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2025 Categories include:
AI Innovation
This category highlights products and services that are using artificial intelligence (AI) and/or generative AI (GenAI) to advance telecommunications and cloud in new and exciting ways that set them apart from the pack. The category is all about showing that your company doesn’t just talk the talk but walks the true AI walk to deliver concrete results.
Analytics/Automation
Analytics and automation are vital to the future of telecom and cloud networks. This category is for standout software solutions – including database solutions – that bring these key tools to life. Bonus points for entries that provide real-world metrics that demonstrate the value analytics and automation deliver for customers.
Broadband Workforce Development
The broadband industry needs a strong and qualified pipeline of skilled professionals to build, maintain, and upgrade the wireline and wireless networks of tomorrow. The Award will recognize excellence in reaching and attracting new talent, delivering effective training, and providing impactful certification programs that grow the industry's workforce. Judging will consider how well a program succeeds in attracting and preparing new talent for broadband careers, the creativity and effectiveness of its training and certification initiatives, and the measurable impact it demonstrates through workforce growth, skills development, or certification achievement. The awards are open to agencies and organizations with a clear plan and active initiatives to expand the qualified broadband workforce. Eligible programs should provide training, certification, or professional development opportunities that support broadband deployment, and must be able to show progress through defined metrics or KPIs.
Business Services Innovation
If your company sells solutions to help customers deliver or manage enterprise services then this category is for you. Services can include everything from SD-WAN and Ethernet-on-demand to unified communications – including VoIP, video and voice conferencing – speech recognition, e-mail, messaging and contact center software and technology.
BSS/OSS Innovation
Calling all wizards behind the curtain! This category covers billing and operations support systems, including network management, customer experience management, service assurance, revenue management and other forward-thinking support and enablement.
Carrier of the Year
The rich and intricate broadband and wireless tapestry of local, regional and national ISPs and carriers has long been connecting the entirety of the United States to phone lines, wireless and internet at home. Large and small carriers play an increasingly important role in reaching those communities where the economics for large national incumbents don’t allow them to serve. The regional Carrier of the Year will recognize efforts to provide an affordable, reliable and cutting-edge service to its customers, but will also show innovation in its services and flawless customer service at a local level. How has this carrier shown innovation in bridging the digital divide? What are key areas of service enabling their subscribers to engage with the digital economy? What technology has been leveraged or deployed to achieve this?
Cloud Networking Innovation
Mesh. Fabric. Whatever you want to call it, this category showcases cloud networking products and services that are forward thinking and have the greatest opportunity to have a big impact on the industry.
Cloud Data Center Innovation
Are you on the bleeding edge of data center solutions design? This category will feature innovative cloud data center tools that enable organizations to maximize performance, improve customer satisfaction and bolster efficiencies through smarter management of resources, risk assessment, quality measurement and resources.
Customer Engagement Innovation
Products are nothing without people to buy them, so we want to celebrate those that excel in customer engagement. This includes everything from partner management, big data analytics, customer service platforms, portal strategies, user-centric policy engines, self-provisioning, tools for leveraging and benchmarking social and companion apps.
Digital Divide Impact
Making connectivity available to everyone is a priority for governments and industry associations alike. This category will spotlight technologies, services, partnerships and projects that are helping to make broadband more accessible and affordable to underserved areas and communities. Deployment and technological innovations are welcome!
IoT Innovation
If you are making cities and devices across industries smarter, then this category is for you. We’re on the hunt for the best solutions and technologies geared toward bringing connectivity to devices and infrastructure. This category includes Smart Cities, vehicles, homes, wearables, buildings and all industrial verticals including healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, mining, energy and more. Whew!
