Page 46 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2023

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

community. Up to 215 libraries will also be selected to provide
in-person digital literacy workshops teaching basic technology
skills. Library patrons can check with local libraries to learn about
upcoming workshops supported by AT&T, which will begin in
August. The ACP course is the newest in a curated series of digital
literacy courses offered by AT&T and PLA to help bring technology
confidence and digital literacy skills to families and library patrons
across the country. The initiative is part of the AT&T Connected
Learning initiative and our 3-year $2 billion commitment made in
2021 to address the digital divide through investments in internet
accessibility, affordability and the safe adoption of technology.
“We recognize it takes intentional collaboration to remove barriers
to help people get connected,” said Mylayna Albright, assistant
vice president of corporate social responsibility, AT&T. “That is why in today’s society,” said Dr. Maria McCauley, PLA president and
we are proud to work with the Public Library Association to meet director of libraries, Cambridge Public Library. “Communities have
people where they are and provide access to relatable, easy-to- long relied on their local public library as a trusted source for
follow resources which help them get the connectivity they need.” getting them connected online. With the support from AT&T, the
“My top priority is to help PLA to center equity, diversity, inclusion, new PLA DigitalLearn course and workshop materials will not only
and social justice. A large part of our equity work revolves around help patrons get the information and support they need while at
digital equity—equitable access to information, devices, and the library, but also get them enrolled in the ACP so they can afford
reliable high-speed internet so that everyone can fully participate to get connected at home.”

Market-Leading Customer Experience Company
Avaya Enters Next Chapter of Accelerated Growth

and Innovation

Avaya Holdings Corp. (“Avaya” or the “Company”), a global leader want to move at a pace that meets their business needs – and in
in customer experience solutions, today announced that it has a way that allows them to adopt advanced functionality without
successfully completed its financial restructuring and emerged business disruption. Avaya’s new, streamlined product roadmap
from the Chapter 11 process with a growth-oriented capital was intentionally designed to do just this, incorporating input
structure that includes approximately $650 million in liquidity and a from our customers about the capabilities most meaningful to
net leverage ratio of less than 1x. This milestone completes a critical them. At a time when innovation has never been more important
step in the Company’s business transformation. Alan Masarek, to an organization’s success, we are proud to be an answer to
Avaya’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “Today, we turn the page and our customers’ most pressing challenges.” Avaya is focused on
enter a new future for Avaya, our people and our customers. We are building on its iconic brand, global customer footprint and massive
excited to fully realize the hard work we’ve put into our business partner ecosystem to deliver innovation without disruption on
transformation. We are moving ahead with significant financial a global scale. The Company’s product innovation investments
resources to accelerate investment in our portfolio as we continue will continue to focus on the Avaya Experience Platform, which
delivering innovation without disruption to our customers. Our enables organizations to enhance their customer experience
customers are at different stages of their cloud journey. They capabilities across myriad communications channels. Since
the start of the year, the Company has rolled out more than 150
new product features and enhancements across its portfolio and
launched Avaya Enterprise Cloud, a dedicated instance of Avaya’s
core contact center, collaboration and unified communications
software solutions for large enterprises. Avaya remains poised to
capitalize on its product development momentum and address the
current and future needs of its customers. Mr. Masarek continued,
“We are also pleased to welcome a new Board of Directors with
extensive industry and financial leadership experience that will help
Avaya usher in a new era of growth and operational excellence.
Our incoming Board members bring decades of relevant expertise,
insights and skillsets to support Avaya as we invest in driving
the next wave of innovation in enterprise communications and
providing our customers and partners with true omnichannel
customer experience solutions.”

46 MAY-JUNE 2023