Month: April 2022

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Envision Energy obtient un contrat d’éoliennes de 2000 MW en Inde

DELHI, Inde, 28 avril 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Envision Energy a annoncé aujourd’hui qu’elle a obtenu une commande d’éoliennes de 2000 MW en Inde. Les 596 éoliennes, toutes fabriquées dans l’usine d’Envision en Inde, seront livrées d’ici la fin de 2023.

Envision fournira et mettra en service ses éoliennes EN156/3.3 à la pointe de la technologie pour ces projets. La EN 156/3.3 possède un rotor de 156 m, le plus grand du pays. Ce rotor est couplé à un générateur de 3,3 MW et à une hauteur de moyeu de 140 m. Cette conception est particulièrement adaptée pour maximiser l’énergie produite à partir des régimes de vents faibles qui prédominent dans le pays.

Envision a investi 25 millions de dollars américains pour établir son usine d’assemblage de nacelles et de moyeux d’une capacité de 1200 MW à Pune en 2018. Pour répondre aux demandes accrues du marché, Envision va monter en puissance pour doubler sa capacité actuelle. Envision construit également une usine de pales en Inde, qui devrait être achevée au premier trimestre 2023.

Les projets existants d’Envision en Inde, le parc éolien de 198 MW de Khagashree et le parc éolien de 35 MW de Kagvard équipés d’éoliennes EN- 131/2,5MW, sont en service depuis mai et octobre 2019 respectivement. Jusqu’à présent, ces projets ont généré plus de 1,76 milliard de kWh d’énergie propre pour la région.

« La société Envision India est fière de contribuer à l’engagement de l’Inde à atteindre 500 GW et 50 % des besoins énergétiques à partir de sources d’énergie renouvelables d’ici 2030. Grâce à la croissance de nos activités dans le domaine de l’éolien et du stockage de l’énergie, nous prévoyons de recruter plus de 300 employés localement pour répondre aux besoins croissants du pays ainsi qu’aux nouveaux marchés de la région Asie-Pacifique » a déclaré R P V Prasad, responsable de la région Inde.

Selon Kane Xu, directeur général d’Envision India et vice-président mondial, « Nous sommes ravis de la confiance que nous accorde notre partenaire en Inde, et nous sommes fiers de continuer à fournir nos meilleures solutions en Inde. En tant qu’expert dans l’utilisation des technologies numériques, nous sommes en mesure de maximiser l’efficacité, de réduire les coûts et d’innover rapidement pour mieux servir nos clients. Outre l’énergie éolienne, nous apportons également à nos clients nos solutions de stockage d’énergie, nos solutions numériques et d’autres solutions net-zéro, afin de contribuer à accélérer la transition énergétique, à l’échelle mondiale. »

À propos d’Envision Group

Envision Group est une entreprise internationale de premier plan dans le domaine des technologies vertes et un partenaire technologique zéro émission. Avec la mission de « résoudre les défis pour un avenir durable de l’humanité ». Envision conçoit, vend et exploite des éoliennes et un système de stockage intelligents par le biais d’Envision Energy ; des batteries alimentées par l’AIoT par le biais d’Envision AESC ; et le plus grand système d’exploitation AIoT au monde par le biais d’Envision Digital. Elle est également propriétaire de l’équipe de Formule E Envision Racing. Envision continue de promouvoir l’énergie éolienne et solaire comme le « nouveau charbon », les batteries et l’hydrogène combustible comme le « nouveau pétrole », le réseau AIoT comme le « nouveau réseau », les parcs industriels zéro émission comme la « nouvelle infrastructure », et de promouvoir la construction et la culture de la « nouvelle industrie » verte.

La société Envision Group a été classée dans le Top 10 des 50 entreprises les plus intelligentes du monde en 2019 par le MIT Technology Review. En octobre 2021, Envision a été classée deuxième au monde sur la liste Fortune « Change the World ». Envision Group a rejoint l’initiative mondiale « RE100 » et est devenu la première entreprise de Chine continentale à s’engager à produire 100 % d’électricité renouvelable d’ici 2025. Le 22 avril 2021, Envision Group a annoncé sa volonté d’atteindre la neutralité carbone dans ses opérations d’ici 2022 et d’atteindre la neutralité carbone dans l’ensemble de sa chaîne de valeur d’ici 2028.

