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Voxsmart Ltd has now moved its head office from Colchester to a highly prestigious office location next to Liverpool Street in the City. The new office address is: Voxsmart Ltd. 30 Crown Place, London EC2 Paul Manyweathers has now taken on the job as full time CEO of Voxsmart Ltd. and is also joined by Graham Rivers as non-executive Chairmain. Paul has been in the recording industry for many years and has built and managed several businesses from dictation through to high end recording systems. Most recently, he was heading CyberTech's global sales before that company was in turn acquired by NICE Systems. Graham is also a well known industry figure, having been a Director of T-Mobile, with responsibility for the wholesale and MVNO business. He was also CEO at WIN PLC, which he grew and took to a highly successful IPO. Patent application submitted for ground breaking technology Voxsmart, the leading supplier of voice recording solutions for mobile phones, has announced the immediate availability of VoxRecord Enterprise. It gives greater control over the deployment and management of mobile recording systems with the security and flexibility to address the global compliance and disaster recovery requirements of financial institutions of every size from the largest through to the smaller niche boutique firms. According to Sally Ann Angel, CEO of Voxsmart: “VoxRecord Enterprise has been developed as a direct response to customer requests for a future-proof solution that meets the forthcoming regulatory changes without tying them forever to a particular carrier or provider of recording infrastructure.” VoxRecord Enterprise is a simple to deploy and secure software-only solution for recording mobile phone calls. It integrates with an organisation’s existing infrastructure without requiring additional hardware or can be deployed as a cloud-based service. Spurred on by a recent cash injection by a group of private investors, VoxSmart has also made a number of patent applications for this newly released product, which provides a unique new range of functionality including:
· Simultaneous deployment of thousands of users from a centralised location · Automates recording policies when users are overseas to meet local regulatory and legal requirements · Easy management of multiple white-list numbers · Market-leading DR capabilities to ensure calls will always be recorded · High levels of security with no data ever leaving the corporate firewall · Virtually no call set-up delay on any major mobile carrier including Vodafone · Compatible with any mobile phone network and voice recording infrastructure · Requires no change of phone numbers, SIM cards or additional DDIs · Includes SMS and PIN recording.
VoxRecord Enterprise has already been selected by a number of financial institutions as their preferred mobile recording solution. It is also currently being trialled by most of the City’s other leading financial institutions in preparation for the removal of the FSA’s mobile phone exemption in November 2011.
Voxsmart, the mobile phone recording specialist, has enhanced its portfolio of compliance recording solutions for BlackBerry mobiles with VoxMonitor. This unique new application monitors the recording applications and triggers alerts should any unauthorised or unwanted changes occur for whatever reason during the life of the device. It enables organisations to efficiently manage unforeseen circumstances, unexpected problems or unauthorised tampering to ensure that unrecorded calls are not being made. According to John Enoch, founder of Voxsmart and designer of the new application: “VoxMonitor exceeds the standard IT Policy management provided within the BlackBerry platform and gives additional assurance that usage of any recorded phone can be interrupted and denied if our recording application is somehow disabled. With a uniquely sophisticated audit trail of compliance, it provides unparalleled protection from inadvertent breaches of the Financial Services regulations. It is rock solid.” VoxMonitor takes a snapshot of the security parameters and overall health of any recorded device upon installation and identifies if an attempt is made to disable call recording or any other event which could cause the recording application to fail. This new application gives organisations the ability to gather evidence of unwanted events through alerts, or automatically lock the phone to prevent calls being made until the problem is resolved. VoxMonitor can also be used to ensure that any software loaded onto a BlackBerry is similarly monitored. “We have already submitted a patent application for this new solution,” continued John Enoch. “VoxMonitor is just one more way that Voxsmart can help compliance management and officers in regulated firms to sleep a little easier at night.” Voxsmart, the mobile phone recording specialist, has announced that it has achieved a leading market position in the provision of mobile voice recording solutions to the financial sector. In the month leading up to 14th November, the day that the FSA mobile call recording requirements came into force, Voxsmart successfully deployed its innovative VoxRecord software to well over 10,000 handsets, from large-scale on-premise deployments (including 7 of the World’s Top 25 banks by Tier 