Municipal/Public Connectivity Program
Bringing connectivity to an entire city, town or village is a monumental task. Not only is it logistically and economically challenging, but there also must be great collaboration within the different departments within the municipality’s government, as well as with external partners. The benefit for its citizens, however, can be tremendous, bringing connectivity and broadband services to those most in need, whether it be in public spaces, schools, or even inside their homes. This category will recognize excellence in technical and logistical achievement in deploying a public, municipal network, and award its positive impact on the local population. What makes this deployment unique? When was it introduced? What has been, in tangible terms, its impact on the local community?
Network Test and Measurement
Trial and error is part of life, but we’re looking for vendors who are helping telecoms avoid the latter. Show us your portable or lab-based hardware, software or centralized solutions for the design, testing, management and maintenance of telecommunications networks. This category includes assurance, benchmarking, security and system monitoring, troubleshooting and disaster recovery.
Next-Gen Deployment Fiber/Wireline
Fixed networks are having a moment – and that’s something to celebrate. We’re looking to recognize advances in broadband architectures for central offices, headends, data centers, backbones, middle-mile or the last mile. This category spans a range of technologies, including fiber, DOCSIS 4.0, PON, Ethernet, optical and distributed access architecture.
Network Security Innovation
Hats off to those battling the rising tide of cyber threats! This category will highlight software and hardware geared toward securing networks, devices and content. And if you want to get nerdy with it, we don’t mind.
Rural Broadband Deployment
Recognizes outstanding achievement in expanding high-speed internet access to rural or underserved communities. This award honors innovative network builds or upgrades that overcome geographic, economic and logistical challenges to deliver reliable, scalable connectivity. Winning projects demonstrate measurable impact — improving access to education, healthcare, business opportunities, and quality of life — while setting a standard for technical excellence, community engagement and sustainable growth.
Sustainability Achievement
No greenwashing here! This category will showcase demonstrated excellence in sustainability achievements including energy efficiency, carbon emissions reduction and innovative green initiatives.
Top Changemaker
This category recognizes individuals at any corporate level who have impacted their organization through technological advancement, revenue generation, customer experience or company culture. Do you have someone special in mind? Enter them today!
Tribal Lands Broadband Deployment
Honors exceptional efforts to bring high-speed internet to tribal lands, addressing unique cultural, geographic and infrastructure challenges. This award celebrates projects that deliver reliable, scalable connectivity while respecting tribal sovereignty and fostering meaningful partnerships with Native communities. Winning deployments demonstrate measurable benefits — expanding access to education, healthcare, economic development and cultural preservation — through innovative technology solutions and community-driven planning. Recipients set an example for how broadband initiatives can honor traditions, empower residents and create sustainable digital inclusion for future generations.
Wireless Innovation – Core
Ah, the heart of the network. This category is for technology, architecture and solutions that address the core network, including 5G standalone, core routing, virtualization and AI and automation in the core.
Wireless Innovation – Fixed Wireless
A rising star in the broadband world, fixed wireless deserves some dedicated recognition. Tell us about standout equipment and software that is used to deploy fixed wireless access (FWA) networks, including radio equipment, customer premise equipment, spectrum management software and network management software, and anything else you’ve innovated.
Wireless Innovation– Mobile Evolution
Calling all next-gen mobile innovators! This category is designed for equipment and solutions developed specifically for future generations of wireless, including 5G Advanced and 6G. Specific technologies could include Massive MIMO, beamforming, AI integrations, network sensing, spectrum innovations (mmwave and Terahertz), advancements in energy efficiency and developments that support virtual reality and extended reality.
Wireless Innovation – Private Wireless Networks
Are you helping bring connectivity to enterprise, education, manufacturing or healthcare campuses? Tell us! This category is for hardware and software used to deploy private wireless networks, including spectrum access systems (SAS) and other third-party spectrum solutions.
Wireless Innovation– RAN
Where are our radio stars? This category is for solutions and gear targeted at maximizing efficiency, automating or evolving RAN network technology. It includes Open RAN, Network Automation, Predictive Analytics and Congestion Management.
Application Scoring
Applications will be scored by a panel of judges and the aggregate of the scores will determine finalists and category winners. Applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria: