1. An interactive voice platform for the provision of automated speech based services over a telephone network, the platform comprising: a plurality of speech processors, each with an associated memory, to provide at least one of the following functions: speech recognition, speaker recognition, speaker verification, speech synthesis; line interface means for terminating a plurality of telephony channels of the network; a speech bus to carry speech signals between the line interface means and said speech processors; a control processor, distinct from the speech processors, to control the routing of speech signals over the speech bus; a control bus connecting the control means with the speech processors and the line interface means; a memory distinct from the associated memory of said speech processors and holding one or more of the following: a program including a speech recognition algorithm, a program including a speech synthesis algorithm, a program including a speaker recognition or verification algorithm, templates to be used in conjunction with the respectively corresponding programs; and a data link connecting said memory with said speech processors and operable to effect the transfer of one or more of the programs or templates held in said memory to said speech processors for use in provision of the appropriate function; wherein any incoming telephony channel connected to the line interface means can be routed to any one of the speech processors over the speech bus under the control of the control processor; and wherein each of the speech processors and the line interface means includes a time/space switch which is controlled by the control processor via the control bus.