Tellme Networks

Tellme Networks, Inc. was a U.S. communications-technology company founded in 1999 by Mike McCue and Angus Davis. Based in Mountain View, California, it developed telephone-based applications that allowed people to access Internet-derived information and business services through ordinary phone calls. The company emerged during the early voice-portal period, when speech recognition, VoiceXML, and Internet telephony were being combined to create an alternative interface to the web. Tellme’s central proposition was that a telephone could function as a voice-driven information terminal. Its platform supported applications using speech recognition and voice prompts, and it was designed around open standards including VoiceXML, CCXML, and Voice over Internet Protocol. Businesses and developers could use Tellme Studio, a web-based development environment, to create and operate voice-enabled applications on the Tellme Network. This positioned Tellme both as a consumer service provider and as infrastructure for enterprise interactive voice response and automated customer-service systems. In 2000, Tellme launched a public voice portal intended to demonstrate the capabilities of its technology. The service could provide time announcements, weather, brief news and sports information, business searches, stock-market quotations, driving directions, and related directory-assistance functions. Users interacted with the system through spoken commands and telephone keypad input. The service was initially available through the memorable toll-free number 1-800-555-TELL, or 1-800-555-8355. Tellme treated the consumer information line partly as a loss leader: its purpose was to familiarize the public and prospective customers with the company’s voice platform. The company also experimented with features intended to attract callers and demonstrate the reach of its network. Its Phone Booth service offered two free minutes of long-distance calling to a number selected by the caller, although that feature was later discontinued. Seasonal services included a Santa Claus experience introduced around Christmas Eve in 2008 and expanded in 2009 with advance messages describing Santa’s preparations. These products were relatively lightweight compared with Tellme’s enterprise activities, but they illustrated the company’s emphasis on accessible, conversational telephone experiences. Tellme’s network supported services for major organizations, including directory assistance for AT&T and Verizon landline customers, customer-service applications associated with Merrill Lynch, E*TRADE Financial, and American Airlines, and an e-commerce application for Fandango. The company reported that its network processed more than two billion unique calls in 2006, demonstrating substantial scale for a voice-application provider. Microsoft acquired Tellme on March 14, 2007, in a transaction reported at approximately $800 million. The acquisition was completed in late April 2007 and brought Tellme’s speech, voice-portal, and telephony capabilities into Microsoft’s broader technology portfolio. Tellme continued to operate services associated with interactive voice response and telephone information, including the Microsoft-era Bing 411 service. In early 2012, Microsoft divested Tellme’s interactive voice response service and most of its employees to 24/7 Inc. The consumer information service moved away from its former toll-free number and was subsequently known as The Information Line. It was later relaunched as Voice Info in 2019, again with a toll-free number, but that number was deactivated in July 2020. The later service could also be reached through the former Bing 411 number by selecting an appropriate menu option, while AT&T Wireless customers could access it through a carrier short code. Tellme Networks therefore survives primarily as a historical brand and technology lineage within the development of telephone speech applications, rather than as an independent o…

Tellme Networks was formed in Mountain View, California, in April 1999 by a founding group led by Mike McCue and Angus Davis. The company entered the market at a time when entrepreneurs were exploring whether telephone networks could provide a practical, spoken interface to Internet content. Rather than requiring a personal computer, Tellme’s proposed voice portals allowed users to call a number, speak requests, and receive information through synthesized or recorded speech. In 2000, Tellme announced a consumer voice portal offering services such as time, weather, news, sports summaries, business searches, stock quotations, driving directions, and directory assistance. The service used speech-recognition software and voice prompts, and was made available through 1-800-555-TELL. Tellme used the consumer product to demonstrate its underlying platform and to build familiarity with voice interaction. A free Phone Booth feature, which supplied two minutes of long-distance calling, was also used initially to attract users before being discontinued. Tellme operated amid a crowded early voice-portal field. Competitors and contemporaries included TelSurf Networks, BeVocal, Hey Anita, and Quack.com, the latter of which was acquired by America Online in 2000. Tellme attracted public attention beyond the technology sector: it appeared in the 2001 documentary Wild at Start and was discussed in a 2000 New Yorker article about recruiting. The company’s network subsequently became more important as a platform for organizations needing automated telephone interactions. Tellme Studio provided web-based tools for constructing VoiceXML applications, while the wider platform supported VoiceXML, CCXML, and VoIP technologies. The company’s services extended from public information to enterprise applications. Tellme-powered systems handled directory assistance for AT&T and Verizon landline customers and supported customer-service functions for organizations including Merrill Lynch, E*TRADE Financial, and American Airlines. Fandango also used the network for e-commerce-related telephone services. Tellme stated that its network processed over two billion unique calls during 2006, reflecting the scale reached before its acquisition. Microsoft announced its purchase of Tellme on March 14, 2007, for approximately $800 million, and the transaction closed in late April. Under Microsoft ownership, Tellme’s voice capabilities remained associated with telephone information and interactive voice response services, including the Microsoft Bing 411 offering. Tellme’s technology represented a route for Microsoft to extend search, information retrieval, and automated services beyond the computer screen. In early 2012, Microsoft sold the interactive voice response business and most of the associated employees to 24/7 Inc. The public information service changed from its original toll-free access number to a regular telephone number and was branded The Information Line. In September 2019, the service was refreshed and renamed Voice Info, with a new toll-free number. That number was deactivated in July 2020, although access routes involving the former Bing 411 number and an AT&T Wireless short code were described for a period. Tellme Networks is consequently best understood as a defunct independent company whose platform and services contributed to the development of commercial speech recognition, voice portals, and automated telephone customer service.

