Computer Telephone Integration definition
<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 PBXes 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 desktop version 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)
Nearby terms:
computer sex « Computer Software Configuration Item « Computer Supported Cooperative Work « Computer Telephone Integration » Computer Telephony » Computer Telephony Integration » computer virus
|
