12:30 PM -- Thanks for all the interest you've shown for Light Reading's Top Picks awards so far. To help keep you up to date, I'm providing a couple of category updates and some pointers on winning a Top Pick award.

Category Update: Business Services
So far, these are the nominees -- the shortlist of those that could become one of Light Reading's Top Picks:

• Optimum Lightpath 's Virtual Private Ring Service (VPRS)
• Comcast Corp. (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK)'s 100-Mbit/s Business Internet Service Bundle
• Sipgate GmbH 's Team Edition Web-based Phone Service

Oddly, no traditional telcos have stepped up yet. But, then again, is Verizon Enterprise Solutions generally perceived as being as cutting-edge in business services as its cable counterparts?

I have heard from messaging services hosting company Interop, but not enough to sway me to short list it (yet). I think Tata Communications Ltd. will contribute something soon, and I'm looking forward to hearing about its big efforts in telepresence.

Category Update: Fixed Access
I've got two good nominees so far in this category:

• Hitachi Ltd. (NYSE: HIT; Paris: PHA)'s MW-PON
• Oki Electric Industry Co. Ltd. 's 160 Gbit/s Asymmetric PON System

I've also heard from Iskratel d.o.o. , but I'm not yet convinced that its Gemini FTTH access box is really such a cut above the average ONT to make this list. I do appreciate its energy-efficient pitch, and I'm quite surprised that we haven't heard from Thomson S.A. (NYSE: TMS; Euronext Paris: 18453) on this, as green products in fixed access has been a big push for them lately.

How to become one of Light Reading's Top Picks
Here are three things you can do to vault your company into Top Picks contention:

1) Nominate. Let us know what your company is doing that's so great. Don't overthink the category placement or how much information we'll need. Just shout out and tell us you want to be considered and we'll let you know what info we'd like to have.

2) Participate. If we pose a question to you via our message boards, you have to respond on our message boards. If you don't, that could hurt your chances of winning. Having your lazy PR firm cut and paste chunks of your corporate Website into emails is not the way to win this contest. We want to talk to the companies directly and hear why they're excited about what they're selling, building, or planning.

3) Reciprocate. If you really want to be a Top Pick, you'll go the extra mile and help us evaluate your category peers. Why not pose some hard questions to your competitors in the space? Why not challenge our editors to explain why their shortlist of companies includes products and services that are clearly inferior to yours? Most people in telecom don't have that kind of backbone, but for the few that do, your efforts will be rewarded.

Finally, here are some Top Picks links to help you out and cover any questions you may have:

• LR Top Picks Program Launches
• Light Reading's Top Picks FAQ
• Here's an update on Light Reading's flagship awards program, the Leading Lights.

Good luck!

— Phil Harvey, Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading