VOLIA, the first in Ukraine to launch FOXNOW online cinema for its subscribers

WILL together with FOX NETWORKS GROUP offered the company's subscribers a new service - the FOXNOW library . Subscribers can now watch the best FOX and FOX LIFE movies and series at anytime, anywhere, in HD quality, across multiple mobile devices. The service is also available in the Will Mobile TV application.

FOXNOW is a On-Demand Video (VoD) directory and a true cinematic discovery that will transform their views on television, save time, money, provide choice and comfortable viewing conditions, making it a real pleasure for quality content connoisseurs.

The catalog consists of the most popular series, which are available on FOX and FOX LIFE channels, and also gives access to all previous seasons of top projects on these channels. Viewers will be able to see all the seasons of such cult shows as "Walking Dead", "Legion", "Atlanta", "Outcast", "Da Vinci Demons", "Secret Power", "Pines", "Under the Alien Flag", 11.22.63 , "Rebirth", "Gotham" and many others.

“The introduction of FOXNOW's innovative service gives our online services subscribers access to the world's best premieres simultaneously with the world, as well as the ability to watch TV shows, movies and shows in both original and translation. I am glad that we were the first in Ukraine to realize this project in accordance with the world standards of quality, genre diversity and licensing, which was made possible by a long-standing partnership with FOX NETWORKS GROUP - the world leader in the production of television and cinema products ”, - says Victoria Tsomaya, Director on the marketing of WILL.

“With the launch of FOXNOW's online service, our company is doing even more to make Ukrainian viewers feel an integral part of the global television audience. We are the first to offer WILL subscribers the best world series at a convenient time and in the best quality, which are now also available anywhere with the WILL TV mobile application, ”emphasizes Rodion Printsevsky, General Manager of FOX NETWORKS GROUP in Northeast Europe.

FOXNOW is regularly updated. Already, WILL subscribers have the opportunity to dive into the world of the adventures of a major zombie event, which has garnered millions of fans around the world and over 16 prestigious awards in 9 years. Fresh and all previous seasons of the post-apocalyptic Walking Dead series are available in the FOX NOW section.

The highlight of the new will for the Will subscribers will be the final season of the series Game of Thrones, which begins on April 15 at 22.00 on FOX. New episodes of all series will appear in the FOXNOW catalog the day after the premiere on the channel and will be available to viewers one month to one year after the broadcast. Do not miss the premiere of the year in WILLOW TV!

Service FOXNOW will be provided to subscribers enhanced service package Ott VOLIA *. 

* for packages: Power Time, Turbo HD, Premium HD https://volia.com/eng/bundle/packages/ ; Internet everywhere + Max TV https://volia.com/eng/volia-lifecell/ ; Strike https://volia.com/eng/tv/ott-packages/ ; Mobile Optimal https://volia.com/eng/tv/mobile-packages/

Warburg Pincus Invests US$100 Million in Chinese B2B e-Commerce Platform Yijiupi

Beijing, March 18, 2019 –Yijiupi, China’s leading mobile on-demand B2B platform in FMCG sector, has completed a Series D+ financing from an affiliate of Warburg Pincus, a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing. The fund raised will be used on Yijiupi’s national network expansion, new retail initiatives and R&D.

Founded in 2014, Yijiupi is committed to digitizing and improving supply chain efficiency for China’s FMCG (Fast-moving consumer goods) market. Within five years, it has evolved into a leading B2B mobile digitized platform that covers all major FMCG product categories with national network across the industry value chain. In 2018, Yijiupi achieved a gross merchandise value of about US$2.0 billion, and has self-operated supply chain and fulfillment capabilities in more than 130 cities in China, one of the largest distribution networks in China’s FMCG B2B market. The Company has developed a broad suite of digitized solutions, including a mobile-based e-commerce platform, supply chain and logistics platform, retail chain management platform, and supply chain financing solutions etc.

