TTS Deprecation Notes - Verbalization and Voice Changes

Effective Dates

Changes Effective November 30, 2026 Scheduled

Legacy en-US Voice Deprecation

Effective date: November 30, 2026

What is Changing

Omilia deprecates the legacy en-US voices listed below on November 30, 2026. These voices migrate to Lexis, the Omilia native TTS model for contact centers.

How to Prepare

Test each suggested Lexis voice against your prompts, then select a replacement before the deprecation date. For further guidance or alternative options, contact your Omilia account team or support team.

Changes Effective July 2026 In effect

"no." Abbreviation (en-US)

Effective date: July 2026

What is Changing

The English (en-US) abbreviation "no." is handled based on context:

• Followed by a number (for example, "Account no. 5") → spoken as "number" (unchanged)

• At the end of a sentence or followed by a non-numeric word (for example, "Say yes or no.") → spoken as "no" (the word)

When You Might Want the Previous Verbalization

If your application always intends "no." to be read as "number" regardless of what follows it.

How to Keep the Previous Verbalization

Replace "no." with the full word "number" in your text:

Example:

Tracking number is pending.

Sentence-Final "gov.", "co.", and "org." (en-US)

Effective date: July 2026

What is Changing

In English (en-US), the abbreviations "gov.", "co.", and "org." are no longer expanded when they appear at the end of a sentence, or immediately before the start of a new sentence. They continue to be expanded mid-sentence as before.

When You Might Want the Previous Verbalization

If your application always intends "gov.", "co.", or "org." to be read as the full word ("governor", "company", "organization") regardless of position in the sentence.

How to Keep the Previous Verbalization

Write out the full word in your text instead of using the abbreviation:

Example:

Contact the organization.

Changes Effective June 2026 In effect

Simple Numbers

Effective date: June 2026

What is Changing

Simple numbers (standalone numeric values) are spoken as whole numbers instead of digit-by-digit.

When You Might Want the Previous Verbalization

If you have confirmation codes, PINs, or reference IDs that should be read digit-by-digit.

How to Keep the Previous Verbalization

Wrap the number in a <say-as> tag with interpret-as="digits":

Example:

Your confirmation number is <say-as interpret-as="digits">2824</say-as>.

Result: "Your confirmation number is two eight two four."

More Examples

Standalone Dashes

Effective date: June 2026

What is Changing

When a dash appears between words with spaces around it (for example, "accounts - which"), it creates a brief pause instead of being spoken as "dash".

When You Might Want the Previous Verbalization

If you specifically want the word "dash" to be spoken aloud.

How to Keep the Previous Verbalization

Replace the dash symbol with the word "dash":

Example:

I found 3 accounts dash which would you like?

Result: "I found 3 accounts dash which would you like?"

US Phone Numbers

Effective date: June 2026

What is Changing

US phone numbers are spoken more naturally. For example, area codes ending in "00" are read as hundreds.

When You Might Want the Previous Verbalization

If you need each digit spoken separately for clarity.

How to Keep the Previous Verbalization

Use the <say-as> tag with interpret-as="digits" for each part of the phone number, and the word "dash" in between:

Example:

Call us at <say-as interpret-as="digits">1</say-as> dash <say-as interpret-as="digits">800</say-as> dash <say-as interpret-as="digits">227</say-as> dash <say-as interpret-as="digits">4825</say-as>.

Result: "Call us at one dash eight zero zero dash two two seven dash four eight two five."

US Addresses

Effective date: June 2026

What is Changing

Several address-related patterns are verbalized differently for better clarity in call center scenarios.

1. State abbreviations before extended zip codes. Two-letter US state abbreviations are expanded to the full state name when they appear directly before an extended zip code (format: 12345-6789).

2. Extended zip codes read digit-by-digit. Extended zip codes with dashes are read digit-by-digit instead of as whole numbers.

3. PO Box numbers read digit-by-digit. Box numbers in PO Box addresses are read digit-by-digit instead of as whole numbers.

When You Might Want the Previous Verbalization

• If you want state abbreviations spelled out letter-by-letter (for example, "U T" instead of "Utah")

• If you want zip codes read as whole numbers

• If you want box numbers read as whole numbers

How to Keep the Previous Verbalization

For state abbreviations. Use the <say-as> tag with interpret-as="characters" for the state abbreviation:

Your address is <say-as interpret-as="characters">UT</say-as> 84130-0285.

Result: "Your address is U T eight four one three zero dash zero two eight five."

For zip codes. Use the <say-as> tag with interpret-as="cardinal" for each part, and the word "to" in between:

Your zip code is <say-as interpret-as="cardinal">84130</say-as> to <say-as interpret-as="cardinal">0285</say-as>.

Result: "Your zip code is eighty four thousand one hundred thirty to two hundred eighty five."

For PO Box numbers. Use the <say-as> tag with interpret-as="cardinal" for the box number:

Send mail to PO Box <say-as interpret-as="cardinal">30285</say-as>.

Result: "Send mail to P O Box thirty thousand two hundred eighty five."

"in." Abbreviation

Effective date: June 2026

What is Changing

The abbreviation "in." is handled based on context:

• After a number (for example, "5 in.") → spoken as "inches"

• Without a number before it (for example, "interested in.") → spoken as "in" (the word, not "inch")

When You Might Want the Previous Verbalization

If you always want "in." to be spoken as "inch" regardless of context, especially at the end of a sentence.

How to Keep the Previous Verbalization

Write out the full word "inch" or "inches" instead of using the abbreviation:

Example:

The measurement should be under an inch.

Greek Numbers with Leading Zeros

Effective date: June 2026 in all environments, except the Frankfurt environment, where this change is effective as of March 2026. Frankfurt received the change earlier because it was delivered with TTS 2.6.1.

What is Changing

Each leading zero in a Greek (el-GR) number is spoken individually as "μηδέν", followed by the remaining number verbalized as a whole.

When You Might Want the Previous Verbalization

If your application passes numbers that have leading zeros, for example from a database or form field, and you want them pronounced as plain numbers without the zeros spoken.

How to Keep the Previous Verbalization

Wrap the number with a <say-as> tag using interpret-as="cardinal" to have it read as a whole number, ignoring leading zeros.

Example:

<say-as interpret-as="cardinal">007</say-as>

Result: "επτά"