Johannesburg, 07 Nov 2003
SuperSport Zone has upgraded its interactive content service driven from its existing Web site, from using SpeechHTML to VoiceGenie`s VoiceXML technology and SpeechWork`s Text-to-Speech Engine supplied by Intelleca Voice and Mobile, and in the process extended the service to Palm Pilot- and Windows CE-running handheld devices.
The new service uses a combination of text-to-speech synthesised data and audio recordings as opposed to reading back recordings only. SuperSport Zone has also pre-recorded some of the hardest to pronounce names in sport so they are clearly identifiable to callers.
"Our vision is to provide a complete sports information service to sports fans," says Ray Moore, GM of SuperSport Zone. "Be it at home, in the office or even travelling in a car, we want to make sure that the latest sports information is available at your fingertips. The SuperSport Zone is always looking at evolving technologies and we were really excited when Intelleca presented their VoiceXML gateway solution to us."
Through the latest text-to-speech and VoiceXML technology, customers are linked to the SuperSport Zone voice-specific website where data is accessed, retrieved and converted to speech format. The significance of that is, as information is passed to the Web server in the form of text, so it automatically becomes available in voice format too. Sports fans not connected to the Web or sitting in front of their TV can simply dial the service to hear the latest news.
SuperSport Zone, the interactive arm and information news base of electronic sports media company, SuperSport International, is committed to opening up its Web content to a broad range of potential audiences and viewerships. It currently has a user base of over 520 000 unique users with over 7 million Web page impressions per average month. The service is also available for browsing for subscribers through TV on DSTV`s channel 20.
Information provided to callers via VoiceXML includes SuperSport Zone`s top five stories and five lead stories in South Africa`s three most popular sports - soccer, rugby and cricket. Also included will be the latest scores and a selection of information such as log tables, leading scorers and statistics.
With SuperSport Zone`s strategy of becoming the primary sports information service in Africa, it constantly explores new channels of content delivery. In 2001, the service reached maturity in terms of its Internet offering, is well on its way to achieving that in terms of interactive television, and now sees scope to include handheld devices such as the Palm Pilot and others operating Windows CE.
"We are scratching the surface in terms of our handheld offering; we will include cellphones as a delivery mechanism in the future, but time to market is critical as the technologies need to be in place to support our initiatives," says Moore.
The SuperSport Zone runs a Microsoft shop, with a SQL Server 2000 database running on Windows NT with two NT servers powering the website, while the Web link is 7Mbps of outgoing bandwidth. It is hosted on M-Web Business Solutions` infrastructure.
Mike Renzon, Intelleca Voice and Mobile MD, says VoiceXML technology improves and extends existing online services without placing additional burden on IT infrastructure. "VoiceXML simplifies the delivery of Web-based, personalised interactive voice response services, enables phone and voice access to information on websites and other information repositories, and opens up new possibilities and channels of income for digital media businesses," he says.
The SuperSport Zone service can be dialled on 082 17 333.
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