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January 26, 1999. Leading voice messaging companies in North
America have come together to advance the adoption and use of messaging
services in all market segments including consumer, business, and
government by forming the TeleMessaging Industry Association (TMIA).
The TMIA is an open forum comprised of North American service providers,
voice mail/messaging vendors, customer premise equipment providers
and other parties with a demonstrated interest in promoting the
use of voice mail and messaging. Founding members include Ameritech,
Bell Atlantic, Bell Canada, BellSouth, BC Tel, Comverse Network
Systems, Conxus Communications, Glenayre, GTE, Lucent, PhoneLabs,
SBC Communications, Inc., Solopoint, and Unisys Corporation.
The TMIA was formed to better educate the public about the lifestyle-affecting
benefits of voice mail and messaging services and thereby increase
their use. The group believes that voice mail provides unique solutions
that solve personal and business needs. Residential users can have
a more reliable telephone answering solution that also provides
message notification to their mobile phone or pager. Schools, sports
teams, church groups, and other communities of interest can use
messaging to provide timely and frequent communications among its
membership. Solutions integrating e-mail and speech recognition
can provide the business or on-the-go residential user with access
to critical voice information at a time when access to their Personal
Computer is impossible or provide unified messaging solutions on
multiple devices. Personalized information services such as stock
or news information can be deposited in a mailbox to save time by
providing timely information that is valuable to that individual.
The average consumer may not even be aware that voice mail is available
outside of the office environment, nor of its benefits beyond answering
the telephone," said Tom Harper, TMIA co-chair from Conxus.
"We can significantly improve this awareness by communicating
the value and benefits created by voice messaging." Jim LaFollette,
TMIA co-chair from Pacific Bell Information Services, an SBC company,
further explained, "TMIA members believe that we can grow the
industry and create an environment that allows each company to compete
in the larger overall market."
According to Ellis Hill, president of Research First Consulting,
Inc., the Executive Director of TMIA, the association's goals are:
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To increase positive awareness and usage of
telephone answering voice mail. |
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To promote the adoption and usage of voicemail-related,
non real-time messaging communications. |
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To lobby key stakeholders by pursuing TMIA
positions on matters affecting the industry such as legislation
and standards. |
"With more and more consumers working at home, telecommuting
and bringing office work home, voice messaging becomes a very simple
and cost effective way of communicating," said Hill. "With
mobility and information management requirements growing for consumers
daily, there is an increasing need for people to simplify and control
their communications. And what better way than with voice messaging.
The TMIA is actively recruiting members throughout the messaging
industry. Those interested are encouraged to call 205-995-8866 or
check the TMIA's web page at www.tmia.org.
Contact:
Ellis D. Hill, Executive Director
TeleMessaging Industry Association
4066 Somerset Ridge
Birmingham, AL 35242
Tel: 205-995-8866
Fax: 205-991-8143
Email: ellis@tmia.org
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