PEABODY, Mass. - September 29, 2003 - ScanSoft, Inc. (NASDAQ: SSFT), the leading supplier of speech and imaging solutions, today announced that the multi-state consortium known as CARS-511 is migrating a portion of its hosted, speech-enabled national traveler information service to a premise-based solution using OpenSpeech Recognizer™ speech recognition software and Speechify® text-to-speech (TTS) software from the SpeechWorks® Suite of network speech solutions. CARS-511 Consortium includes Alaska, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Vermont.

Developed by Castle Rock Consultants, an intelligent transportation systems consulting firm, the Condition Acquisition and Reporting System (CARS) for 511 Traveler Information Services is a road reporting system that utilizes information from a multi-state database of highway events and provides timely information to travelers, who can access this information on any telephone by simply dialing "5-1-1" on the touchpad. Authorized personnel enter information into the system through a web-based interface. The CARS-511 system provides traveler information in a variety of categories including urgent reports, routine reports and road weather, and it also provides seamless call transfers to outside phone numbers that provide transit-related information.

"By delivering information directly to travelers via the telephone, CARS-511 helps them avoid congested routes and safety hazards, thus improving safety and relieving overall road congestion," said Dean Deeter, President of Castle Rock Consultants. "By enhancing the speech recognition capabilities of the system and moving to a premise-based application environment, we are able to improve the public service to callers while achieving significant cost efficiencies for each state."

Travelers calling CARS-511 in participating states use voice commands for hands-free access to current road conditions and other reports. For example, a caller could request "road conditions," and the speech system would prompt the caller to state the name of the road or highway such as "Interstate 95" or "New Hampshire Highway." The speech system would then access real-time information from the CARS system and present it to the caller in a natural-sounding human voice using Speechify TTS software.

Industry-Leading Speech Technology

The newest portion of the CARS-511 speech-enabled solution will run on the Telepath Interactive Voice Response System™ communications platform from Frank Solutions, Inc. (FSI), a leading provider of interactive voice response (IVR), voice recognition, computer telephony, interactive Web response and e-commerce software. The Telepath System relies on ScanSoft's OpenSpeech Recognizer software, a high performance speech recognition engine designed for scalability and accuracy in wireless and noisy environments, and its Speechify TTS software, which accurately presents text-based information in a natural-sounding voice.

"511 information services are fast becoming the preferred channel for delivering public service information to travelers and commuters," said Steve Chambers, SVP & General Manager of Network Speech Solutions at ScanSoft. "We've specifically tuned our OpenSpeech Recognizer engine to perform extremely well in wireless and other noisy environments such as in the car. We're excited to be working with CARS-511 Consortium to deliver a cost-effective speech solution that provides access to real-time traffic conditions in a hands-free environment."

About Castle Rock Consultants

Castle Rock Consultants is a leader in providing planning, development and design of Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) architectures for cities and states. Additionally, Castle Rock has considerable expertise in traffic management and public traveler information services. http://www.crc-corp.com/index.htm.

About Frank Solutions

Frank Solutions, founded in 1988, is a leader in providing fully integrated, turnkey Interactive Voice Response, Speech Recognition, and Interactive Web Response solutions. For further information on the TelePath system and other Computer Telephony applications, please visit the Frank Solutions website. Frank Solutions, based in Greenwood Village, Colorado, is a division of govONE. govONE is an operating company of eONE Global, LP (www.eoneglobal.com), a leader in emerging payment technologies and systems spanning the government, mobile and enterprise marketplaces, and majority-owned by First Data Corp (NYSE: FDC).

About ScanSoft Network Speech Solutions

ScanSoft Network Speech Solutions is the global leader in advanced network speech technologies and professional services. Enterprise and telecommunications organizations around the world such as Time Warner, Bank of America and Qantas Airways leverage the power and innovation of the SpeechWorks® Suite of Network Speech Solutions to redefine the way they exchange vital information with customers and employees over the telephone. With a global sales and engineering presence, ScanSoft is uniquely positioned to help companies create and implement sophisticated speech solutions that deliver proven economic benefits and the highest levels of caller satisfaction. For more information, visit www.scansoft.com/network.

About ScanSoft, Inc.

ScanSoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: SSFT) is the leading supplier of speech and imaging solutions that are used to automate a wide range of manual processes - saving time, increasing worker productivity and improving customer service. For more information regarding ScanSoft products and technologies, please visit www.ScanSoft.com.

ScanSoft and the ScanSoft logo, are registered trademarks or trademarks of ScanSoft, Inc. in the United States and other countries. SpeechWorks, OpenSpeech Recognizer, and Speechify are registered trademarks or trademarks of SpeechWorks International, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other company or product names may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Contact Information