles to produce the Intel Communications Platform, which will
allow the consolidation of telephony and business communications
applications from multiple sources.
Key to the system is the way it shuttles data between digital
signal and main server processors using embedded Intel
architecture. It features a rack-mountable chassis with Dialogic
boards, management software and Windows 2000 Server.
According to analyst firm IDC, IP "telephony minutes" will
increase at a rate of 192% per annum from 91.5 million in 1999 to
47 billion in 2004. Overall, IP telephony accounted for only 0.01%
of total call revenue in western Europe in 1999, but is expected to
increase to 3.5% by 2004.
In June, Intel bought Danish chip designer Giga for $1.25bn
(£865m). The company supplies processors to communications
companies including Cisco and Nortel. The deal was seen as evidence
of the company positioning for the future of voice and data IP
networking.
In addition, in February, Intel acquired telephony software
specialist Voice Technologies which marketed systems enabling PBXs
to work with computer telephony.