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One year on: COTA modernises transit stops with Papercast e-paper signage and adaptive power solutions

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As we approach the one-year anniversary of Papercast’s successful deployment of 13-inch e-paper displays for the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) in Columbus, Ohio we’re proud to reflect on how this project continues to enhance the rider experience. Over the past year, Papercast’s advanced technology and remote management capabilities have allowed COTA to adapt power settings and runtime configurations to handle challenging winter conditions.

OHIO, USA, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — As we approach the one-year anniversary of Papercast’s successful deployment of 13-inch e-paper displays for the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) in Columbus, Ohio we’re proud to reflect on how this project continues to enhance the rider experience. Over the past year, Papercast’s advanced technology and remote management capabilities have allowed COTA to adapt power settings and runtime configurations to handle challenging winter conditions.

By working with Papercast, COTA has demonstrated that forward-thinking infrastructure upgrades can deliver real value for riders and operational efficiencies for agencies.

A hybrid approach to power

Papercast’s tailored hybrid power solution proved its value during Columbus’s harsh winter months. Site assessments had initially identified shaded locations where solar power wasn’t viable, leading to the deployment of long-life battery modules. Over the year, Papercast’s remote management capabilities enabled adjustments to power settings at all stops—both solar and battery powered—to ensure best-case performance during worst-case weather conditions.

Retrofitting existing infrastructure

One of the project’s key achievements was its efficient use of COTA’s existing bus stop infrastructure. By retrofitting the displays onto COTA’s existing 2-inch square bus stop poles, the project minimised installation time and costs. This approach highlights how transit agencies can modernise their systems without requiring costly infrastructure overhauls.

Real-time information with advanced management

Powered by Papercast’s Content Management System (CMS), the displays have provided reliable real-time information over the past year, including departure times, system alerts, ridership updates, and linetrack diagrammes. LTE-M connectivity enables seamless wireless communication, while Papercast’s 24/7 monitoring tools have ensured COTA can track system performance and receive health alerts in real-time.

Accessibility and rider engagement

Papercast e-paper displays continue to deliver an inclusive and engaging rider experience, with features such as:

Audio annunciator buttons: ADA-compliant text-to-speech buttons with braille, integrated speakers and automatic volume adjustment provide audio announcements for real-time arrival and ridership updates.Interactive options: Riders can cycle through content with a user-friendly button, making valuable information more accessible and adaptable to individual needs.

Key learnings and project highlights for transit agencies

As this project reaches its first anniversary, Papercast and COTA share the following insights:

Comprehensive deployment planning: ensure thorough site assessments, detailed project management, accurate data configuration and installation to ensure a smooth rollout.Adaptable power solutions: Combining solar power and long-life battery modules proved essential for accommodating varied site conditions and weather extremes.Infrastructure retrofitting: Leveraging existing infrastructure reduced costs and shortened the deployment timeline.Remote management: Papercast’s CMS allowed dynamic adjustments to power settings and real-time content updates, ensuring consistent performance throughout the year.

A scalable model for transit modernisation

This milestone serves as a powerful example of how transit agencies can adopt scalable, adaptable and sustainable technology to modernise their systems. By working with Papercast, COTA has demonstrated that forward-thinking infrastructure upgrades can deliver real value for riders and operational efficiencies for agencies.

Papercast is honored to have partnered with COTA on this project and remains committed to supporting their ongoing success. We hope this project inspires other transit agencies to embrace similar innovations in their networks.

Using E Ink technology, Papercast e-paper bus stop displays are well proven around the world with deployments in more than 45 countries.

ABOUT PAPERCAST

Papercast is the world leader in battery and solar powered e-paper display systems, developed to improve the passenger experience by providing a flexible and easy to deploy real-time passenger information solution for public transport providers.

Due to the unique attributes of e-paper, Papercast® displays are readable from all angles under direct sunlight, delivering a superior user experience. Couple this with industry-leading power efficiency, Papercast offers one of the most sustainable outdoor display solutions for public transport providers. Wirelessly connected to the cloud-based Content Management System, the displays are completely standalone and can be installed anywhere, completely off-the-grid in a matter of hours.

