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Tellme Networks was an American company founded in 1999 by Mike McCue and Angus Davis,^[1] based out of Mountain View, California, that specialized in telephone-based applications.

Tellme Networks was acquired by Microsoft on March 14, 2007 for "close to $800M".^[2] The deal closed in late April 2007. In 2006, Tellme's phone network processed more than two billion unique calls per year.^[3]

In early 2012, Microsoft divested itself of Tellme Networks' interactive voice response (IVR) service an the majority of its employees to 24/7 Inc. The service was moved to a non-toll-free number.

History

In April 1999, the Tellme founding team, consisting of Mike McCue, Angus Davis, Rod Brathwaite, Jim Fanning, Kyle Sims, Brad Porter, Michael Plitkins, Hadi Partovi, John Giannandrea, Andrew Volkmann, Anthony Accardi, Patrick McCormick, Danny Howard, Vicki Flores, and Emil Michael assembled in Mountain View, California.

In 2000, Tellme launched an internet platform that delivered content to telephones — a concept frequently called voice portals. Early competitors included TelSurf Networks, BeVocal, Hey Anita, and Quack.com, which was founded in 1999 and acquired in September 2000 by America Online to power its competing service AOL By Phone. At least 10 additional competitors appeared in 2000 in various attempts to mimic the funding success of Tellme.^[4]

Tellme was featured in the 2001 documentary Wild at Start.^[5] and was referenced in a 2000 Malcolm Gladwell article about recruiting.^[6]

Services

Voice portal customers build Internet-powered, voice-enabled applications on the Tellme Network using Tellme Studio. Tellme Studio is a Web-based VoiceXML development tool. The Tellme platform is based on open standards like VoiceXML, CCXML, and VoIP. The Tellme Voice Portal can be accessed by calling (800) 555-8355. Tellme also hosts toll-free directory assistance.

Customers

Some services running on Tellme's network include directory assistance (4-1-1) for AT&T and Verizon (landline), AT&T's Voice Info (*8), customer service for Merrill Lynch, E*TRADE Financial, and American Airlines, and e-commerce services for Fandango.^[7]

References