1. 2020Voice Info toll-free number deactivated

   The toll-free number associated with Voice Info was deactivated in July.

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2. 2019Information service becomes Voice Info

   The successor information service was relaunched under the Voice Info name.

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3. 2012Interactive voice response business divested

   Microsoft transferred the IVR service and most Tellme employees to 24/7 Inc.

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4. 2008Santa telephone feature introduced

   Tellme added a Christmas Eve service with recorded Santa messages and travel information.

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5. 2007Microsoft acquisition completed

   Microsoft acquired Tellme for approximately $800 million in a transaction announced in March and completed in late April.

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6. 2006Network surpasses two billion unique calls

   Tellme reported processing more than two billion unique calls through its phone network during the year.

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7. 2000Consumer voice portal introduced

   Tellme launched a telephone service providing spoken access to time, weather, news, sports, business searches, stock information, directions, and related content.

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8. 1999Tellme Networks is founded

   Tellme’s founding team assembled in Mountain View, California, and established the company around telephone-based applications.

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A voice-technology platform and telephone information provider that connected Internet content, speech recognition, and enterprise services through ordinary phone networks.

• Tellme Voice PortalConsumer voice information service2000

  Tellme’s flagship public service allowed callers to request spoken information through a telephone interface. It covered time announcements, weather, short news and sports updates, business listings, stock quotations, driving directions, and directory assistance. The service was accessed through a memorable toll-free number and served both as a consumer utility and as a demonstration of Tellme’s speech-recognition and voice-portal technology.

• Tellme StudioVoice-application development platform

  Tellme Studio was a web-based environment for creating voice-enabled applications on the Tellme Network. It supported applications built around open telephony and speech standards, including VoiceXML and CCXML, and was intended for developers and enterprise customers building automated information, transaction, and customer-service experiences.

• Phone BoothTelephone calling service

  Phone Booth was an introductory consumer feature that gave callers two free minutes of long-distance calling to a number of their choice after they called Tellme. It functioned as a user-acquisition and product-demonstration mechanism, but the company later discontinued it while retaining other voice-portal services.

• The Information LineTelephone information service2012

  After Microsoft divested the relevant service to 24/7 Inc. in 2012, the former Tellme information line was moved to a non-toll-free number and branded The Information Line. It continued the broader concept of telephone-accessible information and directory assistance.

• Voice InfoTelephone information service2019

  Voice Info was a later rebranding of the successor to Tellme’s public information service. Relaunched in 2019, it again used a toll-free access number and retained routes through the former Bing 411 system and an AT&T Wireless short code for some users. The published toll-free number was deactivated in July 2020.

• 2008Santa Claus telephone experience

  United States

  Tellme created a seasonal voice experience for Christmas Eve. Callers could hear recorded messages describing the U.S. state Santa was traveling over and what he was doing. The feature was extended in 2009 with messages available a week before Christmas.

  Outcome. The service demonstrated Tellme’s ability to create accessible, entertainment-oriented voice applications, although no performance figures are specified.

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• 2012Divest interactive voice response operationsM&A

  Microsoft elected to divest Tellme’s interactive voice response service and most of the associated employees.

  What changed. The IVR operation was transferred to 24/7 Inc., and the public information service changed telephone access arrangements.

  Aftermath. The service continued outside Microsoft under a new operating structure and was later known as The Information Line and Voice Info.

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• 2007Sell Tellme Networks to MicrosoftM&A

  Tellme had developed a large-scale voice platform and served both consumers and enterprise customers.

  What changed. Microsoft announced an acquisition on March 14, 2007, for approximately $800 million; the transaction closed in late April.

  Aftermath. Tellme became part of Microsoft’s voice, search, and interactive-service activities.

  Reported acquisition value. Approximately $800 million (Announced March 14, 2007; completed late April 2007)

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• 2000Use a public voice portal as a technology showcaseProduct launch

  Tellme was developing voice portals at a time when speech recognition and Internet telephony were emerging technologies. A public service could demonstrate the platform to consumers and prospective enterprise customers.

  What changed. The company launched a telephone information line offering spoken access to weather, news, sports, business listings, stock information, directions, and other services.

  Aftermath. The service became the public face of Tellme’s platform and helped establish a foundation for later enterprise voice applications.

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• 2020Voice Info number is deactivated

  The toll-free number for the later Voice Info service was deactivated in July 2020.

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• 2012Microsoft divests Tellme IVR operations to 24/7 Inc.

  Microsoft transferred Tellme’s interactive voice response service and most of its employees to 24/7 Inc.; the public information service moved to a non-toll-free number.

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• 2008Tellme launches a Christmas Eve Santa service

  Tellme introduced a seasonal telephone experience in which callers could hear recorded information about Santa’s journey and activities.

  Product launchCampaign
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• 2007Microsoft agrees to acquire Tellme Networks

  Microsoft announced the acquisition of Tellme Networks for approximately $800 million, adding the company’s voice-application and speech technology to its portfolio.

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• 2007Microsoft completes Tellme acquisition

  The Tellme acquisition was completed in late April after being announced in March.

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1. Tellme Networks