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FAQ
FAQ
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About the launch
- What is the Voice Identification service from Bell?
- Why is Bell introducing such a service?
- When are you planning to introduce the VIS?
About the procedures
- What are your existing procedures to validate a caller’s identity?
- What concerns regarding existing verification procedures clients have raised?
- Why will the Voice Identification service improve existing verification procedures used by Bell?
- What precipitated the introduction of the VIS?
About the technology - How does the Voice Identification service authenticate a caller?
- How will the voice samples be used?
- How will the voice samples be stored?
- How reliable is the Voice Identification Service? Will it really help prevent fraud?
- Are other companies using this or similar voice authentication systems?
About the registration - How do I register my voice for the service?
- How long will registration process take?
- Can there be more than one voice sample registered on an account?
- Why should I register?
- Is the Voice Identification service registration mandatory?
- Can I use my mobile phone to submit my voice sample?
- What if I have a cold or am sick?
- What is the Voice Identification service from Bell?
- Why is Bell introducing such a service?
- When are you planning to introduce the VIS?
- What are your existing procedures to validate a caller’s identity?
- What concerns regarding existing verification procedures clients have raised?
- Why will the Voice Identification service improve existing verification procedures used by Bell?
- What precipitated the introduction of the VIS?
- How does the Voice Identification service authenticate a caller?
- How will the voice samples be used?
- How will the voice samples be stored?
- How reliable is the Voice Identification Service? Will it really help prevent fraud?
- Are other companies using this or similar voice authentication systems?
- How do I register my voice for the service?
- How long will registration process take?
- Can there be more than one voice sample registered on an account?
- Why should I register?
- Is the Voice Identification service registration mandatory?
- Can I use my mobile phone to submit my voice sample?
- What if I have a cold or am sick?
About the launch
The Voice Identification service can verify a person's identity by using the unique characteristics of their voice. To register please call 1 888 383-6817. Registration is simple and free. Learn more
Bell is recognized for its leadership in the protection of the privacy and security of our clients’ personal information. This is a progressive step towards making privacy protection more convenient. It will simplify and streamline the authentication process — reducing the amount of time to validate the identity of clients and giving more time for agents to focus on requests themselves.
The Voice Identification service is currently available for clients of our residential home phone service and of our wireless service on a monthly personal rate plan in all area codes served by Bell. Expansion of the service to Internet and television clients is planned.
About the procedures
A variety of manual methods are in use today.
Our automated voice system or a live agent will ask a series of questions to validate the clients’ account number and other confidential information on their account. Access to certain accounts also requires a PIN or password.
Clients had concerns about the length of time required to verify their identity. Often, they do not have their bill at hand, are unable to remember their PIN or password, or have trouble finding the appropriate identification information.
They also wonder why Bell is requesting verification of their confidential account information.
Once registered, clients are no longer required to have their bill in hand (unless they want to discuss specific call details), have PINs or passwords ready, or validate other account information.
The client’s voice can be used to associate a caller’s identity to their account and, unlike a PIN or password, a voice cannot be stolen or lost. The Voice Identification service reduces authentication delays and thus the length of call.
Bell is recognized for its leadership in the protection of the privacy and security of our clients’ personal information. We already have sophisticated systems and procedures in place, which are continually updated to ensure the protection of client information. The introduction of the Voice Identification service allows Bell to enhance its ability to safeguard client information while at the same time provide efficient client service. Bell has always required the validation of clients prior to granting access to account information.
About the technologyDuring the course of a transaction via our automated phone system, clients will be asked to register for the Voice Identification Service. If the caller agrees, a simple process is followed to register their voice sample and link it to their account. When the client calls back, the Voice Identification service compares the real-time voice with the stored sample utilizing the distinctive aspects of the voice to verify the caller’s identity. If there is a match, the caller has been validated.
Verification is done only based on voice features and not on content. It is used solely to authenticate clients. If there is no match, existing client validation procedures will be used.
Voice samples are used strictly to verify the identity of clients as they call, in accordance with the Bell’s privacy policies. Voice samples will not be sold, shared or used for any other purpose. If the client already has a password on file, once they have been authenticated, the client will still have to provide the password on the account.
If the agent doubts for whatever reason that the person authenticated by the Voice Identification service is really the authorized user of the account, existing client validation procedures will be used. Consistent with existing practices, if a co-user not on the client’s file calls in, the agent will require that the account holder call back to add the co-user to the file.
The voice samples will be stored in a secure environment and the account information encrypted to prevent misuse. Voice samples are useless outside the Bell environment because the application has a unique encrypted code to decipher. Should a client choose to cancel their voice identification or Bell service, the voice sample will be de-linked from their account and deleted from our systems, consistent with the privacy policy used by Bell.
The voice sample is a digital and mathematical model and cannot be played back to spoof the user’s voice. It is stored in a secure, encrypted database, and cannot be used to access a voice verification system. The Voice Identification service has been tested in numerous environments and channels to ensure the accuracy of a match.
The technology is currently being used by Aeroplan, Morgan Stanley, AT&T, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Many companies are using this technology internally with their employees (e.g. to reset passwords or for Human Resources purposes).
About the registrationPlease call 1 888 383-6817 to register. Have your bill handy since you’ll need to provide your phone number and your account number (found at the top-right corner).
Once the information has been validated, you’ll need to repeat a specific sentence up to 4 times to obtain a proper sample: “At Bell, my voice is my password.” The sample of specific features from your voice can then be used for future positive authentication.
On subsequent calls, the automated voice system will automatically recognize the phone number you entered as a registered Voice Identification service client. You’ll then will be asked to repeat the key phrase to authenticate your voice.
When talking to an agent, an authenticated status will appear on the agent’s screen, notifying them that the caller was authenticated.
The entire process takes approximately 2 minutes.
Yes. A voice sample can be registered for each co-user on an account.
It’s safer because the Voice Identification service enhances our ability to safeguard your information. It’s simpler because the Voice Identification service reduces the length of call by streamlining the identification procedures.
No. Voice samples are only collected with the client’s permission and only for authentication purposes.
Bell will offer clients an opportunity to register their first voice sample when they call. However, clients can decline altogether and will not be asked to register again for 60 days.
The Voice Identification service voice verification technology maintains excellent accuracy in most environments.
When analyzing a person's voice, the Voice Identification service relies on the robust characteristics of speech that are less sensitive to variations. The Voice Identification service performs well even when a person has a mild cold or other reasonable voice variation.
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