BURLINGTON, Mass., – April 28, 2015 – Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) today announced that SK Telecom, the leading mobile service provider in South Korea, has deployed Nuance’s voice biometrics to provide an easy and secure authentication process for its customers. To see this technology in action at SK Telecom click here.

SK Telecom turned to Nuance’s VocalPassword voice biometric solution to offer an innovative solution to its customers, allowing them to authenticate into their accounts using the sound of their voice. This solution eliminates the need for customers to be asked intrusive security questions and instead results in a quick, secure and convenient experience.

SK Telecom, the leading mobile service provider in South Korea with over 28 million subscribers, has become the first organization in the region to offer voice biometric technology in the call center. Previously, customers were asked a number of questions to verify their identity when calling into the contact center, creating a lengthy and uncomfortable process. Realizing the value of their customers’ time, SK Telecom sought to transform the experience by offering a simple yet secure method for gaining access to accounts. Now, when a customer dials into the contact center, they are asked to speak the predefined phrase: “At SK Telecom, my voice is my password,” to be authenticated into their account and then speak with a representative about their inquiry or request. This innovative solution allows for a quick, easy and secure customer experience.

Voice biometrics offers a proven alternative for organizations to increase security while also vastly improving the customer experience by making the authentication process more natural and intuitive. “Providing our customers with an unparalleled experience is our top priority” said Ahn Keun, Senior Vice President and Head of Customer Experience Management (CEM) Office at SK Telecom. “Voice biometrics is transforming the way we interact with our customers, allowing them a more convenient experience while also keeping their information secure. Customers enjoy calling into the contact center knowing that they are no longer bothered with intrusive and lengthy questioning.”

“When it comes to authentication, we’ve seen that PINS, passwords and security questions are leaving accounts vulnerable and can no longer be considered a safe and secure method,” said Robert Weideman, executive vice president and general manager, Enterprise Division, Nuance. “By turning to voice biometrics, SK Telecom will be able to differentiate itself from other businesses by offering a truly innovative experience that is proven to be effective.”

Nuance’s voice biometrics solutions have been adopted globally by other large organizations such as ING Netherlands, Tangerine Bank, Tatra Banka, Banco Santander Mexico and Vodacom South Africa.

Around the world, voice biometrics is quickly becoming an accepted form of authentication which has proven to be both secure and convenient. New data from Opus Research shows that the voice biometrics authentication market is poised to grow from $200M (2013) to $750M globally in 2017. Nuance voice biometrics technology leads the industry, with over 50 million voiceprints deployed by its customers, representing over 80% of the commercial market. (Opus Research: Census Report: Voice Biometrics Census and Forecast, November 2014).

To learn more about how voice biometrics can reinvent a customer experience, go here. Nuance will also be participating in the Opus Research Voice Biometrics Conference to be held in New York City on May 4-5, 2015. Please go here for more details.

About SK Telecom

SK Telecom (NYSE: SKM, KSE: 017670), established in 1984, is Korea’s largest telecommunications company with more than 28 million mobile subscribers, accounting for around 50% of the market. The company reached KRW 17.164 trillion in revenue in 2014. As the world’s first company to commercialize CDMA, CDMA 2000 1x, CDMA EV-DO and HSDPA networks, SK Telecom launched the nation’s first LTE service in July 2011. SK Telecom also became the world’s first mobile carrier to commercialize 150Mbps LTE-Advanced in June 2013 and 225Mbps LTE-Advanced in June 2014 through Carrier Aggregation (CA). In line with its efforts to swiftly move towards the next-generation mobile network system, or 5G, it successfully commercialized 300Mbps tri-band LTE-A CA. As of December 2014, the company has over 16.7 million LTE and LTE-Advanced subscribers. Based on its strength in network operations business, SK Telecom is seeking new growth engines in areas of platform, Big Data and convergence business. For more information, please visit www.sktelecom.com or email to press@sktelecom.com.

About Nuance Communications, Inc

Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) is a leading provider of voice and language solutions for businesses and consumers around the world. Its technologies, applications and services make the user experience more compelling by transforming the way people interact with devices and systems. Every day, millions of users and thousands of businesses experience Nuance’s proven applications. For more information, please visit www.nuance.com.

Nuance and the Nuance logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Nuance Communications, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States of America and/or other countries. All other company names or product names may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Nuance Communications Contact:
US
Erica Hill
781-888-5518
erica.hill@nuance.com