Mr. Chaocheng Wang, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Yijiupi said, “Yijiupi will make significant breakthroughs across industry value chain in 2019. While we continue to grow our self-operated gross merchandise value at triple digit, our financing, cloud warehousing, chain stores and C2M businesses will create new growth and profit opportunities, enabled by our strong technology and supply chain capabilities.”

Mr. Jericho Zhang, Managing Director of Warburg Pincus commented, “We are very optimistic about the development of Industrial Internet in China. Despite the distinct features of different industry verticals and market participants, digitization has significantly improved the efficiency of supply chain. Warburg Pincus will continue to identify and support leading Industrial Internet platforms to consolidate various large but fragmented sectors.”

“We are very impressed by the sober-minded and visionary core management team, who have built up strong competitive moats around the business with solid executions. Yijiupi is not just collecting and sharing information for any specific segment, but rather creating value across the industry value chain with digitalized tools and operating excellence. Yijiupi is not only a trading platform, but rather an empowerment platform for all business partners,” he added.

Yijiupi has built an infrastructure of mobile and digital solutions, and an extensive national distribution and fulfillment network. On top of these, leveraging the integration of supply chain and financing resources, it has successfully identified business models that create values for all market participants, from brands, distributors, retailers to consumers.

Jericho Zhang emphasized that there are great potentials in China’s FMCG industry for further consolidation, as the $0.6 trillion market is still highly fragmented, dominated by traditional channels. “While we’ve already seen multiple B2B companies worth tens of billions of US dollars in the US where the FMCG market is highly modernized, we expect large-scale B2B leaders to emerge in China, where the channels are still dominated by more than 6 million small retailers,” he explained.

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Warburg Pincus LLC is a leading global private equity firm focused on growth investing. The firm has more than $43 billion in private equity assets under management. The firm’s active portfolio of more than 180 companies is highly diversified by stage, sector and geography. Warburg Pincus is an experienced partner to management teams seeking to build durable companies with sustainable value. Founded in 1966, Warburg Pincus has raised 17 private equity funds, which have invested more than $73 billion in over 855 companies in more than 40 countries.

Since entering the Chinese market in 1994, Warburg Pincus has invested over $12 billion in over 100 companies in China. The firm has a strong record in investing and supporting the growth of many leading consumer, technology, retail and B2B companies such as China Kidswant, Gome, Intime, Leyou, New Carzone, Souche and Batulu. For more information on Warburg Pincus, please visit www.warburgpincus.com.

INTELLIGENT WIFI TO REVOLUTIONIZE IN-HOME CONNECTIVITY

Virgin Media has today announced a series of new WiFi updates that will give millions of its customers the UK’s fastest widely available broadband speeds in more areas of their home.

The game-changing technology was developed by Liberty Global and has already been rolled out to all Virgin Media customers with a Hub 3 router, free of charge. It is a smart, cloud-based, adaptive system that is continuously evolving and ingeniously tackles many of the problems that can hold people back from getting the best performance from their WiFi.

With Intelligent WiFi, Virgin Media customers can feel real benefits to their wireless connectivity with minimal effort.  Extensive testing has seen speeds improving by up to three times to many devices without the aid of a booster, unlike many other broadband providers.

This means that regardless of the type of property lived in – and the number of people living in it – customers can make the most of their ultrafast connectivity by streaming 4K programming, gaming online or simply browsing the net, all at the same time across multiple devices.

Richard Sinclair MBE, Executive Director of Connectivity at Virgin Media, said: “Delivering ultrafast broadband to help make Britain faster is what we do best at Virgin Media, but making sure this translates into reliable in-home connectivity is just as important. Intelligent WiFi will allow our customers to make the most of their broadband while also helping to easily overcome any connectivity conundrums around the home. With families using more devices than ever before, it’s vital they can all be online whenever needed. Whether it’s streaming UHD movies on Netflix, playing the latest games online or video conferencing, Intelligent WiFi has your back.”

Connect App

The new Connect app will be the central control panel for all intelligent WiFi features.

