Time's Running Out: Enter the Leading Lights Awards Now!
Did your company do something special during the past year? Is it the best in its business? Are you worthy of being a winner in the industry's most prestigious awards program?
Then you need to enter the Leading Lights awards -- and quickly! We have been accepting submissions for the past six weeks and we already have a healthy set of entries (so thanks to those already in play!) but we know there are a lot more companies out there that should be telling the world what a great year they've had and put themselves in contention to pick up a coveted gong.
But don't just think about it -- act now! Due to strong demand we've just extended the deadline for entries to Friday March 23, but that's the final and absolute cut-off point. Really!
And why should you enter? Because it gives you the chance to win an award worth boasting about, an award that actually means something. Every entry is given the same, independent consideration and it really is a case of the best entries winning the prizes. But, as they say on all the cheesiest game shows, you've got to be in it to win it!
Now in its 14th year, the Leading Lights recognizes the best in class and true innovators in the communications networking and services industry. We have 24 regular categories, including five newbies, and three Women in Comms categories for you to enter. And as ever, our annual Hall of Fame is open to suggestions.
As you'd expect, our new categories are related to some of the most exciting and innovative areas of development right now. They are:
- Most Innovative SD-WAN Service: Awarded to the company that has launched the most innovative software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) service for enterprise and/or small or midsized corporate users during the past year.
- 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.
- Most Innovative Automation Strategy (Network/Data Center Operator): Awarded to the network or data center operator that has devised the most innovative automation strategy during the past year.
- 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.
- 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.
You're weak at the knees with excitement, right?
And of course, the awards cover all of the hot areas of development -- 5G, NFV, IoT, SDN, cybersecurity, digital transformation and more.
So get your virtual ass in gear and head on over to the Leading Lights 2018 home page, where you can see the full list of categories and get all the details of how to enter.
But remember -- products, services and strategic directives must have been announced on or after March 1, 2017, to qualify for consideration. So if it was launched before that, then it won't qualify. So please be sure to read the guidelines and check the FAQ document too.
The awards are judged by the Light Reading editorial team with help from the Heavy Reading analyst team. The shortlists will be announced in early April and the winners announced at an awards dinner in Austin (further details to follow) on Monday, May 14, as a kick-off to the 2018 iteration of the Big Communications Event (BCE) (http://www.bigcommunicationsevent.com). (To find out more, see Time to Enter the 2018 Leading Lights Awards.)
To see who won in 2017 and maybe enjoyed themselves a little too much at last year's gala awards dinner, see:
So now's the time to stop thinking about entering and actually do it -- get all the details by clicking on this link. We look forward to seeing your submissions.
— Ray Le Maistre, Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading
