Optus offers voicemail to text conversion service

David Braue December 7, 2009

Mobile users on the Optus network now have access to a service that automatically converts voicemail messages to text and sends them to the user’s phone as an SMS message.

The service, called Optus Voice to Text, is built using voice recognition technology from SpinVox, whose Voice Message Conversion System (VMCS) engine calls on a library of more than 2 billion spoken word transcriptions to transcribe the contents of customer voicemails. SpinVox claims more than 30 million users of its technology worldwide.

Customers can still use their voicemail in the conventional way, and up to 60 Voice to Text messages will be retained in voicemail inboxes for up to five days.

Optus is offering consumer and SMB post-paid mobile customers a 14-day trial of the new service, which can be activated by texting the word ‘ON’ to 7746. After the 14-day trial has finished, customers can continue the Voice to Text service for $6.99 per month.

Telstra launched its own SpinVox-based service, Voice2Text, in February and charges from $5 to $15 per month (depending on how many voicemail translations are included) plus 40c per message.