Pour plus d’informations, rendez-vous sur www.envision-group.com

Contact pour les médias : Jessica Koerner, jessica.koerner@envision-energy.com

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/747745/Envision_Logo.jpg

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Finbots.AI Raises USD 3 Million from Accel in Series A Round

SINGAPORE, April 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Finbots.AI, an AI-envisioned firm bringing innovation to banks and financial institutions, today announced it has raised USD 3 million in a Series A round from Accel. This investment is from Accel’s Fund VII, and is the first external investment for Finbots.AI. The funds will be used towards accelerating product enhancement, marketing and sales, and customer support besides recruiting of senior talent and team expansion across its offices. India drives all of the global development and support for Finbots.AI, with its corporate headquarters in Singapore and a regional head office in Dubai.

Commenting on the successful Series A fundraise, Sanjay Uppal, Founder and CEO of Finbots.AI, said, “This new funding unlocks the next phase of growth for Finbots.AI. Financial institutions today need pathbreaking solutions to solve their complex challenges brought by legacy platforms. Tapping on AI-enabled solutions can help them transform exponentially. We are thrilled to have Accel as a partner in this journey, further cementing the potential and trust in our solution. Accel’s impressive track record with growth stage companies will be a key support for Finbots.AI. We have an enormous growth potential and I am excited for our journey to transforming financial services.”

Since its inception in 2017, Finbots.AI identified an opportunity to use AI-powered solutions to aid banks and financial institutions to overcome industry challenges. ZScore is a full-scale AI-driven credit scorecard system for lending institutions that spans the entire credit lifecycle. Equipped with an intuitive user interface and robust scorecard development capabilities, ZScore rapidly develops higher accuracy credit scorecards by using advanced Machine Learning algorithms that utilise historical traditional and alternate data to automatically build, validate, and deploy real-time, high-performing risk models.

Mahendran Balachandran, Partner at Accel, shared, “The Finbots.AI team brings decades of collective experience in financial services and technology, and we see great potential and promise in their solution – ZScore – as it strives to remedy and bridge the limitations of legacy credit systems. We, at Accel, are delighted to be a part of Finbot.AI’s growth as they propel forward to enhance financial services by leveraging AI technology to serve the entire community – ranging from the large banks to the small lenders. We see massive potential in this region and FinTech as a vertical.”

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DREAM11 S’APPUIE SUR LES DONNÉES DE VOLT ACTIVE DATA POUR ENGAGER 130 MILLIONS D’UTILISATEURS DANS L’IPL 2022

La plus grande plateforme de sports de fantaisie au monde a annoncé l’expansion récente de son partenariat avec Volt Active Data sur la lancée d’un succès mesurable.

BEDFORD, Massachusetts, 28 avril 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Volt Active Data, la seule plateforme de données d’entreprise conçue pour répondre aux exigences en temps réel des sociétés de jeux de grande envergure et des sociétés de technologie à fortes transactions actuelles, a annoncé aujourd’hui que Dream11, la plus grande plateforme de sports fictifs du monde, a étendu son contrat avec Volt.

Volt Active Data Logo

Dream11 compte plus de 130 millions d’utilisateurs actifs et est déjà prête à gérer en production plus de 10 millions d’utilisateurs simultanés aux heures de pointe. Dream11 a initialement commencé avec Volt lors de la saison 2018 de l’IPL, et après avoir constaté le succès de la technologie (en partie grâce à la faible latence, au débit élevé et à l’assurance de disponibilité que fournit la plateforme Volt), elle a décidé d’approfondir sa relation avec Volt et d’élargir son utilisation de la plateforme Volt Active Data.

« C’est une situation gagnant-gagnant pour Dream11 et Volt », a déclaré David Flower, PDG de Volt Active Data. « L’expansion représente non seulement une autre validation de la plateforme Volt Active Data en tant que leader de la technologie des données en temps réel, mais elle change également la donne pour Dream11, car cela va essentiellement assurer l’avenir de leur plateforme pour la croissance explosive qu’ils connaissent et continueront de connaître ».

