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Light Reading is delighted to announce the finalists for this year's Leading Lights Awards program, which is now in its 16th year.
On behalf of Light Reading's editors, it is my pleasure to announce this year's shortlist for the annual Leading Lights Awards, our publication's way of recognizing the innovation in and continued evolution of the global communications industry.
The shortlist selection process is not an enviable task. It's interesting and educational and we do get to read about and hear from a wide range of companies. I want to thank everyone who took the time to submit entries and tell us about the companies they work for and the products and strategies that are making a difference in the industry.
The competition is tough and the companies making it this far should be really proud. We look forward to being able to raise a glass with you all and see you in person (we hope) next year. The winners, and the identities of this year's Light Reading Hall of Fame inductees, will be announced on Light Reading in August.
But before that happens, we need to get on with the business of revealing the finalists that our editors have picked in the 21 categories for the Light Reading Leading Lights Awards. The shortlist is below and on the following page.
In the coming weeks, the Light Reading team will write about the finalists and provide some insight into the shortlisted submissions.
Figure 1: The shortlist for the Leading Lights Awards 2020 acknowledges more than 75 companies across 21 categories in the global communications industry.
Most Innovative Blockchain for Telecoms Strategy
Awarded to the company that has devised the most innovative blockchain-based strategy in the telecoms market during the past year.
CSG
Jio Platforms
PCCW Global
Whale Cloud
Most Innovative IoT/M2M Strategy
Awarded to the communications service provider, systems integrator or technology developer that has unveiled the most innovative Internet of Things/Machine to Machine (IoT/M2M) strategy during the past year.
Aptilo Networks
F-Secure (with Windstream and Actiontec)
Incognito Software
Plume (with Armstrong)
ZTE
Most Innovative Security Strategy
Awarded to the communications service provider, systems integrator or technology developer that has unveiled the most innovative security strategy during the past year.
A10 Networks
Axis Security
Keysight Technologies
NetNumber
Plume
Sprint
Synamedia
Company of the Year (Private)
Awarded to the privately held firm that stands out from its competitors, innovates constantly, makes investors proud and makes employees happy.
Altiostar Networks
Arrcus
Cohere Technologies
DriveNets
World Wide Technology
ZenFi Networks
Outstanding Components Vendor
Awarded to the components vendor that stands out from its competitors, innovates constantly, helps set the industry trends, makes investors proud and makes employees happy. NOTE: This category is suitable for 5G-related component strategies.
Acacia Communications
LotusFlare
Precision OT
Xilinx
Outstanding Digital Enablement Vendor
Awarded to the next-generation OSS/BSS/analytics/digital commerce systems vendor that stands out from its competitors, innovates constantly, helps set the industry trends, makes investors proud and makes employees happy.
Amdocs
Matrixx Software
MDS Global
Netcracker Technology
Openet
Whale Cloud
Most Innovative Business Cloud Service
Awarded to the communications service provider that has launched the most innovative business cloud service for enterprise and/or small or midsized corporate users during the past year.
Comcast Business
Orange
Vonage
Unified Office
Most Innovative Telco Cloud Product Strategy (Vendor)
Awarded to the technology vendor that has devised the most innovative telco cloud (virtualization, SDN/NFV) product strategy during the past year.
Affirmed Networks
Altiostar
DriveNets
Enea Openwave
Netcracker
Optiva
Volta Networks
Next Page: More Leading Lights Finalists
Here are the finalists for the remaining 13 categories of the 2020 Leading Lights Awards:
Figure 1: The shortlist for the Leading Lights Awards 2020 acknowledges more than 75 companies across 21 categories in the global communications industry.
Company of the Year (Public)
Awarded to the publicly listed firm that stands out from its competitors, innovates constantly, makes investors proud and makes employees happy.
Amdocs
Ciena
CommScope
Fortinet
Vonage
Most Innovative Telco Cloud Strategy (Network/Data Center Operator)
Awarded to the network or data center operator that has devised the most innovative telco cloud (virtualization, SDN/NFV) strategy during the past year.
Colt Technology Services
HGC Global Communications
PCCW Global
Most Innovative Cable/Video Product or Service
Awarded to the company that has developed a potentially market-leading product, application or strategy that has enabled the launch, deployment or creation of innovative, profitable cable, video, TV or multimedia services during the past year.