With customers in more than 45 countries, Papercast technology is behind many high profile public information initiatives worldwide and was awarded the Queen’s award for Enterprise International Trade in 2021.

www.papercast.com

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Kerry Marchbank

Marketing Manager

+44 (0)7817 916654

kmarchbank@papercast.com

Media Contact

Mrs Kerry Marchbank, Papercast Ltd, 44 2070431355, kmarchbank@papercast.com, www.papercast.com

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SOURCE Papercast Ltd

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XLCS Partners advises Concurrent Utility Services on sale to UniTek Global Services

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July 23, 2026

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NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce that it served as exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent Utility Services LLC on its acquisition by UniTek Global Services, Inc., a portfolio company of New Mountain Finance Corporation (Nasdaq: NMFC) and its affiliates, and BTG Pactual Strategic Capital.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Concurrent is a licensed general and electrical contractor providing infrastructure development and maintenance services to electric utilities, telecom providers, and land developers throughout the Southeast United States. The company’s capabilities span overhead and underground utility construction, professional telecom services, emergency service restoration, in-building networks, environmental services, and data center development. Backed by a safety-first culture and an experienced workforce, Concurrent has built a strong regional platform and a reputation for quality across the markets it serves.

UniTek is a leading digital infrastructure services provider supporting the expansion of fiber and data center connectivity across the U.S. and Canada. With over 600 employees and 60 locations, UniTek delivers a full suite of infrastructure services. The acquisition of Concurrent accelerates UniTek’s Power Services Division, which launched in July 2025 to broaden the company’s maintenance, repair, upgrade, and new infrastructure development services for the power sector. Concurrent’s established Southeast footprint and power capabilities directly complement UniTek’s existing broadband and data center infrastructure platform, positioning the combined company to capitalize on growing demand for resilient, modernized power infrastructure. Concurrent will continue to operate under its established brand, maintaining uninterrupted service for its customers.

“Selling Concurrent was one of the biggest decisions of my career, and Anthony, Jay, and the XLCS team guided us through every step with professionalism and genuine care for our people,” said Steve Sarno, CEO of Concurrent. “They stayed fully engaged throughout, gave us honest and thoughtful advice, kept our best interests front and center, and delivered an outcome that exceeded our expectations. I would recommend them without hesitation to any owner considering a transaction.”

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent, and the transaction was led by Anthony Contaldo, Partner, and Jay Cremer, Vice President. The transaction was completed on July 1, 2026.

About XLCS Partners, Inc.

XLCS Partners is a leading global investment banking firm providing M&A advisory services. Visit www.xlcspartners.com for more information.

Media Contact: 
Kendra Span 
kspan@xlcspartners.com
615-379-7783

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xlcs-partners-advises-concurrent-utility-services-on-sale-to-unitek-global-services-302833542.html

SOURCE XLCS Partners, Inc.

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XLCS Partners advises Concurrent Utility Services on sale to UniTek Global Services

Published

3 minutes ago

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July 23, 2026

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NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — XLCS Partners, Inc., a leading middle market investment bank, is pleased to announce that it served as exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent Utility Services LLC on its acquisition by UniTek Global Services, Inc., a portfolio company of New Mountain Finance Corporation (Nasdaq: NMFC) and its affiliates, and BTG Pactual Strategic Capital.

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Concurrent is a licensed general and electrical contractor providing infrastructure development and maintenance services to electric utilities, telecom providers, and land developers throughout the Southeast United States. The company’s capabilities span overhead and underground utility construction, professional telecom services, emergency service restoration, in-building networks, environmental services, and data center development. Backed by a safety-first culture and an experienced workforce, Concurrent has built a strong regional platform and a reputation for quality across the markets it serves.