Volt fournit la précision, la fiabilité et les performances exigées par les millions de fans de sport qui cherchent à participer à des concours fantaisistes pendant l’IPL. Que ce soit entre amis ou parmi un million d’autres fans en compétition pour montrer leurs compétences et leurs connaissances du cricket, la faible latence de Volt, même en cas d’énormes pics de trafic (juste après le lancement du jeu), permet à Dream11 d’offrir la meilleure expérience de fantaisie aux fans et de devenir le choix numéro un en Inde pour les sports de fantaisie.

« La saison 2022 de l’IPL promettant d’établir de nouveaux records dans tous les domaines, nous savions que c’était le moment idéal pour intensifier notre relation stratégique avec l’équipe de Volt Active Data », a déclaré Amit Sharma, directeur technique de Dream11. « Chez Dream11, une excellente expérience utilisateur, une approche axée sur les données et une technologie de pointe sont toujours au cœur de nos préoccupations. Le défi du modèle de données auquel nous sommes confrontés pendant l’IPL est très nuancé et Volt est la seule plateforme que nous avons trouvée qui peut nous aider à surmonter ces défis techniques ».

À propos de Volt Active Data

Volt Active Data permet aux applications d’entreprise d’ingérer, de traiter et d’agir sur les données en quelques millisecondes pour exploiter de nouvelles sources de revenus et prévenir les pertes de revenus. Avec des clients de premier plan dans les télécommunications, la finance, les jeux et bien d’autres secteurs verticaux, la plateforme Volt est positionnée de manière unique pour être la technologie de référence de toute entreprise cherchant à tirer pleinement parti de la 5G, de l’IoT et de tout ce qui suivra. En savoir plus sur voltactivedata.com.

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1805076/Volt_Active_Data_Logo.jpg

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Regional Economic Outlook: Sub-Saharan Africa – “A New Shock and Little Room to Maneuver”

• A promising regional recovery has been disrupted by the war in Ukraine. Last year, activity surprised on the upside, lifting projected growth from 3.7 to 4.5 percent. But the war has introduced a new and tragic development, with the result that growth in 2022 will slow to 3.8 percent.

• The new crisis comes on top of an already-protracted pandemic, and prospects for borrowing costs and global demand are increasingly uncertain, presenting policy makers with a challenging and complicated policy outlook—one with rising needs, greater risks, and fewer options.

• Aside from accelerating vaccination, policymakers face three immediate priorities: i) addressing the local impact of the war; ii) balancing inflation versus growth; and iii) managing exchange-rate adjustment.

• Also, looking beyond the current set of crises, decisive policy action is needed to enhance economic diversification, promote regional integration (including through AfCFTA), unleash the private sector’s potential, and address the challenges posed by climate change. In all these areas, continued international solidarity and cooperation will remain vital. Washington, DC: A promising regional recovery has been disrupted by the war in Ukraine .

The recovery in sub-Saharan Africa picked up in the third quarter of 2021 and held up despite the onset of a fourth COVID-19 wave at the end of the year. Estimated growth in 2021 has been revised upward from 3.7 to 4.5percent.

Tragically, however, this progress has been offset by recent events. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered a sharp rise in commodity prices—straining the fiscal and external balances of commodity-importing countries and increasing food-security concerns across the region. As a result, economic activity is expected to slow to 3.8 percent this year , and is subject to an extraordinary range of risks, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its latest Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa .

“The war in Ukraine has already reshaped the near-term outlook for sub-Saharan Africa,” stressed Abebe Aemro Selassie, Director of the IMF’s African Department. “The shock to global commodity markets will add to inflation, hit the region’s most vulnerable households, exacerbate food insecurity, raise poverty rates, and possibly add to social tensions.

Source International Monetary Fund

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UN rights chief ‘appalled’ at Sudan killings, demands probe

The UN human rights chief expressed outrage after dozens were killed in three days of violence in Sudan’s West Darfur, and demanded “impartial and independent” investigations into the attacks.