1 capital) to single hosted deployments for boutique fund managers. According to John Enoch, the founder of Voxsmart: “The last couple of months have been exceptionally busy as many financial institutions left it very late in the day to select the best solution and the Voxsmart team worked around the clock to meet this last minute demand. We are already planning future development to enhance functionality, make the user experience even better and take the technology into a number of new market sectors.” To handle this increase in demand, Voxsmart has recently completed a major recruitment programme. This has enabled the company to strengthen key areas of the business including marketing and business development, project management, technology and administration. Paul Manyweathers, who heads up Voxsmart’s sales and marketing function, added: “Now that it is mandatory for mobile phones to be recorded in the financial sector, we expect to continue winning new FSA compliance accounts over the coming months. We also anticipate that the banks that deployed cloud-based solutions as a short term tactical response to meet the deadline will switch to VoxRecord to better meet their long term recording strategies and security requirements when they have had more time to evaluate the other options.” Paul Manyweathers is now working with Voxsmart to manage the company's sales and marketing activities. Paul has over 25 years experience in the call recording industry and has gone from a senior position in Dictaphone to starting his own company, Activa. This was eventually purchased by CyberTech International which was in turn purchased by NICE Systems, the Financial Services sector's largest supplier of call recording systems. Paul will be supporting NICE and other Voxsmart partners with the VoxRecord mobile call recoridng solution. Voxsmart recently filed a patent on its technology covering many of the new and unique features and functionality offered. In particular, the patent covers the many ways in which the VoxRecord solution can be deployed with policies set specific to mobile recording compliance, all managed through the security of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Voxsmart hosted a seminar on 17th February 2011 with the FSA, RIM and Actiance to cover what mobile call recording compliance really means and what is required of regulated firms The event was over subscribed with just under 200 attendees and many key issues were raised. The key messages from the FSA were that the recording of mobiles will be mandated for regulated Firms in the UK from 14th November 2011 and that it is not sufficient to issue policy statements on the use of mobiles. There must be proof that "reasonable endeavours" have been taken to ensure that mobile communications are recorded. It is the FSA's opinion that technology is readily available that allows the recording of mobile devices in a secure and cost effective manner. Two questions of additional interest which were raised by the audience with the FSA: 1. What are regulated Firms required to do when roaming, especially to countries which may require call recordings to be created and stored in country? To this the FSA responded that if such visits are infrequent then no special measures would need to be taken, but if such visits were regular, then mobile recording would need to be done in accordance with local laws. 2. What shoudl be done to secure mobile carrier voicemail systems? Do these also need to be secured and recorded? To this the FSA responded by stating that if such voicemail systems can be used as an avenue to abet any fraudulent activities, then they should be recorded. The ability to dial out through voicemail, hack voicemail and access messages, all the while bypassing mobile recording systems was pointed out and discussed. Overall, the FSA stated that the key objective is to encourage a change in attitude in the conduct of business. Actiance, enablers of the safe and compliant use of unified communications, collaboration and Web 2.0, today announced a new strategic partnership with mobile voice recording specialists Voxsmart. The partnership will enable Actiance’s customers to record voice conversations over BlackBerry smartphones to comply with new regulations from the UK’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) that will take effect in November 2011. Recording traders’ desk phones has been a regulatory requirement in the UK since 2009.
Click here for the full press release Voxsmart signs agreement with Everything Everywhere, the UK's largest communications company to promote Voxrecord mobile call recording solutions to Orange and T-Mobile customers. Voxsmart signed contracts with Smartphones, a wholly owned subsidiary of Telenor to provide the VoxRecord mobile call recording solution for BlackBerry smartphones in Norway. NICE Systems provides the Enterprise market intent-based solutions that address the needs of customer-centric businesses for optimizing Customer Dynamics. Driven by real-time, cross-channel analytics, NICE provides solutions for increasing revenue, enhancing customer experience, improving regulatory compliance, and optimizing contact center and back office operations. NICE brings with it 25 years of market leadership in providing compliance solutions to the global financial services industry.