Amdocs – MarketONE
CommScope – RD1322 2x2 Remote PHY Device
Promptlink – Network NoiseHawk
Synamedia – Smart Rate Control
ZTE – 5G Live TV
Most Innovative Mobile/Wireless Product or Service
Awarded to the company that has developed a potentially market-leading product, application or strategy that has enabled the launch, deployment or creation of innovative, profitable mobile/wireless services (4G/WiFi/unlicensed) during the past year.
Amdocs – RevenueONE
Cohere Technologies
Rakuten, Intel and Altiostar Networks
Most Innovative Private Wireless Networks Strategy
Awarded to the company that has devised the most innovative private wireless networks strategy during the past year.
Boingo Wireless
Celona
Federated Wireless
Mavenir
Nokia
Most Innovative Telecoms Product (Optical/IP/Carrier Ethernet/FTTH)
Awarded to the company that has developed a potentially market-leading optical/IP/Ethernet product that, through engineering and technical excellence, enables the deployment of profitable next-generation telecom services.
AT&T and Colt Technology Services – MEF Sonata LSO API
Cisco – 8000 Series router
Ericsson – Router 6673
Infinera – XR Optics
Microchip – META-DX1 Ethernet PHY device family
RtBrick – RtBrick Full Stack
Most Innovative AI/Analytics Strategy
Awarded to the company that has devised the most innovative strategy built around the development or use of AI/analytics capabilities during the past year.
A1 Telekom Austria – SARA
Altran – NetAnticipate5G
B-Yond – B-Yond Clarity
Cujo AI – Cujo AI Lens
EXFO – Nova SensAI
Huawei Technologies – Huawei iMaster NCE
Jio/Guavus IQ AI/Analytics Strategy
Transaction Network Services – TNS Call Guardian
Netcracker Technology – Netcracker 2020 Advanced Analytics Solution
Most Innovative SD-WAN Service
Awarded to the company that has launched the most innovative SD-WAN service for enterprise and/or small or midsized corporate users during the past year.
Colt Technology Services
Comcast Business
Masergy
Verizon
CenturyLink
Most Innovative SD-WAN Product Strategy (Vendor)
Awarded to the technology vendor that has devised the most innovative software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) product/platform strategy during the past year.
Amdocs
Fortinet
Sprient Communications
Ekinops
VMware's "Network of Clouds Services (NOCS)" Strategy
Versa Networks, in partnership with NetCracker
Most Innovative Edge Computing Strategy
Awarded to the network operator or technology developer that has devised the most innovative edge computing strategy during the past year.
Accedian and the MobiledgeX ecosystem
AlefEdge – The Manhattan Project with an Open Autonomous Edge
Altran – Edge Computing Solution (ENSCONCE) for Multi-Operator Federation
Mutable – Public Edge Cloud
Red Hat – Edge Computing Strategy with Red Hat OpenStack Platform
SK Telecom – Edge "hyper-collaboration" strategy for multi-cloud edge deployment and edge service innovation
Vapor IO – Kinetic Edge Exchange
Volterra – VoltStack and VoltMesh
ZTE – One-Stop Common Edge Solution
Most Innovative 5G Technology
Awarded to the company that, during the past year, has developed a potentially market-leading product that will enable the launch, deployment or creation of 5G services.
Altiostar Networks
Arrcus
Enea
Etiya
Kaloom
Mavenir
Wind River
ZTE
Most Innovative 5G Strategy
Awarded to the company that has outlined and clearly communicated an innovative, market-leading 5G networking technology or service development strategy during the past year.
AT&T
Cradlepoint
Linux Foundation Networking
Parallel Wireless and Comba Telecom
Radisys
SK Telecom
ZTE
Outstanding Test & Measurement Vendor
Awarded to the communications networking test and measurement, monitoring or assurance systems vendor that stands out from its competitors, innovates constantly, helps set the industry trends, makes investors proud and makes employees happy.
EXFO
Infovista
Keysight Technologies
Netrounds
Sandvine
Spirent Communications
Tutela Technologies
VIAVI Solutions
Light Reading Hall of Fame
The shortlist for this year's Light Reading Hall of Fame, which seeks to recognize several individuals – the famous and infamous – for their remarkable contributions to the sector, will be published soon.
— Phil Harvey, Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading
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