Michelle Bachelet called on Sudanese authorities to protect the population of West Darfur, following days of deadly fighting between Arab and non-Arab groups left at least 213 dead, according to an official toll from the state governor.

“I am appalled,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said in a Wednesday statement, pointing to the numerous deaths and injuries in Krink, a locality of nearly 500,000 people and mostly inhabited by the African Masalit tribe.

“I am concerned that this region continues to see repeated, serious incidents of intercommunal violence, with mass casualties,” she said. “While initial measures taken by the authorities to calm tensions are welcome, I urge the authorities to address the underlying causes of violence in this region and fulfil their responsibility to protect the population.”

Her comments came as the UN Security Council in New York prepared to hold an informal, closed-door meeting about the crisis.

The violence first broke out on Friday and escalated when armed men attacked villages of the non-Arab Masalit in retaliation for the killing of two tribesmen, according to the General Coordination for Refugees and Displaced in Darfur, an independent aid group.

The UN rights office said that more than 1,000 armed members of the Arab Rzeigat community had attacked the town, and said at least eight men belonging to the African Masalit tribe and seven Arab men were killed that day alone.

The state governor blamed government forces tasked with securing Krink and its environs for “withdrawing without any justification” as the main attacks began early Sunday.

The UN rights office said that the Rzeigat assailants had taken control of the town for several hours on Sunday, looting and torching hundreds of shops and houses and opening fire on public buildings where many had sought shelter, including a hospital.

At least 151 people were killed, including at least 27 women and 17 children, it said. The fighting on Monday spread to Geneina, the provincial capital of West Darfur.

Witnesses have accused the Janjaweed militia of orchestrating the violence. The Janjaweed was an Arab militia which gained notoriety for its role in the repression of an ethnic minority rebellion in Darfur in the early 2000s under then autocrat Omar al-Bashir.

Bachelet urged authorities to take immediate action to protect the population and assist the wounded and displaced, and get to the bottom of what had happened.

“I call on the Sudanese authorities to conduct prompt, thorough, impartial, and independent investigations into these attacks and hold all those responsible to account in accordance with international human rights law,” she said. “The victims and their families have a right to effective remedies.”

Source: Nam News Network

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Record 31 tonnes of cannabis seized in Morocco

Moroccan Police on Wednesday seized 31 tonnes of cannabis in the northern city of Tangier in its largest-ever drug bust operation, official news agency MAP reported.

The operation raided a warehouse in the suburb of Tangier, where drugs were packaged for international smuggling, the report said.

One person, aged 61, known for his criminal record of international drug trafficking, was arrested, it said.

The banned substance, packaged in dozens of bags, was discovered inside a large refrigerated trailer, where they were wrapped and stuffed in a way that mimics the color and size of different types of fruits and vegetables.

Meanwhile, the Moroccan navy on Wednesday foiled an attempt to smuggle about 1.5 tonnes of cannabis off the coast of the Mediterranean city of Al Hoceima, reported the MAP.

The speedboat carrying the cannabis fleed after throwing the drugs into the sea.

Despite efforts to crack down on cannabis cultivation during the past decade, Morocco remains one of the world’s largest producers of the narcotic plant, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime

Source: Nam News Network

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Central African Republic, first in Africa to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender

The Central African Republic (CAR) became the first African country to adopt cryptocurrency Bitcoin as legal tender.

Globally, the country is the second country to do so after El Salvador.

President Faustin Archange Touadera signed a bill into law after it had been approved by Members of Parliament unanimously.

The move means CAR will use bitcoin as legal tender alongside the CFA franc.

An official in the presidency said the move placed the CAR on the map of the world’s boldest and most visionary countries.

The country is a landlocked state in central Africa, it is rated one of the world’s poorest, having suffered devastating conflict in recent years.

It was under French control till independence in 1960.