“The controversial new rules mean financial services companies will have to record traders’ company mobile phones which will benefit the industry”, says Voxsmart.
The country’s sole provider of software-only mobile call recording solutions for BlackBerry smartphones says the new Financial Services Authority regulations will help improve the image of the sector in the long term. From next November, all FSA regulated investment firms in the UK – from banks to high street stockbrokers – will have to record traders’ mobile phone conversations and store them for six months. This has caused an outpouring of discord in the industry with companies concerned that it could prove costly to implement.
Voxsmart’s Chief Executive Sally-Ann Angel has worked closely with the FSA during the development of the new rules. She said businesses should focus on the benefits of the new regulations rather than rally against them. She explained: “The FSA’s recording requirements have been drawn up to crack down on insider trading and provide the FSA with evidence to convict rogue traders. Recording calls on traders’ desk phones has been a requirement for some time and by closing the loophole to include recording mobiles as well the FSA is sending out a clear message that they are serious about preventing and detecting market abuse.”
Sally-Ann Angel stressed that the City’s concerns about the costs to implement new mobile recording systems are unfounded. “This is not the case,” she said. “Voxsmart offers a software based solution which means companies can easily and securely record their BlackBerry smartphones on their current landline recording equipment without the need to purchase any new hardware. And because all calls are kept on the mobile network there are no costly call re-routing charges to pay either. We are the only company to supply this solution, which costs a fraction of the frightening amounts being quoted in the industry.”
Sally-Ann explained that like all BlackBerry applications, Voxsmart’s VoxRecord is very simple to set up using the BlackBerry Enterprise Server. Calls are made in the same way as normal, with the resulting MP3 or WAV file securely created and stored on the company’s existing voice recording systems and all data kept securely within the company’s own firewalls.
“Alternatively, companies without an in-house voice recorder, can take advantage of the cloud based service offered by Voxsmart.”
She added: “VoxRecord is accredited and distributed by leading call recording systems specialists. It is a proven solution that is already being used in financial centres in London and around the world and is the published BlackBerry case study for mobile voice recording.”
For more information, visit www.voxsmart.com or call 01206 854403.
About Voxsmart Founded in January 2006, Voxsmart is an ISV BlackBerry® Alliances Select Member and the leading provider of mobile call recording solutions for BlackBerry® smartphones. Voxsmart has deployed solutions for mobile carriers and for customers in the financial, legal and other sectors and operates through a global distribution network of specialist partners.
About VoxRecord Voxsmart’s VoxRecord application for Blackberry smartphones enables the recording of calls on any digital voice recorder without the need for additional hardware. VoxRecord has been commercially deployed since February 2009. The application is provided to address specific customer recording requirements which includes VoxCompliance for automatic, compulsory recording of all calls, VoxSelect where users can control when to record all calls and VoxOnDemand where any conversation can be recorded by simply pressing a button during a call. As well as addressing regulatory compliance needs, VoxRecord can also be deployed for recording of mobiles for Business Continuity Planning, training and risk management purposes. Recording telephone conversations offers businesses real benefits in terms of accuracy, dispute resolution and staff training. With VoxRecord, these benefits are now available for mobile phone users.
Contact details
For further information, please contact Claire Owen at Mosaic Publicity on 01206 548100 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Voxsmart was selected by Research in Motion to exhibit at the BlackBerry Innovations Forum as a Showcase Partner. The Innovations Forum is where RIM make key partners and customers aware of new products and developments, such as the BlackBerry Playbook, whilst ensuring that the BlackBerry community is able to get access to cutting edge technology. Voxsmart attended the ConvergenceSummit South expo in support of Retell, whose SENSE recorder is now fully supported by VoxRecord. SENSE can now be deployed either as a hardware purchase or deployed as a monthly rental, with all the IT work coordinated by Retell on behalf of the customer.
