Calling Made Easy with Cingular Wireless' Voice Connect™

By Joan Leotta

In the future envisioned by the creators of Star Trek and The Jetsons, people only had to speak or think a command and spaceships moved, voice and picture connections were made across space, and robots tended to every need. While servant robots and routine spaceship travel are still to come, Cingular Wireless has made voice commands for wireless telecommunications a reality.

In recent months, Cingular has begun offering an innovative technology called Voice Connect™ that benefits all customers, but is especially helpful to those with disabilities. Voice Connect is the company's new voice-activated portal that allows customers to access information services through simple voice commands. Wireless customers who have limited dialing ability, cognitive disabilities that restrict the ability to sequence numbers, or limited vision capabilities should find the Voice Connect system easier to use than traditional telecommunications technologies.

Recognizing the benefits of voice-activated calling for customers with specialized needs, Cingular waives the $4.99 monthly service fee for Voice Connect for customers with disabilities, following a simple certification process.

Targeting Those Who Could Benefit Most

By providing the certification exemption for customers with disabilities, Cingular hopes to eliminate any financial barrier for this customer group. And, because Cingular's exemption program allows customers to provide documentation other than costly physician certifications, the program gives a whole new meaning to "reasonable accommodation." A range of disability community professionals can provide certification and verification of disability, including rehab counselors, mobility and orientation trainers, independent living centers, etc.

Cingular is committed to communicating this potential benefit to disability advocacy groups via press releases, Websites, newsletters, list serv postings and word of mouth. Although exact figures on usage are not yet available, feedback received from customers with disabilities who use Voice Connect has been very positive.

Disability advocacy organizations across the country have lauded both the technology itself and inroads the company has made to target the service to those who would benefit the most from it. Marcie Roth, executive director of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, says "Since Cingular's breakthrough 'Dan' spot in the 2001 Super Bowl, the company has a proven track record of industry leadership with the disability community. This Voice Connect disability exemption program is yet one more innovative example." (The 'Dan' spot, one of a series of Cingular commercials highlighting self-expression, featured an artist who has cerebral palsy. For this marketing campaign, SMG chose Cingular for a 2001 "Profile in Excellence." Click here to read the 2001 Profile about Cingular Wireless.)

Idea Development

Cingular's Voice Connect service is based on the Total Voice Dialer™ and Total Voice Portal™ products offered by BeVocal, Inc., a leader in providing outsourced VoiceXML-based solutions. Because Cingular is sensitive to the needs of those with disabilities, the company was aware of the challenges inherent in using a standard phone key pad, and offered this exemption to its customers with significant physical, cognitive or visual disabilities.

[photo of Susan Mazrui]
Susan Mazrui, Director of Federal Regulatory Affairs receives the "America Award" from TDI (Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc.)

With community responsiveness as a corporate goal, when Cingular learns of a need in the community--through internal committees, the Wireless Access Task Force, or from outside advocacy groups--the company takes action. Cingular's Susan Mazrui, director of federal regulatory affairs, says, "Cingular uses its influence with vendors to make products more accessible. We ask questions of our vendors, and often a minor change can make a big difference."

[photo of Patti Keller with her dog Hank]
Patti Keller, Cingular product manager, with her dog Hank.

Patti Keller, Cingular product manager, adds, "Voice Connect is one example of a mainstream product that is value-added for customers without disabilities, but also has accessibility applications for those customers with significant disabilities. " Keller also noted that Voice Connect works with any wireless phone -- users don't need to purchase a special handset to take advantage of the service.

BeVocal has worked closely with Cingular Wireless over the past year to improve Voice Connect, making it even faster, more accurate, and easier to use for all Cingular subscribers nationwide.

User Response

Mazrui credits Cingular's Wireless Access Task Force, an advisory committee made up of leaders in the community, for their work in making the Voice Connect service and the fee exemption program a reality. "The Task Force provides feedback on processes, policies and products that we are working on to make our products more accessible," says, Mazrui.

"We bring together experts from the community who understand accessibility and usability of these devices and how they might play out in real life," she adds. "Our task force provides practical information, insights and ideas." Mazrui notes that within Cingular, training on interacting with customers who have disabilities has had a positive impact on employees as well. Though many company-wide efforts, Cingular, in particular its diversity efforts, has encouraged a corporate culture that is welcoming to both customers and employees with disabilities.

According to Jeff Schlueter, executive director with Cingular Wireless, "At Cingular we believe communications unlocks potential in us all--whether we have disabilities or not. We are delighted to provide the Voice Connect exemption program. We feel it will provide our customers with disabilities a new freedom to access wireless communications services. Voice Connect is a breakthrough in reasonable accommodations that will increase productivity at work, school, home and play."

Feedback confirms that users of the new program agree. Alex Valdez, award-winning comedian and disability awareness speaker who is blind, commented to Cingular: "As a person who does motivational speeches, I travel all over the country. Voice Connect begins to level the playing field and allows me to keep in touch with my clients anywhere and anytime. This company, and this service, are very user friendly."

Adds Allan I. Bergman, CEO of the Brain Injury Association of America, "We applaud Cingular Wireless for taking this initiative that is mindful of customers with cognitive disabilities, such as acquired brain injuries, who have difficulty with sequencing numbers."

To apply for an exemption to use Cingular's Voice Connect service, call Cingular's National Call Center for Disabilities at 866-241-6568.

ABOUT CINGULAR WIRELESS

Cingular Wireless, a joint venture between SBC Communications (NYSE - SBC) and BellSouth (NYSE - BLS), serves more than 23 million voice and data customers across the United States. A leader in mobile voice and data communications, Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover, the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Cingular provides cellular/PCS service in 43 of the top 50 markets nationwide, and provides corporate e-mail and other advanced data services through its GPRS and Mobitex packet data networks. Details of the company are available at www.cingular.com.