Through the app customers can test the strength of their WiFi from room-to-room, which will also detect any blackspots in the home; manage devices that are connected to a home network; pause devices and access in-app customer support to help resolve any problems.

WiFi Boosters

In the rare instance that a WiFi booster is required to remove connectivity blackspots in the home, these can be ordered directly through the Connect app with Full House and VIP customers able to get these free of charge.

Intelligent WiFi

Intelligent WiFi on the Hub 3 router is a smart system that adapts to the needs of the home and the devices that are connected to WiFi. It is made up of many features that work side-by-side to ensure that the best WiFi performance is being delivered. These include:

• Channel optimisation: All WiFi operates over a number of channels. Channel Optimisation helps ensure connected devices and gadgets are performing as best as they can. As a result of Intelligent WiFi, testing has shown that 18% of homes should experience less WiFi interference thanks to more than 300,000 optimisations per day ensuring that devices are being switched to less crowded WiFi channels.

• Band Steering: This is the process which prompts gadgets and devices to seamlessly switch between a 2.4GHz or 5GHz frequency to optimise performance. With band steering on the Hub 3, testing showed that gadgets connecting to the 5GHz frequency increased by 25%, giving these devices greater speeds.

• Airtime Fairness: This helps to share out WiFi evenly across connected devices. Some older devices can’t keep up with ultrafast broadband speeds which can impact WiFi performance in the home. Intelligent WiFi will improve the share of WiFi to devices throughout the home.

With all of the above implemented as part of Intelligent WiFi, third party testing showed that broadband speeds registered on devices significantly increased in rooms throughout the home – up to three times faster.

TDS nominated Best Internet Provider in Southern Utah

TDS is thrilled to have been nominated Best Internet Provider in Southern Utah in 2019, and we would appreciate your vote.

Voting for Best Internet Provider takes less than a minute and can be found at: www.voteBOSU.com/TDS

TDS now offers internet speed packages from 100Mbps to 600Mbps in Southern Utah. After making significant investments in our Utah network, TDS offers a variety of high-speed internet plans for all types of customers and households, catering to homes with extreme online demands with multiple users and multiple devices connected simultaneously. Customers can learn more about our plans at HelloTDS.com/600 or calling 1-855-771-3961.

For the Best of Southern Utah nearly 1,400 businesses were nominated and of those nominations, 924 companies officially made it on the ballot to compete.

Voting began Feb. 25 and will remain open until March 15 at 5 p.m. Winners will be announced May 20 both online and in a winners publication to be distributed around Southern Utah.

Businesses are listed under eight main categories and 190 subcategories and you can vote at BestofSouthernUtah.com. The main categories are:

• Eat and drink.

• Health and beauty.

• Home and garden.

• Motors.

• Professional services (TDS category)

• Schools.

• Shopping.

• Things to do.

Each category has a minimum of four qualified businesses for voters to choose. Voters are allowed to vote for one business per category, per day. Voting is free and can be done at: www.voteBOSU.com/TDS

Trilogy International Partners Inc. Completes First Closing Related to US$100 Million Bolivia Tower Sale and Leaseback Transaction

BELLEVUE, Wash., Feb. 26, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trilogy International Partners Inc. (“TIP Inc.”) (TSX: TRL), an international wireless and fixed broadband telecommunications operator, today announced that its Bolivian subsidiary, NuevaTel, completed the initial closing related to the previously announced agreement to sell approximately 600 of NuevaTel’s towers to a Bolivian subsidiary of Phoenix Tower International for cash proceeds of approximately US$100 million.

The initial closing included 400 towers and resulted in tower sale cash consideration of US$65 million.  Subsequent closings are expected to be completed over the remainder of the year.

It is expected that NuevaTel’s operating expenses will increase by approximately US$8 million on an annual run rate basis, once all anticipated closings have occurred.

TIP Inc. expects that total proceeds will be impacted by capital gains taxes and based on the Bolivian statutory tax rate of 25%. 

