Video Applications

While writing video applications is not dissimilar to writing VoiceXML applications, the content of the applications is very different. Now it's possible to show music videos, video blogs, technical support videos, as well as static information like flight departure times and bank balances. Video has the advantage that none of the content is on the client phone - so there are no digital rights management (DRM) issues with music or videos, nor or there old bank statments hidden in the browser cache. Because static images can be made into short videos, there is no reason why many of the applications available today over the web or w@p shouldn't be adapted for video. In effect, it means turning the static information that would have been displayed on the web/w@p page into a short video.

Video applications are in effect multimodal - you have visual and audio output from the system, accepting speech or DTMF as the input. So we can finally use the ideal combination: speech recognition to handle the myriad input possibilities - with visual output for the results. Suddenly flight departures and train timetables can be presented to the caller without them having to remember everything in their heads.

Video applications also have the advantage that no client is required on the caller's phone. They just need to make a video call - the rest is taken care of.

Video IVR

Prehaps the most obvious video application is using DTMF keys to select videos. The simple IVR DTMF menu is visualised, but the content that is offered is completely different. Now it may be the best tries from the Rugby World Cup, or the best goals from the World Cup. Bank statements and train timetables can be presented. Speech recognition can be used as input - and if needs be the n-best results can be presented to the caller as a video, so that they can choose the right result.

A search application is a good example of combining speech recognition and video output. The caller can say what town they want information for or select their current location. The map of the town can be presented as a video. Then the caller can select what they are looking for - a hotel, a petrol station, etc - and this can be shown on a map. Localisation of the caller, using the network, would allow the map to zoom in on the caller's position and show their immediate vicinity.

Some typical video IVR applications:

• Banking - the last withdrawals can be shown rather than read out using TTS.
• Flight Checker - check-in using the video app, choose your seat, check flight departure and arrival times.
• Train timetables - the times can be presented rather than read out.
• Cinema App - book tickets, watch trailers, find out what time the film is playing at.
• Video portals - news, weather, sports results - all as videos
• Music Videos - all the latest pop videos for the price of a video call
• YoutTube - search for YouTube videos and watch them on your phone

Video Blogging

Create your own blog without using the web! The advantage of video blogging is that you don't need a web interface for it. Instead of having a web-site you have a video blog telephone number. You give this number to your friends. When you want to record a new blog, you dial the number. This shows you a list of all the latest entries. Then to record a blog you enter a PIN code. You can then record a new video blog entry using your phone. You can review it, record a new version or submit it to the blog. Your friends then get an SMS telling them that there is a new entry in the blog, including the number to call. Of course you can supe-up the interface using the web - let the blogger add tags to the videos and short descriptions, as well as adding and removing videos. But the basics work without the web with any video telephone.

Video Advertising

This could be an outbound call to a customer with a video advertisement - or it could be a number on a poster. So if Audi brings out a new model, the posters might say "To find out more, just make a video call to this number...". In theory they could even put the caller in contact with a sales rep if they are really interested in knowing more. Video-push applications could be a way of increasing the number of video calls made. Most people who have 3G phones don't make video calls. This might be changed by calling new customers with 3G phones and showing them how they can make 3G calls and what services are available over the video IVR.

Video Call Steering

This one is as simple as it sounds. Instead of having a small forest of DMTF menus, show the menus on the screen. The caller can make a choice and if they're not happy they can go back a level - or back to the main menu. They also don't have to remember all the options in their head, but can look at them at their leisure. I the time it takes a caller to listen to a single DTMF voice menu, they could be through 3 levels of video menus - helping the caller to make the right choice and giving you a higher first call resolution rate. Once they've made their choice, the video call would show the company logo, while the caller speaks to a 2G contact centre agent.

Video Contact Centre

The video contact centre is an extension of video call steering. Rather than showing the company logo when the caller gets through, the caller has a video call with the contact centre agent. Furthermore, the agent can push videos to the caller - so if the agent wants to show a caller how they can use a particular feature of their handset, the agent can push a video to the caller, which shows them what to do. The agent can speak to the caller while the video is playing. Whether agents will be happy to be seen by their customers, is another matter!

Video Conferencing

Another application is video conference calls - using 3G phones rather than dedicated video conferencing rooms. Given the size of the screen, it doesn't make sense to have more than 4 participants being shown at a time. Or whoever is speaking may be shown to all others. Either way a basic video conferencing system is possible using CCXML and VoiceXML.

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