Active Voice announces universal messaging; E-mail, voice mail and fax mail fully accessible by telephone.

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 1995--Active Voice Corporation (NASDAQ:ACVC), a world leader in PC-based voice processing systems, today announced the release of a new product that converts e-mail text to voice messages that can be accessed remotely with a touchtone telephone.

With Active Voice's Repartee Voice Processing System, E-Mail Reader allows users to hear their e-mail at the same time they retrieve voice mail messages by telephone.

"True universal messaging has to include the flexibility to retrieve messages from anywhere -- your office PC, a laptop in the field or any touchtone phone," said Robert L. Richmond, Active Voice chairman and CEO. "With E-Mail Reader and Repartee you have complete telephone access to every type of message, regardless of the source. Business people today can't -- and won't -- settle for anything less."

E-Mail Reader is the first product to incorporate Berkeley Speech Technology's new text-to-speech product, BeSTspeech. "Using a software-only solution keeps the product price down and makes the technology more available to all system users," Richmond said. "After all, the key to stimulating widespread use of new technologies is ease of use and affordability."

Active Voice also announced today the introduction of two other new products, Repartee version 7.2 R2 and Replay Plus version 6.6.

Repartee 7.2 R2 provides a multi-application platform for Active Voice's TeLANophy desktop interface, integrating messaging and incoming-call handling on the user's PC screen.

The addition of new networking protocols permits Repartee integration with Microsoft Windows for Workgroups, Microsoft Windows NT, Microsoft LAN Manager and Novell NetWare. Every Repartee Voice Processing System beginning with the new version now includes full TeLANophy features for the first user, with multi-seat packages available as add-ons, Richmond said.

The new Repartee uses the OS/2 Warp operating system and offers new optional language packages such as Italian and (Mexican Broadcast) Spanish, and recognizes area codes using the new North American Numbering Plan.

The new version also enhances Active Voice's ViewCall, which displays incoming calls and caller identity on PC screens. In addition, with the new monitor feature, users can now hear voice messages being recorded and have the option to interrupt the message. The feature allows callers more control by giving them the choice of continuing to leave their voice message or connecting with the person called.

"ViewCall is unique in offering unparalleled flexibility to both the user and the caller," Richmond said. "For example, our new optional languages package permit multinational companies to display and take their calls in the language selected by the caller."

Replay Plus 6.6 is a more powerful system with features previously available only on Repartee, Active Voice's flagship product. The new version offers unlimited subscriber and transaction boxes, and remote maintenance. New options include Italian and Spanish language prompts and Active Voice's Hospitality package.

Active Voice has more than 25,000 installations in virtually every type of business in 30 nations worldwide. The Seattle-based corporation has offices in China, Australia, the Netherlands, Canada and the United Kingdom. Active Voice products are sold through a global network of independent telecommunications dealers and computer resellers.

CONTACT: Active Voice Corporation

Diane M. Williams, 206/441-4700 x132

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