Use of proceeds are currently being evaluated by TIP Inc. and are expected to provide funding for reinvestment in capital expenditures and spectrum renewal costs, as well as general corporate purposes.

About Trilogy International Partners Inc.

Trilogy International Partners Inc. (TSX: TRL) is the parent company of Trilogy International Partners LLC (“Trilogy LLC” or “Trilogy”), a wireless and fixed broadband telecommunications operator formed by wireless industry veterans John Stanton, Theresa Gillespie and Brad Horwitz. Trilogy's founders have an exceptional track record of successfully buying, building, launching and operating communication businesses in 15 international markets and the United States. 

Trilogy currently provides wireless and fixed broadband communications services through its operating subsidiaries in New Zealand and Bolivia. Its head office is located at 155 108th Avenue NE, Suite 400, Bellevue, Washington, 98004 USA. 

For more information, visit www.trilogy-international.com. 

About Forward-Looking Information

Forward-looking information and statements
This press release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws in Canada and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 of the United States of America.  Forward-looking information and forward–looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the closings of the tower sale; the timing thereof and the expected proceeds therefrom; use of proceeds; satisfaction of closing conditions; the anticipated impact of the tower sale on NuevaTel’s operating expenses; and TIP Inc.’s estimate of capital gains taxes. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “estimates”, “plans”, “targets”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “an opportunity exists”, “outlook”, “prospects”, “strategy”, “intends”, “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might”, “will”, “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, intentions, estimates, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances contain forward-looking information and statements.

Forward-looking information and statements are provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information and statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking information and statements contained herein are based on our opinions, estimates and assumptions in light of our experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that we currently believe are appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances. These opinions, estimates and assumptions include but are not limited to: that the conditions to the various closings of the tower sales will be satisfied; general economic and industry growth rates; currency exchange rates and interest rates; product pricing levels and competitive intensity; income tax; subscriber growth; pricing, usage, and churn rates; changes in government regulation; technology deployment; availability of devices; timing of new product launches; content and equipment costs; vendor and supplier performance; the integration of acquisitions; industry structure and stability; and data based on good faith estimates that are derived from management’s knowledge of the industry and other independent sources. Despite a careful process to prepare and review the forward-looking information and statements, there can be no assurance that the underlying opinions, estimates and assumptions will prove to be correct.

Numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which may be unknown, relating to TIP Inc.’s business could cause actual events and results to differ materially from the estimates, beliefs and assumptions expressed or implied in the forward-looking information and statements. Among such risks and uncertainties are those that relate to  the conditions to completion of the remaining closings of the transaction not being satisfied; that an event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the transaction will occur; receipt of required regulatory approvals; Trilogy LLC’s and TIP Inc.’s history of losses; TIP Inc.’s and Trilogy LLC’s status as holding companies; TIP Inc.’s significant level of indebtedness and the refinancing, default and other risks, as well as limits, restrictive covenants and restrictions resulting therefrom; TIP Inc.’s or Trilogy LLC’s ability to incur additional debt despite their indebtedness levels; TIP Inc.’s or Trilogy LLC’s ability to refinance their indebtedness; the risk that TIP Inc.’s or Trilogy LLC’s credit ratings could be downgraded; TIP Inc. having insufficient financial resources to achieve its objectives; risks associated with any potential acquisition, investment or merger; the significant political, social, economic and legal risks of operating in Bolivia; TIP Inc.’s operations being in markets with substantial tax risks and inadequate protection of shareholder rights; the need for spectrum access; the regulated nature of the industry in which TIP Inc. participates; the use of “conflict minerals” and the effect thereof on availability of certain products, including handsets; anti-corruption compliance; intense competition; lack of control over network termination, roaming and international long distance revenues; rapid technological change and associated costs; reliance on equipment suppliers; subscriber “churn” risks, including those associated with prepaid accounts; the need to maintain distributor relationships; TIP Inc.’s future growth being dependent on innovation and development of new products; security threats and other material disruptions to TIP Inc.’s wireless networks; the ability of TIP Inc. to protect subscriber information and cybersecurity risks generally; health risks associated with handsets; litigation, including class actions and regulatory matters; fraud, including device financing, customer credit card, subscription and dealer fraud; reliance on limited management resources; risks associated with the minority shareholders of TIP Inc.’s subsidiaries; general economic risks; natural disasters including earthquakes; foreign exchange and interest rate changes; currency controls; interest rate risk; TIP Inc.’s ability to utilize carried forward tax losses; risks that TIP Inc. may not pay dividends; tax related risks; TIP Inc.’s dependence on Trilogy LLC to pay taxes and other expenses; Trilogy LLC may be required to make distributions to TIP Inc. and the other owners of Trilogy LLC; differing interests among TIP Inc.’s and Trilogy LLC’s equity owners in certain circumstances; an increase in costs and demands on management resources when TIP Inc. ceases to qualify as an “emerging growth company” under the U.S. Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012; additional expenses if TIP Inc. loses its foreign private issuer status under U.S. federal securities laws; volatility of TIP Inc.’s common shares price; dilution of TIP Inc.’s common shares; market coverage; TIP Inc.’s internal controls over financial reporting; new laws and regulations; and risks as a publicly traded company, including, but not limited to, compliance and costs associated with the U.S. Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (to the extent applicable). 

