eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
VoiceXML 2.0 is one step away from becoming a full-fledged standard of the World Wide Web Consortium.
A Web specification for the development of voice response applications, Voice Extensible Markup Language 2.0 has reached the W3Cs “proposed recommendation” stage, a final review period before becoming an official recommendation, or standard, the W3C announced on Tuesday.
“VoiceXML 2.0 has the power to change the way phone-based information and customer services are developed,” said Dave Raggett, the W3Cs voice browser activity lead, in a statement.
Voice XML 2.0 is a key component of the W3Cs Speech Interface Framework focused on expanding access to Web-based services through voice interactions. VoiceXML 2.0 controls how a speech-enabled application interacts with a user, such as in interactive voice response, or IVR, applications commonly used to route calls through voice commands instead of through key pads.
A specification must prove that it can work in interoperable implementations before it advances to the final review stage. The W3C said that VoiceXML 2.0 has proven at least eight implementations, either in prototype or released products.
The VoiceXML Forum, a group of 380 vendors and companies backing the specification, said in a statement that it supports the W3Cs promotion of VoiceXML 2.0 to the final stage. The VoiceXML Forum, founded by IBM, AT&T, Lucent Technologies and Motorola Inc., released VoiceXML 1.0 in 2000