Source: Nam News Network

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Sun King Raises $260 Million, Led by General Atlantic’s BeyondNetZero, to Expand Global Access to Affordable Solar Energy

The solar energy provider, formerly known as Greenlight Planet, plans to use the funds to rapidly and sustainably bring electricity access to more homes across Africa and Asia

NAIROBI, Kenya, April 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Sun King, the largest provider of solar energy products for off-grid homes in Africa and Asia, announced it has raised $260 million in Series D funding, led by BeyondNetZero, the climate investing venture of General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm, along with M&G Investments’ Catalyst team and Arch Emerging Markets Partners. Founded in 2007 as Greenlight Planet, the company recently rebranded as Sun King, the name under which its products have long been sold.

Sun King is leading a transformation in how electricity is provided across Africa and Asia, where 1.8 billion people still lack access to a reliable electrical grid. To date, Sun King has powered the lives of 82 million people across 40 countries. The company’s solar home systems power lights, mobile phones, radios, and larger home appliances. Sun King systems are dramatically more affordable and sustainable than kerosene or new power lines, allowing customers to leapfrog electrical grids and fossil-fuel energy sources entirely.

Today, Sun King operates the world’s largest direct-to-consumer, pay-as-you-go (PAYG) solar distribution network, growing at a rate of 150,000 new clients per month across seven countries. In Kenya, one in five people use Sun King today, with 18 million Kenyans having benefited over a decade of operations. In Nigeria, the company’s user base has tripled in the past year alone. While growing rapidly, the company has remained consistently profitable.

Sun King now accounts for 38% of total industry-wide PAYG solar revenue according to the latest data collected by GOGLA, the global association for the off-grid solar energy industry. As a result of Sun King’s growth, the company has eliminated 22 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions while saving consumers $4.4 billion in energy costs.

The $260 million financing includes $100 million in primary investment for Sun King’s continued expansion. Sun King’s founders retain voting control of the board. In addition to the company’s plans for continued geographical expansion, the funds will also be allocated towards product-line expansion, including larger solar systems equipped with AC-electricity inverters (capable of powering larger appliances like refrigerators) and new products such as mobile phones.

“This investment in Sun King marks an incredible inflection point for the global off-grid solar industry,” said T. Patrick Walsh, co-founder, and CEO of Sun King. “Over the last 15 years, we have delivered solar energy and light to over 82 million people, enabling kids to study for school, helping entrepreneurs run small businesses, and allowing families to power their lives, free from the danger and high cost of kerosene lanterns. This landmark investment allows us to continue scaling our technology, service, and financing capabilities so we can meet the needs of the next billion energy consumers.”

“Sun King is leading a global transformation in the way we provide electricity to consumers in Africa and Asia,” said Sun King co-founder Anish Thakkar. “It’s now dramatically more affordable to power a home with a solar system than to extend the electrical grid: for less than the cost of a single electrical pole, we can install an entire solar energy system in-home. This funding will further unlock our ability to scale this revolution to the 1.8 billion people who need these products today, and the next billion who will need them tomorrow.”

“BeyondNetZero is excited to back Sun King, an industry-leading company that offers consumers accessible and affordable solar products, supported by fair and sustainable business practices,” said Eli Aheto, Managing Director on the BeyondNetZero team at General Atlantic. “We look forward to partnering with the company and its leadership as they bring innovative and affordable off-grid solar products to new markets and continue to grow their meaningful contribution to the global net zero transition.”

Ekta Partners acted as lead financial advisor for this transaction. Goodwin Procter LLP provided legal counsel to Sun King, and Freshfields provided legal counsel to BeyondNetZero.

About Sun King
Sun King is the world’s largest off-grid solar energy company, serving the 1.8 billion people across Africa and Asia who lack access to reliable electricity. Through innovative product design, affordable pay-as-you-go financing, and a grassroots field team of 15,000 agents providing installation and service, Sun King has powered the lives of over 82 million people. Founded in 2007 as Greenlight Planet, Sun King sets the gold standard for off-grid solar technology as part of its mission: powering access to brighter lives. For more information, please visit: www.sunking.com.

