computer telephony

Computer Telephone Integration
Computer Telephony
Computer Telephony Integration
CT

   <communications> (CTI or "- Telephony -") Enabling computers
   to know about and control telephony functions such as making
   and receiving voice, {fax}, and data calls, telephone
   directory services, and {caller identification}.  The
   integration of telephone and computer systems and is a major
   development in the evolution of the automated office.

   CTI is not a new concept - such links have been used in the
   past in large telephone networks - but only dedicated call
   centres could justify the costs of the required equipment
   installation.  Primary telephone service providers are now
   beginning to offer information services such as {Automatic
   Number Identification} and {Dialled Number Identification
   Service} on a scale wide enough for its implementation to
   bring real value to business or residential telephone usage.
   A new generation of applications ({middleware}) is being
   developed as a result of standardisation and availability of
   low cost computer-telephony links.  This can link {personal
   computers} with telephones and/or a local area server with a
   {PBX}.  Leading telephony and {software} vendors such as
   {AT&T}, {British Telecom}, {IBM}, {Novell}, {Microsoft} and
   {Intel} are developing better telephony services and
   capabilities which should eventually enable low cost CTI.

   The main {CTI} functions are integrating {messaging} with
   {databases}, {word processors} etc.; controlling voice, {fax},
   and {e-mail} messaging systems from a single {application
   program}; graphical call control - using a {graphical user
   interface} to perform functions such as making and receiving
   calls, forwarding and conferencing; call and {data}
   association - provision of information about the caller from
   databases or other applications automatically before the call
   is answered or transferred; {speech synthesis} and {speech
   recognition}; automatic logging of call related information
   for invoicing purposes or callback.

   Typical productivity benefits are improved customer service;
   increased productivity; reduced costs; enhanced workflow
   automation; protected investment in computers and telephony;
   computerised telephony intelligence.

   IBM were one of the first with workable CTI, now sold as
   "CallPath".  {Callware}'s {Phonetastic} is typical of the new
   breed of {middleware}.

   CTI came out of the 1980s call centre boom, where it linked
   central servers and {IVRs} with {PBX}es to provide call
   transfer and {screen popping}.  In the 1990s, efforts were
   made by several vendors, such as IBM, Novell {TSAPI} and
   Microsoft {TAPI}, to provide a version for {desktop computers}
   that would allow control of a desktop telephone and assist in
   {hot desking}.

   Desktop CTI was made obsolete by the mobile phone revolution,
   e-mail and, above all, {VoIP}, and CTI has never advanced
   outside the call centre.

   See also {Telephony Application Programming Interface}.

   (2003-12-04)