Although we have attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information and statements herein, there may be other risk factors not presently known to us or that we presently believe are not material that could also cause actual results or future events to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking information herein.  Please see our continuous disclosure filings available under TIP Inc.’s profile at www.sedar.com and at www.sec.gov for information on the risks and uncertainties associated with our business.

Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information and statements, which speak only as of the date made. The forward-looking information and statements contained herein represent our expectations as of the date hereof or the date indicated. We disclaim any intention or obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities laws.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Ann Saxton                                              
Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development 
+1 (425) 458-5900
ann.saxton@trilogy-international.com

CenturyLink deploys fiber gigabit internet service to Fish Lake Township

February 18 event to celebrate new ultra-fast fiber internet speeds

FISH LAKE TOWNSHIP, Minn., Feb. 14, 2019 – More than 900 residents and businesses in Fish Lake Township now have access to fiber gigabit internet speeds up to 1,000 Mbps due to investments from CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) and Fish Lake Township, as well as a $1.8 million grant from Minnesota’s Border to Border Broadband Development Grant Program.

CenturyLink is delivering Fiber to the Home (FTTH) technology in Fish Lake Township as part of its participation in the Federal Communications Commission’s Connect America Fund (CAF) program and its commitment to meet the broadband needs of residents and local businesses in Minnesota.

“From telemedicine to students doing homework, broadband access is essential to our everyday life,” said Sen. Mark W. Koran, R-North Branch. “I’m proud to have supported and continue to support the Border to Border grant program that enabled this partnership with CenturyLink and Fish Lake Township. This fiber to the home broadband expansion brings 21st century access to the businesses and households in our area.”

“CenturyLink knows that life is powered by connections and that communities benefit from fiber internet speeds,” said Dan O’Connell, CenturyLink senior director, Northeast region. “The state broadband grant program, coupled with CenturyLink’s local investment, is a great example of the public and private sectors working together to provide connectivity that helps meet our customers’ personal and business needs.”

For more information or to order gigabit service, residents can contact Darren Larson, CenturyLink retail sales, at (612) 412-5113 or at darren.larson@centurylink.com.

Key Facts

• A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at 9 a.m. Feb. 18 at 2170 Brunswick Road in Harris, Minn. The public was invited to attend.

• For existing CenturyLink customers, our policy is to cover the cost of the first 700’ and the customer would pay excess construction charges for the difference between the first 700’ and the actual length of the drop – this is being waived through March 31. For new customers, we charge excess construction for the entire drop regardless of length and is not subject to being waived.