About BeyondNetZero
BeyondNetZero is the climate investing venture of General Atlantic, a leading global growth equity firm. BeyondNetZero invests in growth companies delivering innovative climate solutions that have the potential to meet and exceed net zero emissions targets, with a focus on decarbonization, energy efficiency, resource conservation and emissions management. This venture combines General Atlantic’s growth equity experience and global network with a team of experienced climate investors, advisors and industry executives who bring decades of experience in both addressing climate-focused problems and building pioneering growth companies. For more information on BeyondNetZero, please visit: https://beyond-net-zero.com.

About General Atlantic
General Atlantic is a leading global growth equity firm with more than four decades of experience providing capital and strategic support for over 445 growth companies throughout its history. Established in 1980 to partner with visionary entrepreneurs and deliver lasting impact, the firm combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to scale innovative businesses around the world. General Atlantic currently has over $84 billion in assets under management inclusive of all products as of December 31, 2021, and more than 215 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Munich, Palo Alto, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, and Stamford. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit: www.generalatlantic.com.

About M&G Investments
M&G Investments’ Catalyst strategy is investing up to £5 billion into innovative privately-owned global businesses working to create a more sustainable world. For over ninety years M&G Investments has been helping its customers to prosper by putting investments to work, which in turn creates jobs, homes, and vital infrastructure in the real economy. Its investment solutions span equities, fixed income, multi asset, cash, private debt, infrastructure, and real estate. M&G Investments is part of M&G plc, a FTSE-100 listed company with over £370 billion of assets under management (as of 31 December 2021), and customers in the UK, Europe, the Americas, and Asia, including individual savers and investors, life insurance policy holders and pension scheme members.

Contact: Jackie Zupsic – jzupsic@tuskstrategies.com

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Clearspan Unveils Ping

Clearspan Ping, a portal to personalized communications, provides customizable features, security, privacy and control

DALLAS, Texas, April 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Clearspan on Wednesday unveiled Ping, a customizable communications and collaboration solution that delivers secure voice, video and messaging anywhere, anytime and on any device. Purpose-built to serve the world’s leading service providers and largest organizations, Clearspan Ping is designed to deliver unique user experiences with the security, privacy and control that large organizations require.

Ping is the latest addition to Clearspan’s lineup of scalable communication technologies and serves as a foundational component in its journey to personalized communications.

“At Clearspan, we’re committed to creating solutions that make it easier to create unique user experiences while retaining the security, privacy and controls that large organizations require,” said Bill Crank, Clearspan’s chief executive officer. “For decades, Clearspan has powered ubiquitous unified communications solutions that empower service providers and large organizations. Clearspan Ping is the next generation communications portal that enables personalized communications and will continue to digitally transform today’s modern workforce, no matter where they’re located.”

Ping’s modern user features include point-to-point and multiparty voice, video and messaging; screen and file sharing; team rooms that allow private space for collaboration; PSTN calling; and flexible access options including browser based, desktop, and mobile applications.

Ping sets itself apart with unique features:

  • Brandable: Ping is brandable for both service providers and organizations. There are no cobranding requirements, meaning Ping can truly reflect any organization.
  • Customizable: From easy integration of commonly used applications, such as call center agent control, faxing, and SMS texting, to cross platform messaging and IoT device monitoring, Ping is built to be customized. Additionally, Ping’s deployment model is flexible. Users can choose from Clearspan cloud, public cloud, private cloud, or premise-based hosting.
  • Secure: Ping is 100 percent private with end-to-end session encryption, allowing complete data sovereignty without data mining.

Ping will be available worldwide beginning Sunday, May 1. Ping has already been trialed by some of the United States’ largest universities and global tier one service providers. Interested parties can find more information about Ping and request a demonstration on www.ClearspanCloud.com.

About Clearspan  

Clearspan powers ubiquitous unified communications solutions that help the world’s largest organizations digitally transform the way they work. For over forty years, Clearspan has enabled service providers and large organizations with innovative solutions and operational efficiency at scale. Clearspan’s standards-based architecture uniquely delivers the carrier-grade reliability, scalability and security required – without sacrificing the flexibility to seamlessly integrate both modern and legacy business applications and environments. Learn more at www.ClearspanCloud.com.

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Kayla Ayres
Clearspan
(214) 378-7970
kayres@thepointgroup.com