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Konecranes Adopts ITI VR Crane Sim to Expand Customer Training Capacity and Reduce Equipment Downtime

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Blending simulation with instructor-led training, Konecranes Training Institute delivers hands-on crane training without taking equipment out of service.

AUSTIN, Texas, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Interplay Learning, the leading provider of immersive training for the skilled trades and industrial crafts, today announced that Konecranes, a global leader in material handling solutions, is scaling how it delivers customer training through the Konecranes Training Institute with the adoption of Industrial Training International’s (ITI) VR Crane Simulator. By integrating VR simulations into its programs, Konecranes can train up to twice as many crane operators per session while eliminating the need for customers to take cranes out of operation for training.

As a global original equipment manufacturer (OEM) supporting customers across manufacturing, ports, and heavy industry, Konecranes is evolving its training model to meet rising demand for skilled crane operators. The blended approach combines VR simulations with traveling master trainers, extending hands-on training to more customer sites, including remote and space-constrained environments, without the traditional limitations of equipment availability or production downtime.

“Through the Konecranes Training Institute, we’re focused on making training more accessible and practical for our customers,” said Darlene Crowder, director, sales and marketing, Konecranes Training Institute. “Integrating VR simulations allows us to deliver safe, hands-on training in more environments, to more people, while reducing the need for customers to take equipment out of service.”

Konecranes integrates ITI’s VR Crane Simulator directly into its instructor-led programs, creating a practical layer of skill development between classroom learning and live equipment operation. Trainees can perform lifts, navigate scenarios and build muscle memory in a controlled, repeatable environment before transitioning to the field, reducing risk while improving confidence and performance.

This approach also minimizes the need for customers to remove cranes from service for training, helping avoid costly production disruptions and maintain uptime. Instructors can run more scenarios in less time, increasing repetition and exposure to real-world conditions and allowing them to train more participants per session without impacting operations.

“ITI’s VR Crane Simulator makes it possible to train in ways that just aren’t realistic with live equipment,” said Amy Schroeder, director of training, Konecranes. “Most facilities can’t take cranes out of production regularly, and you can’t safely recreate high-risk scenarios like overloads, side pulls or equipment failures during training. ITI’s VR Crane Simulator removes those barriers, giving trainees the chance to experience critical situations in a controlled, repeatable environment, even when equipment or facilities aren’t available.”

Konecranes has embedded ITI’s VR simulations across several training institute programs, including overhead crane operator, crane operator and rigging train-the-trainer and mobile crane operator courses, extending consistent, hands-on training across its customer base.

“Konecranes is setting an example for how OEMs can rethink how they support their customers,” said Doug Donovan, CEO, Interplay Learning. “By combining instructor-led training with immersive simulation, they’re expanding access to hands-on learning while helping customers maintain productivity and address the growing shortage of skilled crane operators.”

To learn more about Interplay Learning, visit interplaylearning.com.

To learn more about Konecranes, visit kticranetraining.com.

About Konecranes Training Institute

Konecranes Training Institute specializes in hands–on technical training for customers in the Industrial Service Americas region. Konecranes Training Institute offers a wide range of practical courses led by experienced instructors, focusing on safety, equipment operation, and maintenance best practices. Visit https://kticranetraining.com/ to learn more.

About Interplay Learning

Interplay Learning, the leader in immersive learning for the skilled trades and industrial crafts, now includes Industrial Training International (ITI), the global leader in specialized industrial learning solutions. Leveraging instructor-led training, online simulations, AI, and VR, Interplay helps organizations and educational institutions upskill faster, reduce risk, and increase operational readiness. With over 500,000 people trained, Interplay is shaping the future of workforce development, building better careers and better lives. Visit www.interplaylearning.com to learn more.

Recent accolades include the 2025 IACET Instructional Impact Award, the 2025 Inc 5000 list, Deloitte’s 2025 Technology Fast 500 list, Forbes 2025 America’s Best Startup Employers, Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2024, AHR’s 2024 Innovation Award, IACET 2024 Innovation of the Year Award, and NFMT 2024 Vision Awards. To learn more about Interplay Learning, visit interplaylearning.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/konecranes-adopts-iti-vr-crane-sim-to-expand-customer-training-capacity-and-reduce-equipment-downtime-302763490.html

SOURCE Interplay Learning

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Soprano Strengthens Global Security Credentials with Major Compliance Milestones

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Soprano Reinforces its Position as a Market-Leading Communications Provider After Achieving Four Major Global Security Accreditations

SYDNEY, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Australian automated communications technology company, Soprano Design, has strengthened its global security credentials after achieving four major compliance accreditations across its business, reinforcing its position as a trusted communications provider for enterprise and government organisations.

Soprano has achieved SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001:2022, IMDA Security Framework and Cyber Essentials Plus compliance, reflecting the company’s continued investment in security, governance and operational resilience.

