Hong Kong, May 18, 2018 – Telecom Asia has released the shortlist for its 21st annual Telecom Asia Awards. This year’s shortlist – which features 54 nominated companies across 14 Asia-Pacific markets – reflects an industry in a constant state of change.
Leading the list of finalists this year is Singtel, with nominations in nine categories. Following close behind is SK Telecom with nominations in seven categories. China Telecom, Globe Telecom, Global Cloud XChange and HGC Communications secured four each.
But not all finalists are established regional brands. Indonesia’s Indosat Ooredoo picked up five nominations.
This year’s awards also features six new categories: Best 5G Technology Trailblazer, Best Customer Service, Best NFV/SDN Implementation, Most Innovative IoT Project, Most Innovative Network Transformation Initiative and Most Innovative Smart Cities Project. The addition of these new categories reflect the rapidly evolving telecoms industry landscape and the increased importance of emerging technologies like 5G, IoT and SDN/NFV to the industry.
As with 2017, this year’s shortlist features some newcomers like Optus and Indosat Ooredoo and Ooredoo Maldives, as well as non-traditional nominees, including Tencent’s WeChat Pay, Rakuten and Youku Tudou.
“The telecoms industry is at the center of disruption helping define and shape the future of what will be digital economic forces of 2018 and beyond. The finalists are, in themselves, winners because they are willing to morph their business model to reflect rapidly changing markets, and recognize that some opportunities can only be approached through creative partnerships with competitors and market players – old and new,” said Allan Tan, editor in chief, Telecom Asia.
Now on its 21st year, the awards are the region’s longest-running and most prestigious telecoms industry awards. They reward innovative and outstanding performance by Asian service providers and industry executives.
Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on the evening of Tuesday, June 26, 2018 at Suntec Singapore. The winner of the Best Asian Telecom Carrier category – a best-of-the-best award which goes to the company receiving the most points across all categories during voting – will also be revealed on the night.
Telecom Asia Awards 2018 Finalists
1. BEST 5G TECHNOLOGY TRAIBLAER
- BNET-Tech Company & 3 HK
- China Mobile
- NTT Docomo
- KT
- SK Telecom
- Telstra
2. BEST BROADBAND CARRIER
- China Telecom (China)
- HKT (Hong Kong)
- Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN) Group
- NTT Docomo (Japan)
- Telstra (Australia)
- Singtel (Singapore)
- SmarTone (Hong Kong)
- WTT HK Limited (Hong Kong)
3. BEST CLOUD-BASED SERVICE
- Equinix Cloud Exchange Fabric: ECX Fabric
- Global Cloud Xchange: CLOUD X Fusion
- Singapore Telecommunications Limited: Singtel Managed Cloud
- WTT HK: AWS Cloud Enablement Service
4. BEST COMMUNITY TELECOM PROJECT
- FINTQnologies Corp/KasamaKA
- Globe Telecom/Project Lucia
- Indosat Ooredoo Cyber School
- SKR1M submarine cable project
- ToT Pracharat Project
5. BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE
- Circles.Life
- Celcom Axiata Berhad
- Singtel Optus Pty Ltd
6. BEST DATA CENTER SERVICES PROVIDER
- Colt Data Centre Services
- Equinix
- Indosat Ooredoo: Data Center Services
- NTT Communications
- Nxtra Data (Bharti Airtel subsidiary)
- PCCW Solutions Limited
- Singapore Telecommunications Limited
- TM One (Telekom Malaysia)
7. BEST E-COMMERCE SERVICE
- Docomo Digital
- SmarTone
- Voyager Innovations
