Category 6: Best Technology Awards

6a - Best Network Technology Advance

About this category:

The first GSM networks were launched in the early 1990’s and have since rolled out across 218 countries and territories of the world today. This is largely due to the success of GSM as an open standard and the global eco-system it created, an eco-system that continually innovates and advances the capabilities of the GSM platform. Consequently we have witnessed the rapid evolution of the GSM family including GPRS, EDGE and W-CDMA, through to HSDPA and HSUPA (Mobile Broadband) today.

We have also seen many technology advances in parallel with the evolution of GSM, such as antennae developments, back-haul solutions, equipment miniaturisation, cost reductions, quality enhancements, capacity increases, and many more. This award celebrates the technology advancements to network infrastructure that keeps GSM at the forefront of mobile network technology globally.

The Best Network Technology Advance award recognises the contribution that operators make to maintain high levels of network performance, as well as the contribution from infrastructure suppliers and other specialist organisations that are focused on advancing technology used in the mobile network. This refers to the network core, MSC, MGW, BSC, SGSN, AuC, etc, Radio Access Network, BTS, RAN etc, and backhaul but excludes VAS platforms which are covered in Category 6b.

Please Note: The presentation of this award will be made during a special Mobile World Congress conference session in Barcelona (16-19 February 2009). Full details of the presentations will be confirmed nearer the time. Summarised highlights of category 6 awards will be featured during the GSMA’s Awards Night Gala Dinner on the evening of Tuesday 17th February 2009.

Eligibility:

This category is open to network operators and companies and organisations that develop or manufacture mobile network products, accessories and applications for network operators. These include:


  • Mobile Operators
  • Network Management Providers
  • Radio & Core network Infrastructure suppliers
  • Suppliers of network technologies supporting the core and radio network
  • Consultants

Judging criteria

Entries can only be submitted for products that are commercially available. The product or service entered must have been launched after December 1st 2007 or will be launched before November 28th 2008. The judges will be looking for answers to the question, "How does this new technology, application or service improve the network?" They will be looking particularly at the following:

In what demonstrable ways does your product or service enhance the network to users?
What capacity or efficiency gains does your product or service give to the network operator?
What specific user benefits are delivered thanks to your quality initiative?
Is your new technology applicable to multiple markets on a global scale?

In addition, the judges will consider new or recent innovation incorporated in this product or service.

Entry Forms

In order to ensure a consistent approach for our judges, entries must be submitted using the Best Network Technology Advance entry form. Entries not using the web based entry form will not be considered. All entries must be submitted by 5pm (GMT) November 28th 2008.

Specific Entry Form Questions:

On the entry form, in addition to submitting contact and company information, you will be asked to answer the following questions (maximum text/character length for your answers also shown in brackets below).


  • What is the name of your product, accessory, application or service? (100 characters = approx 20 words)
  • Entries for this award category must be commercially available. Please provide evidence to support this, specifically launch date of product or service, regions covered and which operators offer your product or service. (500 characters = approx 80 words)
  • In what demonstrable ways does your technology enhance the mobile network? (1000 characters = approx 170 words)
  • Does your technology contribute to capacity or efficiency gains for the network operator, for example cost reductions, decreased time to market for new services, quality breakthroughs? (1000 characters = approx 170 words)
  • Are there any specific user benefits delivered thanks to your technology initiative? (1000 characters = approx 170 words)
  • What is particularly innovative about your product or service? (500 characters = approx 80 words)
  • Is your new technology able to be used in multiple markets globally? (500 characters = approx 80 words)

Please note: Use URLs when they are specific/ relevant to the category and will help judges further understand your entry, but due to the number of entries received, judges will not have time to surf company websites looking for further information on the entered product/service or initiative.