Curious Networks to chat with TellMe
INTERNET, TELECOMMUNICATIONS
By James Heckman, LocalBusiness.com
Mar 08, 2001 09:00 AM ET
CHICAGO, March 8 (LocalBusiness.com) --
Web surfing is starting to cater to the downright lazy.
In late January, Curious Networks introduced
its Continuum platform to enable programmers to design a single Website that is accessible
via computers, phones or pagers. The company announced a contract with TellMe Networks Inc.
Wednesday to add voice-activated services to the Continuum platform.
The companies did not reveal financial details of the deal.
Mountain View, Calif.-based TellMe Networks hosts voice-activated telephone
programs for companies. For example, credit card customers who call in to check a
balance can navigate their way through the system with voice commands rather than
typing numbers on the keypad.
"Right now the financial end is still under negotiations with TellMe," David
Cutler, CEO of Curious Networks, told LocalBusiness.com. "We have fees we pay to
TellMe, which we are currently just passing along to the customer. At the moment,
this is a feature to add to Continuum, not a profit generator."
Voice navigation is one option
Curious Networks plans to add the TellMe services to Continuum, which means that
when customers use the platform to program Websites, they have the option of including
voice navigation. A stock trading site, for example, then would be accessible by phone,
and customers could simply call, ask how IBM is doing and instruct the Website to buy
or sell shares.
If a Continuum customer is interested in the voice service, Curious Networks
handles the grunt work of setting up an account with TellMe and arranging for calling
plans or 800 numbers. The company hasn't worked out purchase packages yet, but Cutler
said he envisions customers buying blocks of time per month or just paying for block
usage of the service without paying per minute. Pricing will depend on the structure
of each deal.
Rather than incorporating TellMe's software into Continuum, however, the
voice-activated service will be run by TellMe.
Chicago-based Curious Networks sells a multichannel Internet communications
platform called Continuum. With it, programmers can use a programming language
created by Curious Networks called MAXML to write applications to connect Websites
to end users via multiple channels, such as Web-enabled phones, pagers and PDAs.
As a result, programmers do not have to develop a new Website each time Motorola
comes out with the latest electronic gadget.
The company has been running a development site (at /workshop)
so programmers can test-drive the MAXML language. The development site offers a scaled-down
version of Continuum where programmers can write and run applications.
Licensing fee leads revenue
Curious Networks' main source of revenue is a one-time licensing fee between
$25,000 and $50,000 for use of the Continuum platform, along with annual
maintenance fees for access to upgrades and technical support. The company plans
to target Global 1000 companies for the service.
In June last year, Curious Networks raised $3.5 million in a first round led
by BlueStar Ventures LP. Cutler said the company is seeking a second round of between
$5 million and $10 million to finance larger-scale marketing and sales efforts.
Curious Networks was founded in September 1999 and has about 30 employees.
James Heckman is a staff writer at LocalBusiness.com.
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