Interactive Voice Response and Voice Mail Testing using Speech Transcription

Welcome to the latest issue of GL's Newsletter providing insight into our speech-to-text conversion utility referred to as Speech Transcription Server, a PC-based application that also allows automated on-the-fly generation of audio files from user-defined text.

Speech Transcription Server

Overview

GL’s Speech Transcription Server (STS) is a Speech-to-Text conversion application that enables the translation of spoken language into text along with analysis of the transcribed speech. Speech translation is performed on captured audio files in PCM or WAV formats. This application can be used for confirming voice prompts, testing Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and Voice Mail (VM) systems, as well as voice transmission over any network.

GL’s Speech Transcription Server is an automated PC-based speech-to-text conversion utility. This can be used as a standalone utility or integrated with other GL’s test tools for automation, precise call control, and quality analysis. STS supports REST APIs which allows the utility to be used with other GL’s intrusive test tools such as MAPS™ and VQuad™. One can send and receive transcription requests, as well as retrieve transcription results from database.

The Speech Transcription Server also supports text-to-speech allowing automated on-the-fly generation of audio files from user-defined text required for voice responses in IVR systems. In addition, more than 50 languages and variants are supported when saved in PCM or WAV audio file formats.

MAPS™ provides a unique architecture for multi-interface, multi-protocol simulation, which make it suitable for testing any core network, access network and inter-operability functions. VQuad™ Probe HD is an all-in-one self-contained hardware supporting multiple physical interfaces for connecting to practically any wired or wireless network while automatically performing end-to-end voice and data testing over any network.

By incorporating GL’s STS within MAPS™ and VQuad™ emulation platforms, users can automate testing of IVR tree traversal for pass/fail conditions with great precision. Automatic recording each prompt (IVR menus) and analyzing these audio files using the GL speech-to-text transcription. Both MAPS™ and VQuad™ testing platforms allow usage of STS utility over various networks such as 2-wire (FXO, FXS), TDM, IP, and Wireless (GSM, UMTS, VoLTE, and 5G).

STS can also be used with GL’s Voice Quality Testing solution to measure network voice quality, effect of different codecs on speech transcription quality, effect of noise, echo, and bit error rate. STS supports various industry standard voice codecs.


Speech to Text within VQuad™ for IVR/VM

Speech-to-Text analysis feature within VQuad™ allows to specify a Reference String at the far-end and provide a Pass Factor of the recorded file. The Speech to Text conversion confirms if the received audio (IVR/VM) matches with the specified Reference String which in turn confirms the audio Pass Factor over the network. VQuad™ supports two methods, Word analysis (looking for exact word-to-word match) and exact Text matching.

Speech to Text

Speech to Text


Speech to Text with MAPS™ IVR

Users can purchase GL’s MAPS™ platforms to automate the testing of any IVR system. MAPS™ provides the necessary base to emulate different IVR call flows and user profiles with complete automation. MAPS™ can be configured to respond to the requests received from the IVR system (Device Under Test), using the voice prompts PCM/WAV files generated from the speech synthesizer utility. MAPS™ allows transmission and recording of voice audio files generated over any telecommunication network interface such as FXO/FXS, 4-Wire, ISDN, SS7, GSM, UMTS, VoLTE, 5G, and can be controlled/automated via scripting and API.

Besides IVR testing it can also be applied to any announcement verification and voicemail testing, answering machine messages, and phone prompts for a menu system, where the expected voice prompts are generated from the user-defined text.

IVR Testing of GL's phone system using MAPS™ APS and Speech Synthesizer

IVR Testing of GL's phone system using MAPS™ APS and Speech Synthesizer


Main Features

  • Assist with IVR/VM testing where voice responses are required
  • Supports up to 50 languages and variants
  • Ability to convert PCM or WAV files into text format
  • Cloud-based speech synthesizer provides accurate speech files
  • Transcribe up to 30 seconds of speech files into text
  • Accurate analysis of transcribed text with quality (Pass/Fail) scores
  • Base Software includes up to 420 hours of audio transcription per year validity can be extended with an annual support contract
  • Out-of-the-box integration support with existing GL test platforms such as VQuad™ and MAPS™
  • REST API support for fast and easy integration with third-party testing platforms
  • REST API server allows one STS instance to serve multiple clients
  • Provides the Pass Factor of the recorded PCM file using the IVR/Voice Record with the text matching or word matching option
  • Base software includes 100,000 files transcriptions per year, validity can be extended with annual support contract

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