Additional resources

• A survey conducted by Chisago County prior to the fiber project found that Fish Lake Township residents were interested in utilizing the many benefits of faster internet speeds: http://www.ci.north-branch.mn.us/CCBSR.pdf. Highlights include:

  • Telecommuting: 35 percent said they would telecommute. Currently, 66 percent of the residents commute 30 miles or more to work.

  • Education: 45 percent said they would use high-speed internet for student access. With fiber internet, residents can take college classes while living in Chisago County.

  • Quality of Life: 86 percent said they would use it for web surfing and social networking. 20.4 percent said they would access telehealth, 79.8 percent said they would use it for entertainment, and 36.5 percent for gaming.

  • Economic Development: 31 percent said they would operate a business. Faster speeds can help a business innovate and grow.

About CenturyLink

CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) is the second largest U.S. communications provider to global enterprise customers. With customers in more than 60 countries and an intense focus on the customer experience, CenturyLink strives to be the world’s best networking company by solving customers’ increased demand for reliable and secure connections. The company also serves as its customers’ trusted partner, helping them manage increased network and IT complexity and providing managed network and cyber security solutions that help protect their business.

For further information: Stephanie Meisse, (419) 755-8433, Stephanie.N.Meisse@centurylink.com

Morgan Stanley to Acquire Solium, Creating a Leading Provider of Stock Plan Administration and Workplace Wealth Solutions

Strategy complements core Financial Advisor channel as source of new clients

NEW YORK/CALGARY – Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Solium Capital Inc. (TSX: SUM) (“Solium”), a leading global provider of software-as-a-service (SaaS) for equity administration, financial reporting and compliance. With this acquisition, Morgan Stanley is positioned to be an industry leader in Workplace Wealth Solutions, bringing together a major stock plan administration platform with a leading Wealth Management business.

Solium’s 3,000 stock plan clients, with one million participants, include Instacart, Levi Strauss, Shopify and Stripe and a range of fast growing private companies, as well as newly public companies. Morgan Stanley has 320 stock plan clients, with 1.5 million participants, of which a quarter are in the Fortune 500. This combination will create a leading provider of stock plan administration services and Workplace Wealth. Solium has a strong business-to-business salesforce, an industry-leading cloud-based service platform and is a leader in private company equity administration, which will complement and strengthen Morgan Stanley’s offering.

Morgan Stanley has been building a comprehensive suite of digital tools that will support expansion within the Workplace Wealth marketplace. Morgan Stanley entered into a partnership with Solium in 2016 to administer equity compensation plans for Morgan Stanley’s corporate clients and their employees.

“The acquisition provides Morgan Stanley with broader access to corporate clients and a direct channel to their employees, as well as a greater opportunity to establish and develop relationships with a younger demographic and service this population early in their wealth accumulation years,” said James Gorman, Chairman and CEO.

This is expected to enhance Morgan Stanley’s client acquisition efforts in a manner that complements the Financial Advisor channel, which constitutes the core of Morgan Stanley’s strategy. As plan participants build their wealth, and their needs become more complex, there is a natural transition to an Advisor-based relationship. Younger plan participants in the earlier stages of their careers can elect to be served by the Firm’s Morgan Stanley Access Investing and Morgan Stanley Virtual Advisor channels.

Marcos Lopez, CEO of Solium, will remain with the company and be based in Calgary.

“We view this acquisition as part of our broader, longer-term strategy, leveraging our digital capabilities in the workplace,” said Andy Saperstein, Co-Head of Wealth Management. “By combining stock plan administration, 401(k), other forms of deferred compensation, employee Financial Wellness education and our core Goals-Based Planning technology, we plan to create an integrated ‘Morgan Stanley Wealth Portal,’ which will offer employers the opportunity to deliver tailored financial counseling and industry leading advice to their employees.”

