5G Service Provider of the Year

Awarded to the network operator or other 5G service provider that had the best year ever.

• SK Telecom
• Rakuten Mobile with Rakuten Symphony

5G Technology Vendor of the Year

Awarded to the 5G technology vendor or software provider that is a standout example of excellence.

• Amdocs
• Mavenir
• AMD and Xilinx
• World Wide Technology
• Netcracker
• Rakuten Symphony
• Wind River

Best New Video/Media Product or Service

Awarded to the company that has launched the most innovative streaming video or other media product or service during the past year.

• 24i - 24iQ
• MediaKind - MediaKind Engage
• Comcast Technology Solutions - Video AI
• Rogers Communications and Quickplay - Sportsnet SN NOW
• Vonage - Interactive Broadcast with Experience Composer
• Spectrum Enterprise - Spectrum Enterprise TV Streaming Access

Best Public-Private Partnership

Awarded to the organizations working together to expand broadband access and help narrow the digital divide for municipalities and community institutions, including school districts, nonprofits and other public sector organizations.

• Fiber Broadband Association
• Neos Networks
• Consolidated Communications
• Kajeet inc. 
• STL (Sterlite Technologies Ltd)
• FiberLight
• Hughes Network Systems
• GTT Communications

Company of the Year (Private)

Awarded to the privately held firm that stands out from its competitors, innovates constantly, makes investors proud and makes employees happy.

• Celona
• CUJO AI
• EFFECT Photonics
• Transaction Network Services
• Segra
• DriveNets
• Cohere
• Colt Technology Services
• Arrcus
• Vapor IO

Company of the Year (Public)

Awarded to the publicly listed firm that stands out from its competitors, innovates constantly, makes investors proud and makes employees happy.

• Ciena
• A10 Networks
• CSG
• Clearfield Inc.
• Amdocs
• Ooredoo Group
• Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison
• Calix
• Comcast Business

Most Innovative Broadband Access Solution

Awarded to the company that has launched the most innovative product or service to deliver high-speed broadband access via fixed wireless, satellite, fiber or cable.

• CommScope – Prodigy Hardened Connectivity Solution
• Tarana Wireless – Tarana G1 Next-Generation Fixed Wireless Access Platform
• DZS – DZS XCelerate
• TIP OpenWiFi – TIP OpenWiFi
• Incognito Software Systems Inc. – Broadband Command Center
• Harmonic – Harmonic's MAC Anywhere FMA Offering
• Qualcomm Technologies Inc. – Qualcomm 5G Fixed Wireless Access Platform Gen 2
• Calix – Broadband Performance Testing Solution

Most Innovative Cloud Product or Service

Awarded to the service provider, cloud provider or vendor that has launched the most innovative cloud-native, communications-focused product or service during the past year.

• Nokia – Cloud Native Communication Suite
• Mavenir – Mavenir Telco Cloud Strategy
• Juniper Networks – Mist WAN Assurance
• Robin.io, A Rakuten Symphony Company – Cloud Native Automation and Orchestration Platform
• VMware – VMware Telco Cloud Automation
• Amdocs – Amdocs Digital Brands SaaS Suite
• F5 Inc. – BIG-IP Next Cloud-Native Network Functions (CNF)
• DZS – DZS Cloud
• Qualcomm Technologies Inc. 
• Fortinet – FortiCNP
• Arrcus – Flexible Multi-Cloud Networking (FlexMCN)

Most Innovative Home Networking Solution

Awarded to the vendor or service provider that has launched the most innovative home networking devices or platforms in the past year.

• Radisys
• Incognito Software Systems Inc. 
• MaxLinear
• Fortinet
• Plume

Most Innovative Open RAN Product or Solution

Awarded to the vendor that has launched the most innovative open RAN product or solution during the past year.

• VMWare
• AccelerComm
• Picocom
• Qualcomm Technologies Inc.
• JMA Wireless
• NEC

Most Innovative Routing and Switching Solution

Awarded to the vendor that has launched the most innovative hardware- or software-based routing and switching solution for network operators.

• Cisco Systems Inc. – Cisco Routed Optical Networking
• Juniper Networks – Cloud Metro Solution
• Kyrio – Adaptive Route Control (ARC)
• DriveNets – DriveNets Network Cloud
• Titan.ium Platform LLC – TITAN.IUM 5G Signaling Core
• Arrcus – ACE Platform

Most Innovative Service Provider Transport Solution

Awarded to the optical systems vendor or optical components vendor providing the most innovative optical transport solution for service provider customers.

