Light Reading Awards

Light Reading's Leading Lights, the telecom industry's most prestigious awards program, is moving. The Leading Lights dinner gala and the awards for outstanding accomplishments in telecommunications during the entire 2009 calendar year will be presented during the spring of 2010, at a venue to be announced soon.

Meanwhile, Light Reading is proud to announce the most cutting-edge industry recognition program ever: Light Reading's Top Picks. In just a few weeks, Light Reading's editors will set-up dedicated message boards to have an open dialogue with our readers about several key technology areas.

Our goal: To use our network of sources, research analysts, and your contributions and opinions, to determine our Light Reading's Top Picks – those products and services that we think best indicate where the communications industry is headed in the next 12 months.

So this is all about what's just been launched that's an industry first, or what's in the pipeline that will break new boundaries. This is not about who released the best new Ethernet demarcation box or HSPA base station or remote DSLAM during the past 12 months, or whose mobile voice and text bundle is cheapest. Light Reading's Top Picks are aimed at finding the companies that are breaking new ground.

The areas we'll be considering include:

• Business Services (fixed or wireless)
• Consumer Services (fixed or wireless)
• Carrier Transport (optical networking, Ethernet, packet optical)
• Fixed Access (DSL, GPON, WDM-PON, and beyond)
• IP Applications (VoIP, IMS)
• Switching and Routing (IP/MPLS, Deep Packet Inspection)
• Telecom Software (OSS, BSS, SDPs, policy control)
• Video Infrastructure (cable tech, IPTV)
• Wireless Infrastructure (access, backhaul, towers, radios, etc.)

For all the areas except Services, we'll be choosing one Top Pick per category from each of three regions: the Americas; Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA); and Asia/Pacific. For the Business Services and Consumer Services areas, we'll have three Top Picks in each category, and geography won't be a consideration.


Light Reading's Top Picks FAQ

What does a Top Pick winner win?

Three things: (1) Bragging rights; (2) A special logo to place on your Website and marketing materials with a link back to our official acknowledgement of your company's efforts; (3) An invitation to Light Reading's exclusive Top Picks After Party in New York City, where you'll have unprecedented access to key members of the Light Reading editorial, events, and research teams. Oh, and we'll buy you LOTS of top-shelf drinks.

How do I make sure my company's products/services are considered?

Participate. We probably know you well, already, but don't assume that we know as much about why your product/service is great as you do. If you feel your firm's products and services best indicate where the communications industry is headed in the next 12 months, then call our attention to them via our dedicated message boards.

What should I expect when I submit my product/service for consideration?

Interest and scrutiny. We might ask for you more information. Analysts from Pyramid Research and Heavy Reading might have an inquiry or two. Your competitors might even stop in to say their piece as well. That's the beauty of a free-flowing discussion.

How free-flowing will the discussions be, exactly?

Free enough. Our editors will still enforce our Terms of Service, though, so while you should expect some opinionated banter, we'll do our best to keep the crazies out. Unless the crazies work for us.

What if I don't want to be a Top Pick?

Tough. If you're in the business, you're fair game for our discussions – and an award. These are, after all, our editors' picks, and they can't leave out a significant product or service just because its owners are a bunch of donkeys.

How are the Top Picks going to be different from the Leading Lights awards?

The editorial focus, presentation, execution, and resulting event are all different. But, mainly, let's home in on the editorial focus: The Top Picks will be more subjective and forward-looking than the Leading Lights; it will be a program concerned more with the next year's best bets than the previous year's best accomplishments.

When will the Top Picks be announced? When will the message boards be live?

Soon. We'll make more noise in just a few short weeks. Meanwhile, the Top Picks After Party will occur in November 2009 in New York City, so all the vetting and blood-letting is sure to happen before then.

We're not from Naperville, Illinois. Can we still enter?

Yes, of course. We're awarding our Top Picks by geography – for Asia/Pacific, EMEA, and the Americas – in 7 of the 9 total categories. There is a world outside of Naperville, you know.

Has Light Reading ever had a Top Picks Award before?

Nope, this is an entirely new program.

Is the glass half full or half empty?

The glass is completely empty. Fill 'er up, please.

What if I have more questions?

Bring it. Send an email to editors@lightreading.com.