Frequently Asked Questions

The GSMA's Global Mobile Awards uniquely offer organisations across the global mobile eco-system the opportunity to showcase the latest mobile products, services and initiatives to the world. The Awards are open to all eligible mobile companies and supporters of the mobile eco-system - GSMA Members, Associate Members and Non-members - as defined in the individual category eligibility descriptions.

The presentation of the awards takes place during the Mobile World Congress the world's largest and leading mobile industry event held annually in Barcelona (15-18th February 2010).

Since 1995. The GSMA's Awards will be presented for the fifteenth year in succession during the Mobile World Congress on 16th February 2010.

The GSMA represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry. Spanning 219 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers, Internet companies, and media & entertainment organisations. The GSMA is focused on innovating, incubating and creating new opportunities for its membership, all with the end goal of driving the growth of the mobile communications industry.

See eligibility descriptions within the individual awards categories. Essentially, the awards are open to ALL players in the mobile communications eco-system, from mobile operators and manufacturers to industry participants and suppliers from converging industries such as the entertainment, advertising, computing, financial, educational, automotive, health, government and all others where mobile products and services are used or are being developed.

All products/services/initiatives/programmes entered must support or run on networks that provide services using the GSM family of technologies e.g. GSM, GPRS, EDGE, W-CDMA and/or HSDPA/ Mobile Broadband enabled networks. For the full details on the Mobile Innovation Global Competition - which are subject to different rules and entry criteria and eligibility.

You can enter the Awards online via the awards website by completing an on-line entry form. The specific questions you will be asked on this form are also provided within the category descriptions so that you can prepare your answers.

Multiple entries may be submitted. You can enter as many different categories and sub categories as you wish. There is no limit on the number of entries you may submit per category or sub category. Entry fees are applicable for each entry submitted.

No, not at all, the awards are open to members and non-members of the Association, see "Who can enter the Awards?" above

Entries for the GSMA's Global Mobile Awards 2010 are welcome now - completed entry forms and payment must be received by the closing date of Monday 23rd November 2009 (5pm GMT).

Yes - Entry fees are payable for each entry submitted (except GSMA Government Leadership Award), as follows:...

€430 per entry for GSM Association Members & Associate Members
€480 per entry for Non GSM Association Members & Associate Members
€160 per entry for Category 4a & 4b: Social and Economic Development & Mobile Money for the Unbanked

The entry fees help cover the costs associated with the administration and processing of the large number of entries received. Fees also contribute towards publicity and marketing the awards as well as to the awards event itself.

On-line payment by credit card is preferred. We accept AMEX, Visa & MasterCard. If credit card payment is not possible, you can do also do a wire transfer. For bank transfer details click here. Please ensure you mark your payment with your Unique Reference Number, which you are provided with once your entry is submitted) when making payment.

Entry fees are non refundable once payment has been submitted.

Yes, although preferably you should not submit the same product, service, initiative as your previous winning entry, unless there have been significant new and innovative developments or enhancements.

Please view the Rules of Entry.

On completing & submitting the entry form, you will be sent a Unique Entry Reference number in order to reference supporting material sent in support of your entry (where required - see rules of entry) and also in reference to any queries. If you forward supporting material by post for the following categories, please quote the unique reference number on all correspondence:

Category 1a: Best Mobile Game (Handset with game loaded)
Category 8a: Best Mobile Handset or Device (actual handset/device required)

Digital files may be submitted for other categories, please see individual category descriptions/requirements for details.

Please ensure that you send a working, fully functional model of each handset entered (to enable our judges to review each product entered in detail).

FAO Awards Administrator
GSM Association
Seventh Floor,
5 New Street Square,
New Fetter Lane,
London
EC4 3BF
UK

Supporting handsets /devices must arrive at the GSMA (at the above address) after 5th October 2009 and by no later than 30th November 2009. The handset/device entered must also include a fully working UNLOCKED SIM card for our judges to fully access and test the applications and features of the phone. Following your web entry, you will be allocated a unique reference number by email. Please send your handset clearly marked with the unique reference number you are allocated after submitting your web entry.

Your Unique Reference Number should be clearly marked on the supporting materials when sent to support your entry. Supporting Materials must arrive no later than the above awards deadline.

Supporting files for categories where upload is possible (see individual category requirements) should only be submitted in .jpeg (for pictures) or Powerpoint (.ppt) .mpeg (for video) or Word for text. If using sound, entries should be submitted with an English translation of the text. An additional upload facility will be provided via a link in your confirmation email once your entry has been submitted. You will have the ability to upload 3 additional files up to a maximum file size of 10Mbs each.

Handsets or devices submitted in support of an entry to categories 1a (Best Mobile Game) or 8a (Best Mobile Handset or Device) can be collected after the judging and the Awards have been made. These should be collected from the Awards Administrator, at the above address (GSMA, Seventh Floor, 5 New Street Square, New Fetter Lane, London, EC4 3BF, UK - commencing 2nd March 2010. It is the responsibility of entering companies to arrange for the collection of submitted products. Companies intending to have their product collected after the Awards should indicate this clearly when submitting the product.

