Sentosa, Singapore, April 20 2010 – Japanese wireless operator Softbank Mobile and Malaysian group Axiata took out top honors in the 13th Telecom Asia Awards here tonight.
Softbank Mobile, a division of internet, media and telecom giant Softbank Group, won the trophy of Best Asian Telecom Carrier, winning praise from judges for having “changed the rules” in the Japanese mobile market.
Axiata’s CEO Jamaludin Ibrahim was voted Telecom CEO of the Year for his performance at the helm of the company, which also claimed Best Regional Mobile Group for its operations in multiple Asian markets.
Celcom Axiata, Axiata’s Malaysian mobile subsidiary, took out the prize for Best Mobile Carrier.
Executives from 11 award-winning companies from across the Asia-Pacific region were presented with their trophies in a ceremony at the Capella Resort, Singapore, tonight.
Apple Corp. won the Disruptive Technology Award for the extraordinary success of the iPhone and its ecosystem, which together have kicked off the new segment of mobile apps.
Other winners included Hong Kong Broadband Network for Best Fixed-Line & Broadband Carrier, PCCW for Best Content Strategy and SK Telecom for Best Converged Services.
Joseph Waring, Group Editor of Telecom Asia, said the awards this year emphasized successful innovation.
“Telecom operators are seeing fresh competition in all segments and they can no longer rely on growth from traditional revenue streams. They need to innovate across the business – not just in creating and delivering new services, but also in processes and performance.”
“Tonight’s winners were chosen because they’ve demonstrated the ability to create fresh opportunities for themselves and to execute on it.”
“I congratulate all of this year’s winners. I also thank the members of the judging panel for their hard work and their insights into Asian telecom markets.”
Softbank Mobile Chairman and CEO, Mr Masayoshi Son, said: “We are glad to have received such an honorable award. Softbank Mobile has always aimed at offering our customers valuable and innovative services that are not constrained by existing practices.
“Now as the telecommunication world is undergoing dramatic changes, we also aim to achieve further growth, focusing on the mobile internet and Asia. We constantly strive to be an to innovative company and to contribute to the development of telecommunications.”