Morgan Stanley will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Solium for

CAD 19.15 per share in cash, representing a total equity value of approximately CAD 1.1 billion ($0.9 billion). The transaction is expected to have a minimal impact on the Firm’s earnings and capital ratios. Morgan Stanley does not anticipate any adjustments to the share repurchases in the first or second quarter of 2019 that were included as part of the Firm’s 2018 Capital Plan. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2019, subject to court, Solium shareholder and regulatory approvals, and other customary closing conditions.

Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP are serving as legal advisors to Morgan Stanley in connection with the transaction.

About Solium

Solium provides cloud-enabled services for global equity administration, financial reporting and compliance. From offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia, Solium’s innovative software-as-a-service (SaaS) technology powers share plan administration and equity transactions for more than 3,000 corporate clients with employee participants in more than 100 countries. For more information about Solium, please visit Solium.com.

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, investment management and wealth management services. With offices in more than 41 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including the attainment of certain financial and other targets, objectives and goals. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made, which reflect management’s current estimates, projections, expectations, assumptions, interpretations or beliefs and which are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. For a discussion of risks and uncertainties that may affect the future results of the Firm, please see “Forward-Looking Statements” immediately preceding Part I, Item 1, “Competition” and “Supervision and Regulation” in Part I, Item 1, “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A, “Legal Proceedings” in Part I, Item 3, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 and “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” in Part II, Item 7A in the Firm’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and other items throughout the Form 10-K, the Firm’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and the Firm’s Current Reports on Form 8-K, including any amendments thereto.

Media Relations Contacts: David P. Walker, 914.225.1010; Susan Siering, 212.761.6030

Mid Europa Completes Acquisition of intive

Mid Europa Partners, the leading private equity investor in Central and Eastern Europe, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of intive S.A.

intive is a leading international provider of software development services with over 1,600 qualified specialists in 19 offices worldwide. Combining design and technology, intive has become the digitalisation partner of choice for many international corporations across multiple industry verticals including automotive, high-tech, industrial, media, as well as consumer and financial services.

VIRGIN MEDIA TRIALS UK’S FASTEST HOME BROADBAND SPEEDS.

Virgin Media is trialling the UK’s fastest home broadband after successfully testing a connection offering speeds of more than 8Gbps to homes in Papworth, Cambridgeshire.

The hyperfast connection uses Virgin Media’s existing fibre network to provide download speeds more than 200 times faster the UK average.

The trial, made possible through continued network investment and collaboration with Liberty Global, is delivered using an existing fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) connection meaning that no dedicated line is required.

The connection supports simultaneous upload and download speeds of more than 8Gbps.

The six-month trial is expected to connect 50 homes in Papworth.

Richard Sinclair, Executive Director of Connectivity at Virgin Media, said: “As the UK’s fastest widely available broadband provider, we’re committed to making Britain faster and this trial pushes the boundaries of what’s possible.

“Whether it’s streaming UHD movies on Netflix, playing the latest games online or video conferencing, faster internet connections have changed our lives immeasurably over the past decade. As speed leaders, Virgin Media is not going to stand still; this trial is about looking ahead to the next decade and beyond.

“With the volume of our customers’ internet usage almost doubling every year, trials like this will ensure we have the capability to meet the demand of data-hungry services in the future – be that over cable or full fibre.”

Applied futurist, Tom Cheesewright, who has reviewed the trial said: “Each new leap in internet speeds has spurred a new round of innovation in digital services. Today we are just starting to glimpse the immersive communication and entertainment opportunities that speeds like this will enable, bringing the physical and digital worlds together into a rich, interactive environment.”

The connection speed was tested and independently

verified by Ofcom’s technical partner, SamKnows, who fast tracked the development of a brand new speed testing tool specifically designed to test multi-gigabit connections.

In this trial data is transferred along fibre optic cables using EPON (Ethernet Passive Optical Network) technology – a global point-to-point network standard.

EPON is typically used to deliver up to 1Gbps speeds to UK homes, but Virgin Media has been working with technology partner, ARRIS, to trial new equipment and software to increase the speeds that its residential fibre network is capable of delivering.