The accreditations come as enterprise and government organisations place greater scrutiny on the technology platforms that manage customer, citizen and employee communications. By meeting these recognised global standards, Soprano provides customers greater assurance that its platform, processes and controls are built to support secure, business-critical communications at scale.

“Achieving these accreditations is a significant milestone for Soprano and a testament to the discipline, rigour and hard work behind our technology, operations and people,” said Mohammed Odah, Chief Technology Officer, Soprano Design.

“As security threats continue to evolve, enterprise and government organisations need to know the platforms they rely on are backed by strong controls, independently tested processes and a culture that treats security as a core responsibility,” he said.

“These accreditations are not simply badges. They represent the strength of the systems, processes and governance we have built across Soprano to protect customer data and support organisations operating in highly regulated environments.

Behind each accreditation sits a specific part of Soprano’s business, spanning its Soprano Connect and Whispir platforms, its Singapore entities and its UK operations.

“Soprano has achieved SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022 across its Soprano Connect and Whispir platforms, the IMDA Security Framework across all five of its Singapore entities, and UK Cyber Essentials Plus in the United Kingdom, reflecting the company’s continued investment in security, governance and operational resilience across every market it serves,” said Simon Tipple, Director of Corporate IT and Security, Soprano Design.

“For our customers, many of whom operate in regulated industries, this is independent validation that the platforms they rely on for critical communications are built, run and continuously tested to the highest global standards.”

For more than 30 years, Soprano has supported enterprise and government organisations with secure, reliable and scalable communications technology. The latest accreditations further demonstrate the standards Soprano holds itself to as a long-standing partner to organisations managing business-critical communications.

“For three decades, Soprano has been trusted by enterprise and government organisations to support some of their most important communications,” said Dr. Richard Favero, Founder and Chairman, Soprano Design.

“That trust has always been built on more than technology alone. It comes from the standards we hold ourselves to and the responsibility we take in protecting the information that moves through our platforms,” he said.

“These latest accreditations are an important reflection of our commitment to our enterprise and government customers. They reinforce what has always been at the heart of Soprano: delivering secure, reliable and trusted communications for organisations that cannot afford to compromise.”

As organisations continue to modernise the way they communicate with customers, employees and communities, security and compliance have become increasingly important in the selection of communications technology partners.

“Our customers operate in environments where trust, security and reliability are non-negotiable,” said Antony Sault, Chief Revenue Officer, Soprano Design.

“These accreditations give them further assurance that Soprano is committed to meeting the standards required by enterprise and government organisations around the world,” he said.

“For current customers, this reinforces the confidence they already place in our platform. For organisations assessing their communication partners, it demonstrates that Soprano is built to support secure, high-volume and business-critical engagement at scale.”

These four accreditations sit alongside Soprano’s broader compliance programme, which is designed to support customers operating under regulatory frameworks including the EU’s Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), APRA’s Prudential Standard CPS 230 in Australia, and the Australian Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act. Together, they reflect Soprano’s commitment to secure, resilient communications for the enterprise and government organisations it serves worldwide.

Ends.

About Soprano Design

Soprano Design is a leading CPaaS provider trusted by 150+ Fortune 500 companies globally and serves over 32 billion automated interactions for its enterprise and government customers every year.

For more information about Soprano Design and its communication solutions, visit sopranodesign.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/soprano-strengthens-global-security-credentials-with-major-compliance-milestones-302823534.html

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FocalPoint and STMicroelectronics enter into a commercial agreement to deliver enhanced GNSS reliability for automotive applications

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The commercial agreement combines proven FocalPoint S-GNSS® Auto software with STMicroelectronics Teseo hardware to improve positioning reliability in challenging GNSS environments

CAMBRIDGE, England, July 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — FocalPoint, a UK-based leader in GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) software for automotive, wearables, and smartphones, today announced that it has entered into a commercial agreement with STMicroelectronics. The agreement marks a major step towards delivering highly reliable vehicle positioning in challenging GNSS environments. Building on the collaboration first announced in May 2025, FocalPoint and STMicroelectronics have now advanced their joint S-GNSS® Auto and Teseo solution to a full commercial offering.

The joint industry-leading solution delivers a significant leap in GNSS reliability, particularly in urban canyons, tree-lined roads, and other tough environments where conventional GNSS systems struggle. It is delivered as a simple firmware upgrade to Teseo devices, enabling automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers to achieve substantially improved positioning accuracy in a straightforward and cost-efficient manner.

Backed by FocalPoint’s patented Supercorrelation® technology, S-GNSS® software has demonstrated consistent accuracy improvements in multipath and signal-degraded conditions. In recent rigorous global trials, S-GNSS® Auto on Teseo devices significantly outperformed standard commercial-grade solutions. The joint solution is advancing towards commercial deployment in both current and next-generation OEM platforms.