The new categories for 2010 are as follows:

Category 2b: - Best Mobile Location based Advertising campaign
Category 4b - Best 'Mobile Money for the Unbanked' Service
Category 8b - Best Mobile Connected Device (Non-Handsets)
Category 9 - Mobile Personality of the Year - Voted for by the Media

Please note, entries are not required for Category 9, for which nominations are sought from global media & analysts.

The mobile Best Broadcast Commercial category has been a part of the GSMA's Awards since 1995. Its original goal was to promote the growth and development of the GSM standard for mobile, recognising creative television advertising campaigns by the industry to end users. It has fulfilled this goal. The 2010 awards puts the emphasis on Mobile Marketing and Advertising, recognising innovative, creative and successful campaigns using the mobile medium to advertise or promote any brand of product.

The nominees will be notified prior to the Mobile World Congress in February 2010 in time to make arrangements to attend the presentation ceremony. The winners will be announced at the presentation of the awards (see below).

The winners will be presented at the Mobile World Congress on Tuesday 16th February 2010, full details of the ceremony will be published soon.

Entries will be judged against the criteria outlined in each of the category criteria and the specific information requested on the entry forms. Assessment by the judges will take place in December 2009 and early January 2010 and discussions and decisions based solely on this information supplied.

The panel will be made up of independent judges comprising leading industry and subject matter experts, analysts, journalists and academics and in some cases mobile operator representatives, for appropriate categories.

The judging process begins in December 2009, and final judging will take place in January 2010

Global Mobile Awards Ceremony
Hall 5, Level 3, Auditorium 1
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
15.45 – 17.15
The GSMA's Global Mobile Awards 2010 will be presented within the Mobile World Congress conference for the first time in its 15-year history. The ceremony will be hosted by writer, actor and self-confessed technophile, Stephen Fry. With categories ranging from Mobile Entertainment, Mobile Money, Mobile Services and the Mobile Innovation Grand-Prix to Green Mobile Awards, Best Mobile Technology and Best Mobile Advertising & Marketing, the presentation ceremony for the industry's premier awards is not to be missed. This event is included within the Gold and Platinum Pass.
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Congress Party & Awards Celebration
National Palace in Montjuic
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
19.30 – 23.00
The Congress Party and Awards Celebration will be held at the beautiful National Palace in Montjuïc. This evening event will provide attendees with fantastic high-level networking opportunities - including the chance to connect with key mobile leaders - while enjoying world-class entertainment. It will also be the perfect venue to entertain clients and prospective partners. Take advantage of this opportunity to build and expand your network as you converse with your fellow attendees in a fun, informal setting. This spectacular evening will be hosted by Stephen Fry and will feature a performance by Duran Duran, one of the world’s most successful rock bands. Duran Duran are currently finalising their 13th album for release in early 2010. Over the last thirty years the band have had 14 singles in the Top 10 of the UK singles charts, 21 in the Billboard Hot 100 and sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Don’t miss this chance to see them perform live! Tickets to the Congress Party and Awards Celebration are available for purchase for €200 by all pass holders on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets may be purchased when you buy your Congress Pass www.mobileworldcongress.com/registration/registration.htm, or at any time by accessing your registration details online. (This event is included in the Platinum Pass.) Dress code: Smart/Casual Please Note: There is limited availability for this event.

Global Mobile Awards Ceremony

This event is included within the Gold and Platinum Pass.

Congress Party & Awards Celebration

Tickets to the Congress Party and Awards Celebration are available for purchase for €200 by all pass holders on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets may be purchased when you buy your Congress Pass www.mobileworldcongress.com/registration/registration.htm, or at any time by accessing your registration details online. This event is included in the Platinum Pass.

Award categories and other elements of the Awards event are available for sponsorship. Obviously, it goes without saying that sponsoring companies will not be eligible to enter the category they are sponsoring.

To find out more, please contact awards@globalmobileawards.com in the first instance. See the Sponsorship section elsewhere on the awards web site.

You can contact the Awards Administrators with any questions you may have regarding the Awards. Email: awards@globalmobileawards.com

Press and media are of course welcome to attend the Global Mobile Awards ceremony, however the Congress Party & Awards Celebration is not included as part as the Press pass, tickets may be purchased when you register at www.mobileworldcongress.com/registration/registration.htm, or at any time by accessing your registration details online.

You can find out more at www.mobileworldcongress.com

The Mobile Innovation - Grand Prix (category 7) is judged separately, through a process comprising physical pitches and competition events for innovators and entrepreneurs and as such is subject to different rules, eligibility, criteria and judging processes Please see Mobile Innovation Programme.

The GSMA's Asia Mobile Awards programme is for mobile industry companies supporting Asia wide markets with mobile products and services. Companies that do so can enter both the Asia Mobile Awards and the GSMA's Global Mobile Awards. The Asia Mobile Awards were open from entry from 1st July to Tuesday 15th September 2009. They will be presented at the Mobile Asia Congress in Hong Kong on Wednesday 18th November 2009. See www.asiamobileawards.com and www.mobileasiacongress.com

This year, for the first time, all winners of the Asia Mobile Awards will be automatically shortlisted for the Global Mobile Awards, and judged as part of the final shortlist. Please see above websites for more details.