Banking Technology magazine has published an article on mobile call recording called "From Handset to Handcuffs", which covers the VoxRecord solution from Voxsmart. Research In Motion has published a press release highlighting how the BlackBerry smartphone can now be deployed globally as a compliance solution for mobile voice recording, based on Voxsmart's technology and the global reach of Orange Trading Solutions. On 22nd April 2010, Research In Motion hosts a panel event for Financial Services professionals that includes the Financial Services Authority (FSA), legal firms and the telecoms industry. The panel includes Voxsmart mobile recording customer Thesis Asset Management, which will present the risk and cost benefits of recording BlackBerry smartphones and the user experience of VoxRecord in a live commercial setting. Orange Trading Solutions (Etrali), is the specialist division of the France Telecom group which integrates and deploys advanced recording solutions, mainly for the Financial Services industry. Etrali has licensed VoxRecord on a global basis and will deploy the VoxRecord solution under the Orange brand as the mobile element of unified recording solutions. Etrali has been cooperating with Voxsmart since 2008 and the signing of this contract in Paris positions the two companies to serve companies that record landlines with a mobile module that is cost effective and can be installed on existing recorders, with no need for any additional hardware. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has now released its consultation paper on the recording of mobile phones. Voxsmart was selected to provide a case study by InvestEssex, a local government body to highlight the success of local businesses. A key factor in Voxsmart's selection was its success at exporting products and services to Asia Pacific where customers include StarHub Mobile in Singapore and Orange Trading Solutions across the region. Voxsmart has been upgraded to a Select Member of the BlackBerry Alliance. This reflects Voxsmart's continued support of BlackBerry as being the most suitable mobile device management system on which mobile call recording can be reliably implemented. Voxsmart is also part of the BlackBerry Innovations Forum. Thesis Asset Management is a VoxRecord customer that is the first mobile call recording deployment to be featured as a case study on www.blackberry.com Thesis is an award winning company that is an early adopter of new technologies and practices that improve corporate governance. Thesis deployed VoxRecord in March of 2008 and has been able to record all phone calls from BlackBerry smartphones, with the recording integrated with their existing landline recorder and storage systems. Voxsmart are sponsors of Compliance World 2009 in London on 16/17 September. Compliance World is the major event for compliance officers in the UK and Voxsmart will be showcasing VoxRecord, their automatic mobile call recording solution for risk management and compliance. VoxRecord together with fellow BlackBerry Alliance Partner, GWAVA’s Retain for BlackBerry provide a complete mobile recording solution for complying with any future FSA requirements to record mobile calls, SMS and PIN messages. Orange Trading Solutions (OBS Etrali) has been appointed as a key distributor partner for Voxsmart in Asia Pacific. Orange Trading Solutions is one of the world's largest systems integrators, specialising in financial services and the IT infrastructure that is needed to operate secure and reliable trading floors. This partnership gives Voxsmart fulfillment capabilities across Asia Pacific and enables Etrali to provide an integrated mobile and landline recording solution, built on the the existing landline recorders that have already been deployed. Given the economic slowdown, there is increased capacity of existing recording infrastructure, making the unified fixed and mobile voice solution from Etrali very cost effective. A global engineering company has deployed Voxsmart's VoxTalk solution to help remote workers to track their costs and reduce unnecessary phone expense. The engineering team spends significant time overseas and there is a need to both track costs and monitor usage so that cost saving opportunities can be identified and waste reduced. VoxTalk has provided these remote workers with a simple application that makes it easy for them to both communicate effectively and keep their costs under control. Voxsmart has partnered with BlackBerry specialist Scancom. Scancom is one of the UK's leading providers of BlackBerry smartphones and has added the VoxRecord product to their online store. Scancom is a BlackBerry Alliance Elite member and an Orange Business Specialist. Following the successful deployment of Multi-party conference calling for StarHub Mobile in Singapore, the company shifted its product focus to recording, making the original name outdated. The re-branding