• Ciena
• ZTE
• Cold Technology Services and Ciena
• DZS
• Marvell

Outstanding Digital Enablement Vendor

Awarded to the next-generation OSS/BSS/CX, analytics or digital commerce systems vendor that stands out from its competitors, innovates constantly and helps set industry trends.

• LotusFlare
• Lifecycle Software
• EnterpriseWeb
• Nokia
• Netcracker
• ZIRA
• MATRIXX Software
• Spectrum Enterprise
• Connectbase

Outstanding Systems Integrator

Awarded to the vendor helping communications service providers modernize and manage their networks and businesses with innovative IT solutions.

• NEC
• Amdocs
• World Wide Technology (WWT)

Outstanding Test & Measurement Vendor

Awarded to the communications networking test and measurement, monitoring or assurance systems vendor that stands out from its competitors, innovates constantly and helps set the industry trends.

• Tektronix
• Juniper Networks
• Mobileum
• Infovista
• Incognito Software Systems
• Triveni Digital
• Selector
• Xena Networks
• Accedian
• Viavi Solutions
• Menlo Micro
• LitePoint

Outstanding Use Case: Broadband Deployment

Awarded to the company that has delivered an exceptional high-speed broadband access experience in the past year – via fixed wireless, satellite, fiber or cable.

• IP Infusion
• Tarana Wireless
• Cookson Hills Electric Cooperative
• Liquid Intelligent Technologies and Project Taara at X, Alphabet's moonshot factory.
• Mediacom Communications and Casa Systems
• Cox Communications

Outstanding Use Case: Customer Experience

Awarded to the company that used its communications technology or network to deliver a superior customer experience.

• Qwilt
• Orange
• Minim Inc.
• Spectrum Enterprise
• Plume
• DZS
• GTT
• Fujitsu Network Communications Inc.
• China Telecom (Americas) Corporation
• Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison

Outstanding Use Case: Edge Computing

Awarded to the company that can articulate a compelling example of how it delivered edge computing solutions – either network- or customer-facing.

• EnterpriseWeb
• ZTE
• American Tower
• Vapor IO

Outstanding Use Case: Innovative IoT

Awarded to the service provider or vendor helping change businesses and improve customer experiences with innovative Internet of Things devices and services.

• MachineQ for Asset Management
• SAM Seamless Network
• Ooma AirDial
• Flashnet and 1NCE Light Up Washington, DC
• Telia Global IoT Connectivity
• Morse Micro Wi-Fi HaLow

Outstanding Use Case: Private Wireless Networks

Awarded to the company that can share the most compelling example of building and/or operating a private wireless network on behalf of a corporate or municipal customer.

• Anterix
• Comba Telecom Network Systems Limited
• Betacom
• Boingo Wireless
• Federated Wireless
• ExteNet Systems
• Expeto

Outstanding Use Case: SD-WAN

Awarded to the service provider or vendor that can articulate a compelling example where they helped to provide an exceptional SD-WAN service to a customer.

• VMWare
• GTT Communications
• MetTel
• Hughes Network Systems
• Fortinet

Outstanding Use Case: Service Provider AI

Awarded to the company that is innovatively using artificial intelligence to improve network performance, customer service or business operations.

• RADCOM
• Juniper Networks
• ZTE Corp
• Comviva
• Microsoft
• Vitria
• Amdocs
• NEC
• Nokia
• Cox Edge
• Plume

Outstanding Use Case: Service Provider Cybersecurity

Awarded for a compelling example of a network operator or other service provider delivering exceptional security products or services.

• BT and Toshiba – Quantum secured metro network
• CUJO AI and Comcast – CUJO AI On-The-Move
• SecurityGen and STC – Saudi Arabia for SecurityGen ACE
• Hughes Network Systems
• SK Telecom – Quantum cryptography service
• GTT Communications – Cloud-based cybersecurity services
• Comcast Business – Secure network solutions

Light Reading MVPs

Awarded to the communications industry individuals, at any corporate level, who made an unmistakable difference in their company, community, culture – or all three.

• Gary Bolton, President and CEO, Fiber Broadband Association
• John Baker, Senior Vice President of Ecosystem Business Development, Mavenir
• Tonya Stopke, SVP, Global Service Provider, World Wide Technology
• Joe Madden, Chief Analyst, Mobile Experts
• John Mezzalingua, CEO, JMA Wireless
• Ganesh Shenbagaraman, Head of Integrated Products and Ecosystems, Radisys