With this connection speed users can:

• download a high-definition film of 5GB in five seconds

• download an ultra-high definition 4k film of 20GB in 20 seconds

• download a video game of 99GB in less than two minutes

• upload 300 high resolution photos totalling 3GB in three seconds

Virgin Media, through backing from its parent company Liberty Global, is currently investing billions of pounds to expand its network to millions more homes and businesses as part of its Project Lightning expansion programme.

Virgin Media has the largest gigabit-capable network in the UK which currently passes more than 14 million premises. The network consists of both fibre-rich cable and fibre connected directly to premises.

Morgan Stanley Capital Partners Completes Investment in Clarity Software Solutions

NewYork — Investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Capital Partners (“MSCP”), a Private Equity team within Morgan Stanley Investment Management, announced today that they have completed an investment in Clarity Software Solutions (“Clarity” or the “Company”). MSCP is partnering with the current management team led by founder Sean Rotermund, who will remain CEO and continue to drive organic growth and product development during the investment. Clarity marks the ninth platform investment in MSCP’s North Haven Capital Partners Fund VI (“NHCP VI”) and the first healthcare investment. 

Headquartered in Madison, CT, Clarity is a data and technology driven provider of member communication solutions for health insurance payors, third party administrators (“TPAs”), and dental insurance companies. The Company’s software collects, consolidates and cleanses its customers’ data from multiple sources to generate compliant and personalized digital member communications across the enrollment, claims and payments, and compliance functions of its customers. 

Steve Rodgers, Managing Director of Morgan Stanley Capital Partners, said, “We are excited to partner with Clarity and its talented management team. The company has developed an innovative product that addresses the complex process of member communications for today’s healthcare organizations and we look forward to working together to build on this growth.” Rodgers joined MSCP in 2018 to lead health care investing for the platform. 

Jim Howland, Managing Director and Operating Partner of Morgan Stanley Capital Partners, added, “We are delighted to work with Sean Rotermund, Steve Mongelli and the Clarity team  and partner together as they continue to provide comprehensive engagement solutions that deliver differentiated value  to their customers.” 

Sean Rotermund, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Clarity, said, “We are excited to team up with Morgan Stanley Capital Partners as we enter a new phase of growth to broaden our market presence and drive enhanced value to our customers.  We are proud of the work we’ve accomplished and expect this new partnership to enrich our already strong foundation of operational excellence and superior customer experience.” 

This investment is a continuation of MSCP’s focus on outsourced service providers that offer best in class solutions and reduce pain points for clients. Clarity follows other NHCP VI investments in outsourced providers which include CoAdvantage, a comprehensive HR and benefits provider to small and medium sized businesses and 24 Seven, a provider of digital and creative human capital management services. 

TripleTree, LLC acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Clarity. 

About Morgan Stanley Capital Partners

Morgan Stanley Capital Partners, the middle-market focused private equity business of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, is a leading middle-market private equity platform that has invested capital in a broad spectrum of industries for over two decades. Morgan Stanley Capital Partners focuses on privately negotiated equity and equity-related investments in North America and seeks to create value in portfolio companies primarily through operational improvement. For further information about Morgan Stanley Capital Partners, please visit www.morganstanley.com. 

About Morgan Stanley Investment Management

Morgan Stanley Investment Management, together with its investment advisory affiliates, has more than 663 investment professionals around the world and $463 billion in assets under management or supervision as of December 31, 2018. Morgan Stanley Investment Management strives to provide outstanding long-term investment performance, service and a comprehensive suite of investment management solutions to a diverse client base, which includes governments, institutions, corporations and individuals worldwide. For further information about Morgan Stanley Investment Management, please visit www.morganstanley.com. 

About Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than 41 countries, the Firm's employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information about Morgan Stanley, please visit www.morganstanley.com.   

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Media Relations: Lauren Bellmare, 212.761.5303