8. BEST EMERGING MARKET OPERATOR
- Globe Telecom (Philippines)
- Indosat Ooredoo (Indonesia)
- Maxis (Malaysia)
- Reliance Jio (India)
- Smart Axiata (Cambodia)
- Smart Communications (Philippines)
- Telkomsel (Indonesia)
9. BEST INTERNATIONAL WHOLESALE CARRIER
- Airtel Business / Airtel Global
- Colt Technology Services
- Global Cloud Exchange
- HGC Global Communication Limited
- NTT Communications
- PCCW Global
- Telekom Malaysia Berhad
10. BEST MANAGED SERVICES PROVIDER
- CenturyLink
- CITIC Telecom CPC
- Colt Technology Services
- Global Cloud Exchange
- PCCW Solutions Limited
- Singapore Telecommunications Limited
- Telkomtelstra Indonesia
11. BEST MOBILE CARRIER
- China Mobile (China)
- NTT Docomo (Japan)
- Ooredoo Maldives (Maldives)
- Singtel (Singapore)
- SmarTone (Hong Kong)
- Telstra (Australia)
12. BEST MOBILE PAYMENT SERVICE
- GCash
- Ooredoo Maldives m-Faisaa
- PayTM
- PCCW Global's Mobile Payment Solution
- Singtel Dash
- WeChat Pay
13. BEST MOBILE VIRTUAL NETWORK OPERATOR
- Amaysim (Australia)
- Circles.Life: Liberty Wireless Pte Ltd (Singapore)
- Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited (Hong Kong)
- Rakuten (Japan)
- redone (Malaysia)
- Snail Mobile (China)
14. BEST NFV/SDN IMPLEMENTATION
- China Mobile
- China Telecom
- NTT Communications
- Singtel
- SK Telecom
15. BEST OTT VIDEO SERVICE
- Hooq
- Iflix
- SK Telecom: Oksusu Social VR
- Viu, PCCW Media
- Youku Tudou
16. MOST INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO ANALYTICS
- China Telecom
- China Unicom
- Globe Telecom
- Tata Communications
- SK Telecom
17. MOST INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
- Celcom Axiata Berhad
- Ooredoo Maldives: Digital Customer Experience
- Singtel flagship store transformation
- Singtel Optus (AUS): Future NBN CX
- SK Telecom's next generation OSS
18. MOST INNOVATIVE IOT PROJECT
- HGC Global Communications Limited: New eSports Online Platform
- NTT Communications: IoT Platform
- PCCW Solutions: Infinitum Parking & Charging solution
19. MOST INNOVATIVE NETWORK TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE
- Indosat Ooredoo
- Ooredoo Myanmar
- Smart Communications
20. MOST INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIP STRATEGY
- FINTQnologies Corporation's Lendr
- Hutchison Telecomunications: 3InnoCity Incubation Programme
21. MOST INNOVATIVE SMART CITIES PROJECT
- Indosat Ooredoo: Kota Digital
- SK Telecom: Q in Korea
22. MOST INNOVATIVE TELECOM PROJECT
- HGC Global Communications Limited: OTT Content Expansion Solution
- Singtel Optus Pty Ltd: Project Remedy
- SK Telecom: K-City Trial 5G autonomous driving
23. MOST INNOVATIVE VOICE SERVICE OR SOLUTION
- Airtel Advantage: Wholesale Service Innovation
- PT Telkomsel: Automatic Reverse Charging Platform
- WTT: Cloud Voice
24. TELECOM CEO OF THE YEAR
- Andrew Kwok, HGC Global Communications Limited
- Bill Barney, Reliance Communications & Global Cloud Xchange
- Chua Sock Koong, Singtel Group
- Dian Siswarini, XL Axiata
- Ernest Cu, Globe Telecom
- Manuel V. Pangilinan, Smart Communications
- Vinod Kumar, Tata Communications
- Yang Jie, China Telecom
About Telecom Asia
Telecom Asia is Asia's largest regional telecom publishing group. Its products include Telecom Asia magazine, www.telecomasia.net and a range of industry-specific supplements aimed at telecommunications professionals around the region.
Further information: Allan Tan, editor in chief, Telecom Asia
Email: atan@questexasia.com
Website: www.telecomasia.net
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