| Tue 11 Feb 2003, 11:11 | | Spescom Datavoice Technology Gains World Recogniti |
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SPESCOM DATAVOICE TECHNOLOGY GAINS WORLD RECOGNITION IN DEAL WITH GLOBAL
RECORDING GIANT - DICTAPHON
Spescom Limited
(Registration number 1987/001083/06)
(Incorporated in the Republic of South Africa)
Share code: SPS ISIN: ZAE000017919
SPESCOM DATAVOICE TECHNOLOGY GAINS WORLD RECOGNITION IN DEAL WITH GLOBAL
RECORDING GIANT - DICTAPHONE
Johannesburg, 10th February 2003: In what is being described as a major business
coup, multi-national technology innovator, Spescom, has announced that Spescom
DataVoice has signed a distributorship agreement that will see DataVoice
products marketed worldwide by voice recording giant, Dictaphone Corporation.
Spescom is publicly listed on the JSE Securities Exchange SA (Spescom Ltd), and
on the NASDAQ OTCBB : ALTS.OB (Spescom Software Inc). Spescom DataVoice is
dedicated to the multi-media transaction recording market.
US based, Dictaphone, is a household name and dominant industry player that has
been at the forefront of recording technology development for over 100 years.
Spescom DataVoice CEO, Viv Crone says the agreement is effective immediately and
confirms that Dictaphone has already launched the DataVoice product range onto
US markets.
"This is not only a major business achievement for Spescom DataVoice but is also
powerful acknowledgment of South African technology as globally competitive and
cutting edge," says Crone.
He adds that the potential business spin-off of the deal is significant in a
world market valued in excess of $750m.
"Obviously it would be premature to discuss the financial impact of the
agreement but if one considers the size of the global market and Dictaphone`s
position in it, it is fair to say that the seeds have been planted for Spescom
DataVoice to acquire a sturdy portion of this lucrative arena. Production will
be geared up to meet the demand that is already being displayed through early
sales in the USA, with short and long term bottom line benefits for both
DataVoice and Dictaphone."
Crone says the association will open channels to market for DataVoice products
that would otherwise not have been possible.
He confirms that under the terms of the agreement the DataVoice voice recording
solutions will be marketed worldwide under the Dictaphone brand.
Dictaphone`s Senior Vice President and General Manager of its CRS division, Ed
Rucinski, states, "We are extremely excited about the new relationship between
Dictaphone and DataVoice. This agreement brings together two industry leaders
within their respective geographical markets, allowing both companies to
substantially leverage their combined engineering talent and application
expertise. This will give us the necessary depth required to put substantial
distance between ourselves and our closest competitors as we enter new markets."
"This is a triumph for Spescom DataVoice. It is a powerful coalition of our
world first technology coupled with the ultimate channel to market via the world
market leader. It not only bears the early fruits of Spescom`s globalisation
strategy but it links us with a global giant with whom we have enormous synergy.
Dictaphone has a high appreciation of technology excellence with a passionate,
dynamic approach to business," concludes Crone.
ends
About Spescom
Spescom is a multi-national technology innovator with direct operations in the
US, UK and South Africa.
The group is publicly listed on the JSE Securities Exchange SA (Spescom Ltd),
and on the NASDAQ OTCBB : ALTS.OB (Spescom Software Inc).
Spescom addresses the information and communications technology market providing
both products and solutions to connect to the network economy, as well as
enterprise software to manage information and knowledge.
Specifically, Spescom provides solutions in the areas of access network;
enterprise information management; multimedia transaction recording; broadcast;
customer contact centres; and test & measurement.
Spescom markets its products worldwide through appointed partners and
distributors under the eB(tm) brand for its enterprise software, and the
DataVoice(tm) brand for its multimedia transaction recording solutions.
Spescom`s global customer base consists of multi-national organisations
including leading enterprises in the utilities, telecommunications,
transportation, financial, banking and insurance sectors.
Worldwide, customers include Siemens, British Telecoms, Network Rail (formerly
Railtrack), Lloyds of London, Barclays Bank, Abbey National Bank, WH Smith,
Caterpillar, Bechtel, AmerenUE, Entergy, Bombardier, Ocean Energy, Sempra
Energy, Telkom, SABC, Old Mutual, Eskom, Transnet, First National Bank.
For more information on Spescom, please visit www.spescomsoftware.com and
www.spescom.com
About Spescom DataVoice
Spescom DataVoice, a subsidiary of Spescom Limited, is dedicated to the
development and global marketing of its DataVoice products in the area of
capture, management, and recreation of live data.
About Dictaphone Corporation
Dictaphone Corporation is a leading provider of communications recording and
quality management systems for contact centers, financial services, securities
environments, public safety agencies, health care facilities, and many others.
Headquartered in Stratford, CT, Dictaphone has over a century of experience in
voice technology and is propelled for growth by a wave of newly developed and
acquired technologies.
For further information contact:
Viv Crone
CEO Spescom DataVoice
Tel: +27 11 266 1711
Fax: +27 11 266 1553
Mobile: +27 83 625 3988
E-mail: vcrone@spescom.com
Simone Farah
Spescom Corporate Communications Officer
Tel: +27 11 266 1701
Fax: +27 11 266 1553
Mobile: +27 82 410 1236
E-mail: sfarah@spescom.com
DEIRDRE BLAIN
BLAIN & ASSOCIATES
TEL: Offices: +27 11 789 8548
Mobile: 083 305 8859
Fax: +27 11 789 8567
Date: 11/02/2003 10:49:00 AM Produced by the JSE SENS Department
