DAY 2 4 WISPAMERICA SHOW I MARCH 24 - 27, 2025 www.bekabusinessmedia.com eight to ten years before ever receiving a return on the investment. The speaker traced the often recognized “birth” of the modern VC era to the mid1980s, when under the Reagan Administration changes were made relative to pension funds and the lowering of capital gains taxes. He said prior to the changes only about .1 percent of successful companies relied on venture capital. Since the 1985 changes, the growth has been tremendous. Franklin also recounted how venture capitalists often drive innovation by writing checks to the entrepreneurs. Using a popular example based on today’s tech news, he said 40 percent of VC went to artificial intelligence and machine learning last year. At the same time, 72 percent of businesses have integrated some AI into their processes. But it is not just tech news, “entrepreneurs are in every part of the economy,” Franklin said. To emphasize this fact, he showed where 60 percent of new drugs developed between 2012-2022 were backed by venture capitalists. One example is Moderna, which was created during the race for a COVID-19 vaccine during the pandemic. Franklin’s address followed the morning opening session, where WISPA’s vice presidents provided brief summaries on their work. These included: Louis Peraertz, Vice President of Policy; Richard Bernhardt, Vice President, Spectrum & Industry; Matt Mandel, Vice President of Government Affairs; and Steven Schwerbel, Director, State Advocacy. While each speaker directed comments to his specific area, all four speakers emphasized engagement from WISPA members and welcomed attendees to volunteer to assist their work in preventing overbuilding, encouraging additional spectrum allocations and pushing changes in the BEAD program. One way attendees can help is to participate in this year’s scheduled Congressional Fly-Ins, May 6-7. Mandel explained the Fly-ins are a powerful tool to put a “human face” on the industry, featuring members as industry advocates as they meet with legislators and their staffs regarding issues of concern to WISPs. To register, visit the WISPA website. During Schwebel’s presentation, President & CEO David Zumwalt reappeared on stage holding a large frame containing a State of Oklahoma proclamation. He announced that Gov. Kevin Stitt had declared and signed a proclamation declaring March 24-28 as Broadband Appreciation Week, to correspond with WISPAMERICA 2025. In part, the proclamation states that members of WISPA “thoughtfully and consistently deploy a ‘best tool for the job’ approach that includes all broadband technologies as solutions for individual projects.’” J Atheral, a white-label VoIP platform provider, announced the integration of advanced artificial intelligence features into its communications suite, setting a new standard for service providers seeking to enhance revenue and customer retention. The capabilities — call transcription with sentiment analysis, video conferencing integration and advanced business texting solutions — empower ISPs to deliver a superior user experience while increasing average revenue per subscriber (ARPU) and deepening customer loyalty. “Atheral has been helping service providers redefine the technology that connects us, and today marks a stunning advancement of our white-label VoIP platform,” said Daniel White, co-founder of Atheral. “We have been hard at work to build new integrations that will not only help service providers win new business in a highly competitive market but also earn more revenue from their existing voice subscribers.” Atheral’s enhancements position ISPs to offer enterprise-grade communications solutions, including: • AI-Driven Call Transcription & Sentiment Analysis – Real-time transcription, sentiment analysis and call topic summaries provide businesses with deeper insights into customer interactions. • Video Conferencing with AI-Powered Insights – A feature-rich video conferencing solution that includes live streaming, interactive engagement tools and AI-powered meeting analysis, allowing businesses to optimize productivity and decision-making. • Advanced Business Texting Solutions – A robust suite of messaging tools, including number sharing, canned responses, marketing campaigns, appointment reminders and autoresponders, giving ISPs a powerful UCaaS differentiator. “I am excited for the new opportunities we are giving our clients to solve Unified Communications problems for their endusers,” said Veronica Perrin, director of Client Success for Atheral. J To learn more about Atheral’s white-label, client-centric VoIP platform designed specifically for internet service providers, visit booth 421 on the tradeshow floor or go to https:// atheral.com. Atheral Unveils Advanced AI-powered VoIP (Continued from page 1)
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