Light Reading's Leading Lights 2020: The Finalists

Light Reading is delighted to announce the finalists for this year's Leading Lights Awards program, which is now in its 16th year.

Phil Harvey, Editor-in-Chief

June 24, 2020

8 Min Read
Light Reading logo in a gray background | Light Reading

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. The shortlist for the Leading Lights Awards 2020 acknowledges more than 75 companies across 21 categories in the global communications industry.

The Finalists

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. 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

Light Reading's Phil Harvey at the Leading Lights Awards 2019 in Denver.

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

A group photo of the Leading Lights Awards 2019 Winners

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

About the Author

Phil Harvey

Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading

Phil Harvey has been a Light Reading writer and editor for more than 18 years combined. He began his second tour as the site's chief editor in April 2020.

His interest in speed and scale means he often covers optical networking and the foundational technologies powering the modern Internet.

Harvey covered networking, Internet infrastructure and dot-com mania in the late 90s for Silicon Valley magazines like UPSIDE and Red Herring before joining Light Reading (for the first time) in late 2000.

After moving to the Republic of Texas, Harvey spent eight years as a contributing tech writer for D CEO magazine, producing columns about tech advances in everything from supercomputing to cellphone recycling.

Harvey is an avid photographer and camera collector – if you accept that compulsive shopping and "collecting" are the same.

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