Of course, simple access and retrieval of information is just the beginning. A voice portal can also be used to provide users access to virtual personal assistants and Web-based unified messaging applications. A voice portal service provides access through the phone to such information as news, weather, traffic, stock quotes, driving directions, and restaurant guides. In some cases, these are Internet-based services in an audio format. A voice portal can also provide a front end for Web messaging, a new breed of unified messaging that integrates Web access with more traditional technologies like voice mail, e-mail, and fax.
Users can access their mail through the telephone or the Web.
Going one step further, a voice portal can also be used to access a virtual personal assistant. The first generation of these services were introduced a number of years ago by companies like Webley or General Magic. The personal assistant can also place phone calls for the user, interrupt phone calls with call control options, and provide similar phone-oriented administrative functions. There are also many business applications for voice portal technology. Voice portal technology has the potential to dramatically improve customer satisfaction, increase revenues, and reduce agent costs when used in e-business.