as Voxsmart reflects the new focus on a wide range of voice applications for smartphones, especially mobile call recording. OpRisk & Compliance is an industry leading publication that is targeted at compliance officers and other senior executives. In their feature "The Lost Art", Voxsmart is highlighted as a BlackBerry centric recording technology. Voxsmart has signed a marketing agreement with the UK's Orange mobile network, establishing Voxsmart as a Premium Partner of Orange. Sheriffs, bailiffs and High Court Enforcement Officers are now being mobilised by Shergroup, the court enforcement legal specialist and Voxsmart (MultipartyTalk), a mobile innovations company and BlackBerry® Alliance Member. The solution integrates Shergoup's know-how as a legal services specialist and Voxsmart's voice recording technology. Voxsmart has helped Shergroup to cut case handling times down from several days down to under an hour. All dictation recordings are managed through Shergroup's own "SherTalk" system which enables remote reporting to be loaded into an online interface, whether created from the BlackBerry, a PC or a dictation device. Retell, the call recording specialist, has teamed up with MultipartyTalk (now Voxsmart) to offer a unique, complete call recording solution that offers both land line and mobile call recording functionality on their Sense and Ruby call recording systems. The risk posed by unrecorded mobile phones can now be addressed by all businesses, both large and small, with Retell's cost effective, secure solution based upon their well established call recording platforms. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has started the process of regulatory changes which would lead to both mobiles and landlines being covered by the same requirement for recording. The FSA has stated in PS08/1 that it is illogical to record landlines but not mobiles and is looking for feedback from vendors and industry on the practicalities and costs of recording mobiles. MultipartyTalk (now Voxsmart) is referred to in Annex3 as "Solution 1", with reference to the deployment in Singapore on the network of StarHub Mobile. Voxsmart was highlighted as a case study by EIN, to illustrate how a small company in Essex is able to export to Asia and develop new technologies. Tradeforce2007 was held to commemorate the 400th Anniversary of Founding of Jamestown Colony in America and MultipartyTalk (now Voxsmart) was represented by co-founders John Enoch and Sally Ann Angel, who were also given a speaking slot at the event. The visit included Essex based business leaders such as business entrepreneur and former Dragon's Den investor Simon Woodroffe as well as Essex County Council Leader Lord Hanningfield and Claire Sandbrook, CEO of Shergroup. The visit included a meeting with the Governor of Virginia, Tim Kaine and representative from the British Embassy. This historic visit included business meetings both in Washington and Richmond and follow up meetings coordinated by the Greater Richmond Partnership. StarHub announced the launch of Call2Meet, a multi-party mobile call service targeted at business customers in Singapore. Call2Meet allows a user to initiate a group conversation with their colleagues and contacts on a one-to-many basis via their mobile phone with one quick and easy-to-use interface. StarHub is the second largest mobile carrier in Singapore and is a part of the ST Telemedia group, which has a combined subscriber based of over 200 million people, mainly in Asia Pacific. MultipartytTalk (now Voxsmart) decides to focus its developments on the BlackBerry smartphone and joins the BlackBerry Alliance programme. This focus on BlackBerry smartphones is a radical move away from the earlier strategy of trying to support multiple handsets from multiple vendors. Having recognised that the device is such a key success factor and that the BlackBerry smartphone is the most stable and reliable device available, the decision was made to join the BlackBerry Alliance and work closely with RIM.
MultipartyTalk was founded by John Enoch and Sally Ann Angel as a company that aimed to make it easy for users and IT managers to enable fixed line applications in a mobile environment. The company's basic philosophy is that the smartest solutions are the ones that look simple and that any mobile service that needs a user guide wont be that popular. The original ideas and innovations were created by John Enoch, following 20 years in the telecoms industry, with many years working for carriers and then finally, with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he was a Director in the Global risk Management practice in Singapore. The company is run by CEO, Sally Ann Angel, a Chartered Accountant and former Merchant Banker who saw the potential for these mobile technologies in the corporate finance environment in which she used to work.
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