UniTek is a leading digital infrastructure services provider supporting the expansion of fiber and data center connectivity across the U.S. and Canada. With over 600 employees and 60 locations, UniTek delivers a full suite of infrastructure services. The acquisition of Concurrent accelerates UniTek’s Power Services Division, which launched in July 2025 to broaden the company’s maintenance, repair, upgrade, and new infrastructure development services for the power sector. Concurrent’s established Southeast footprint and power capabilities directly complement UniTek’s existing broadband and data center infrastructure platform, positioning the combined company to capitalize on growing demand for resilient, modernized power infrastructure. Concurrent will continue to operate under its established brand, maintaining uninterrupted service for its customers.

“Selling Concurrent was one of the biggest decisions of my career, and Anthony, Jay, and the XLCS team guided us through every step with professionalism and genuine care for our people,” said Steve Sarno, CEO of Concurrent. “They stayed fully engaged throughout, gave us honest and thoughtful advice, kept our best interests front and center, and delivered an outcome that exceeded our expectations. I would recommend them without hesitation to any owner considering a transaction.”

XLCS acted as the exclusive M&A advisor to Concurrent, and the transaction was led by Anthony Contaldo, Partner, and Jay Cremer, Vice President. The transaction was completed on July 1, 2026.

About XLCS Partners, Inc.

XLCS Partners is a leading global investment banking firm providing M&A advisory services. Visit www.xlcspartners.com for more information.

Media Contact: 
Kendra Span 
kspan@xlcspartners.com
615-379-7783

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xlcs-partners-advises-concurrent-utility-services-on-sale-to-unitek-global-services-302833542.html

SOURCE XLCS Partners, Inc.

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Fathom Applauds Introduction of the FRONTIER Act, the First Federal Blueprint for Independent AI Verification

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July 23, 2026

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Reps. Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA-23) introduce a bill to build a competitive marketplace of independent verifiers for frontier AI models.

WASHINGTON, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fathom welcomes the introduction of the FRONTIER Act, the most complete federal framework yet for independent, third-party verification of frontier AI. The legislation is built to earn public trust as AI technology continues to accelerate. As frontier systems begin to take autonomous action in the world, the gap between what these models can do and our ability to keep them in check is widening. FRONTIER is the starting point to close that gap.

“AI governance keeps running into the same wall. The technology is hard to measure and it moves faster than any law can keep up with,” said Andrew Freedman, Co-Founder and CEO of Fathom. “Trying to write the perfect rules and freezing them in place won’t work. What will work is a competitive market of independent verifiers who are accountable for real-world outcomes and who the government can actually count on. The FRONTIER Act shows we can move fast and still get this right.”

The bill gets the fundamentals correct. It sets one public standard – the adequate mitigation of catastrophic risk – and holds both the AI companies and their independent verifiers accountable to it. FRONTIER does not freeze a single testing method into statute. Instead, it licenses competing verification organizations, allows them to sharpen their methods, and gives the government the power to revoke a license when a verifier’s work does not hold up in the field. That is how you build a system that keeps pace with the science instead of falling behind it.

Fathom thanks Reps. Trahan and Obernolte for their leadership, and for their courage in releasing a discussion draft, inviting scrutiny, and incorporating substantive improvements from across the field. One priority improvement as the bill advances: giving the government a fuller range of tools to act upstream – for pushing companies to close identified gaps in risk mitigation early, rather than only once a catastrophe is imminent. We are committed to working with these sponsors, committees of jurisdiction, and Congressional leadership to continue refining the bill in the weeks and months ahead.

About Fathom
Fathom is an independent nonprofit whose mission is to build a governance architecture that helps society navigate the transition to a world with AI by fostering trust, safety, and innovation. Fathom has developed and championed the independent verification model for AI and works with policymakers across the country to put it into practice. Learn more at http://fathom.org.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fathom-applauds-introduction-of-the-frontier-act-the-first-federal-blueprint-for-independent-ai-verification-302833546.html

SOURCE Fathom AI Inc.

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