---
title: "Start Speaking Plan: Voice AI Response Timing Controls | Telnyx"
canonical: https://telnyx.com/release-notes/voice-ai-start-speaking-plan-release
---
# Start Speaking Plan: Voice AI Response Timing Controls | Telnyx

[Release notes](https://telnyx.com/release-notes)

# Fine-tune Voice AI response timing with Start Speaking Plan

### 16, Oct 2025

[Telnyx Voice AI agents](https://telnyx.com/products/voice-ai-agents) now offer precise control over their response timing, activating only after users finish speaking. The Start Speaking Plan addresses the common problem of agents interrupting users mid-sentence, which often leads to incomplete data and failed tool calls.

This feature provides four customizable wait times, adaptable to various speech patterns.

## What’s New:

* **Context-aware Endpointing:** Our system now intelligently adapts wait times based on the context of the transcription. This includes recognizing punctuation, sequences of digits, and natural mid-sentence pauses.
* **Number Dictation Support:** We've extended wait times to accommodate natural pauses when users dictate numerical information such as phone numbers, order IDs, or account numbers.
* **IVR-Friendly Timing:** Agents interacting with automated systems will benefit from longer baseline delays, improving navigation and interaction.
* **Fully Configurable:** Tailor wait times from 0 to 5 seconds to perfectly match your specific use case.

## Why it matters

* **Prevents incomplete data**: Users finish providing complete information before the agent processes it.
* **Handles edge cases**: Works for accents, slow speakers, IVR interactions, and multilingual scenarios.
* **Production Control**: Customize for your specific use case (e.g., healthcare requires different timing than e-commerce).
* **Reduces retries**: Get the right data on the first attempt.

## Example use cases

* **Healthcare**: Longer waits for elderly patients checking calendars.
* **Order fulfillment**: Extended number detection for 10-16 digit order IDs.
* **IVR navigation**: Patient timing for robotic speech systems.
* **Financial services**: Careful endpointing for account numbers and routing numbers.

## Getting started

1. Log in to [Mission Control Portal](https://portal.telnyx.com/#/ai/assistants) → Voice AI Assistant settings
2. Configure Start Speaking Plan:
  * `wait_seconds`: Baseline (0.3-1.5s)
  * `on_punctuation_seconds`: After sentences (0.1s)
  * `on_no_punctuation_seconds`: Mid-sentence (1.5s)
  * `on_number_seconds`: Digit sequences (0.5-1.5s)
3. Test with number dictation and high-latency scenarios
4. Deploy and monitor webhook success rates

## Talk to us.

Need help tuning for your use case?

Check the [documentation](https://developers.telnyx.com/docs/inference/ai-assistants/no-code-voice-assistant#configure-the-voice-settings) or connect with our voice AI team.

[Start building](https://telnyx.com/sign-up)

### Ask AI

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