“We’re delighted to enter this commercial agreement with ST in addition to becoming an ST Authorized Partner, taking our collaboration to the next level. Our joint solution addresses the GNSS reliability pain points experienced by many OEMs when architecting their ADAS solutions,” said Scott Pomerantz, CEO at FocalPoint. “Together, we deliver significant improvements that make autonomous and connected vehicles safer and more reliable.”

“Through our commercial agreement with FocalPoint, and by leveraging the flexibility of Teseo’s open platform, we are expanding our portfolio with S-GNSS® Auto-powered products that help customers push performance beyond traditional GNSS receiver limits and gain a real competitive edge in the market,” said Luca Celant, Digital Audio and Signal Solutions Division General Manager, STMicroelectronics. “By adding the S-GNSS roadmap and innovations such as Precise+® to the state-of-the-art Teseo portfolio, we are working to deliver sub-meter accuracy in the toughest environments. Together, we’re helping OEMs add value and accelerate ADAS and V2X capabilities with confidence.”

This collaboration strengthens both companies’ commitment to enabling safer automated vehicles as well as improving everyday navigation.

More details are available on FocalPoint’s ST Partner page.

Evaluation kits (EVKs) integrating FocalPoint’s S-GNSS® Auto software on Teseo V and Teseo VI are now available for OEMs, Tier 1s, and ecosystem partners on the FocalPoint website.

Contact FocalPoint at contact@focalpointpositioning.com for the full results report of S-GNSS® Auto on Teseo devices.

About FocalPoint

FocalPoint develops advanced software that ensures GNSS reliability in the most challenging environments. Their flagship S-GNSS® Auto software delivers the positioning accuracy required to advance vehicle autonomy, especially in urban canyons and forest roads. Integrated onto STMicroelectronics Teseo V and Teseo VI devices, this joint solution is offered as a seamless firmware upgrade, empowering OEMs to advance their ADAS and V2X capabilities. Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, FocalPoint is backed by a strategic investment from GM Ventures and has earned multiple awards and recognition from the Royal Institute of Navigation and the Institute of Navigation.

Website: focalpointpositioning.com

Media contact
Ramya Sriram; contact@focalpointpositioning.com

 

 

SOURCE Focal Point Positioning Ltd

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CGTN AMERICA & CCTV UN: Decades-old Radio Records Prove China’s Longstanding Sovereignty over Huangyan Dao

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A decades-old piece of amateur radio history has resurfaced as evidence that the Philippines once formally acknowledged Huangyan Dao was not within the Philippine territory, according to archival records revealed by a Chinese expedition leader in an interview with China Media Group (CMG)

WASHINGTON, July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — (This material is distributed by MediaLinks TV, LLC on behalf of CCTV. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.)

CGTN America & CCTV UN releases “Decades-old Radio Records Prove China’s Longstanding Sovereignty over Huangyan Dao”

A decades-old piece of amateur radio history has resurfaced as evidence that the Philippines once formally acknowledged Huangyan Dao was not within the Philippine territory, according to archival records revealed by a Chinese expedition leader in an interview with China Media Group (CMG).

Chen Ping, leader of several Chinese amateur radio expeditions to Huangyan Dao in the 1990s, said the Philippine Amateur Radio Association had consulted relevant government departments after the Chinese Radio Sports Association applied to register Huangyan Dao as a separate entity under the internationally recognized DXCC (DX Century Club) program.

According to Chen, the Philippine side’s reply confirmed that Huangyan Dao was not within the territorial sovereignty of the Philippines, clearing the way for the registration process.

The application was submitted in 1994. In January 1996, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), which administers the DXCC program, officially recognized Huangyan Dao as a separate DXCC entity and approved the unique amateur radio callsign BS7H.

Under the international amateur radio system, callsigns are assigned according to territorial jurisdiction. The prefix “B” denotes China and character “H” stands for Huangyan Dao. Therefore, “BS7H” specifically identifies Huangyan Dao as part of China’s amateur radio callsign system.

Chen said Chinese amateur radio operators conducted four expeditions to Huangyan Dao between 1994 and 2007 after receiving approval from Chinese authorities to establish temporary radio stations on the island.

Recalling the 1997 expedition, Chen said Philippine personnel approached the Chinese team after arriving by patrol vessel and aircraft. He said the personnel asked about the team’s activities but made no territorial claim or demand before leaving.

Chen said he carried extensive documentary records during later expeditions, including correspondence related to the DXCC application, as evidence of China’s exercise of jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao.

The amateur radio callsign BS7H remains officially recognized today and, Chen said, stands as a lasting record of China’s presence and activities on Huangyan Dao.

Click here to watch the video: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-07-13/Decades-old-radio-records-prove-China-s-sovereignty-over-Huangyan-Dao-1OK0EG5LaOA/share_amp.html

Media Contact

Pan, CGTN America, 1 2023931850, distribution@cgtnamerica.com

View original content:https://www.prweb.com/releases/cgtn-america–cctv-un-decades-old-radio-records-prove-chinas-longstanding-sovereignty-over-huangyan-dao-302824303.html

SOURCE CGTN America

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