08-31-2018 Michaela Weidenbrück

• Use voice commands to control Deutsche Telekom services such as EntertainTV and Magenta SmartHome and to make and receive calls
• Deutsche Telekom data protection standards keep data safe
• Two systems in one speaker – with Amazon Alexa on board

Smart Speaker – living room

Smart Speaker White

Smart Speaker Black

Deutsche Telekom is launching its own intelligent voice assistant. The first stage in the rollout will see 1,000 customers train the smart speaker. Customers can apply to be testers now, with successful applicants getting the Smart Speaker – which will retail at 149.99 euros – for free.

Voice assistants are changing our home life. Just like the apps on a smartphone, the Smart Speaker makes it easier to use Deutsche Telekom services. “The Smart Speaker is not just the first such assistant to come from Germany in a market dominated by U.S. suppliers,” explains Michael Hagspihl, Head of Consumers. “We’re aiming for much more than that – we want to work with strong European partners to establish a comprehensive voice platform.”

“Hallo Magenta” – the magic words to make sure your home obeys your every command

The voice assistant helps consumers to control Deutsche Telekom services using just their voice, leaving their hands free for more important things. Minor tasks can be completed in no time, with users simply saying “Hallo Magenta” to activate the assistant before going on to say what they want.

An all-rounder that makes life simpler

The Smart Speaker ensures everyday life at home is more simple, making it incredibly easy to operate devices and utilize services. Magenta SmartHome, EntertainTV and audio control all respond to simple spoken commands. Users can leave the remote where it is when changing channels and make or receive calls by saying “Accept call” or “Call mom”, for instance. Getting the bath to the perfect temperature and setting the ideal lighting mood in the living room is also straightforward. In fact, the Smart Speaker can be used to adjust the atmosphere throughout the entire house.

A wide range of offers from big-name partners can be accessed via the speaker. First up are weather forecasts courtesy of WetterOnline and the latest news from German news program Tagesschau. The audio streaming service from Radioplayer is also on board, and the food experts at supermarket chain REWE are contributing recipes, cooking tips and all their latest offers. More partners and services are set to follow and this diversity will keep on growing.

Maximum data protection for voice assistants

The new voice assistant provides maximum data protection. Data is processed exclusively within the European Union, complying with the strict data protection standards of Deutsche Telekom. The Smart Speaker does not record any conversations and is completely inactive until the activation command “Hallo Magenta” is spoken. The voice platform stores and processes subsequent commands on an anonymous basis and users can delete all commands manually.

Strong partners for top-quality content and technology

Voice recognition is making great progress and demand is growing for products and services that utilize it. Deutsche Telekom has responded to this interest and is combining existing technical solutions, which is why its device also integrates the cloud-based voice assistant Alexa from Amazon into its system. This ensures customers can benefit from an even wider range of applications.

“The excellent acoustic quality of the audio system is the result of close cooperation with Fraunhofer IDMT in Oldenburg. “Our aim was to achieve the best possible microphone system for capturing voice signals, for instance for speakerphone calls. Additionally, thanks to our early involvement in development work and the outstanding cooperation with our colleagues at Deutsche Telekom, we were able to achieve excellent sound quality, despite the small size of the device,” explains Dr. Jens-E. Appell, Head of the Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology department at the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology IDMT.

1,000 customers wanted for training

Training data will help make the Smart Speaker’s voice recognition technology even better. The linguistic diversity and variety of terms coming from all corners of Germany will increase the voice platform’s vocabulary. Customers who would like to test the new device can now submit an application at www.telekom.de/smart-speaker. Applicants must have a Deutsche Telekom fixed-network line and use EntertainTV. The selected test participants will be notified by email at the end of the application period.

Visit Deutsche Telekom’s booth in hall 21a at the IFA trade show in Berlin from August 31 until September 5 to experience our products and services live. Deutsche Telekom’s entire presence at the trade fair is carbon-neutral – all CO2 emissions generated in setting up and operating the booth are fully offset by carbon-reduction projects abroad.