UK Internet Service Providers Association Reveals 2012 ISP Award Finalists

The Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA UK) has officially revealed the finalists for its 14th annual 2012 internet industry awards, which this year includes a new ‘Customer Choice‘ category (voted for by customers) alongside the usual ‘Best Consumer Fixed Broadband‘ ISP sections. This year’s highlight is PlusNet with a total of five nominations.

Overall more than 40 companies have been nominated across 12 different categories, with the eventual winners being picked by an independent panel of ISPA Awards judges on July 3rd 2012 at the Park Lane Sheraton Hotel in London. The Internet Hero and Internet Villain award finalists, which aren’t mentioned below, usually follow a few weeks later.

Nicholas Lansman, ISPAs Secretary General, said:

“Congratulations to all the finalists of the 14th annual awards and the best of luck for the night. Nomination is the culmination of either rigorous technical testing, written entry forms analysed by experts judges or votes from customers.

This year’s new categories once again demonstrate the innovation of our industry and with thousands of votes cast by members of public adds a new dimension to the event.”

ISPAs 2012 Award Categories and Finalists

Best Consumer Fixed Broadband
BE Broadband
Hyperoptic Home
KC Home
Plusnet Consumer
Virgin Media 100 Mbps

Best Business Fixed Broadband sponsored by O2 Wholesale
Fastnet Business Resilient
FidoNet Biz Max
Fluidata Burst
Plusnet Business
Spectrum Business
Urban WiMAX

Best Consumer Customer Service ISP sponsored by CISAS
BE Broadband
catalyst2 services
KC
MacAce
Plusnet

Best Business Customer Service ISP sponsored by Geo Networks
Entanet International
Exa Networks
Fluidata
KC Business
Plusnet
Urban Wimax

Best SME Business Hosting
Eclipse Internet
Netcetera
Netplan Internet Solutions
StratoGen
Virtual Internet
Xifos

Best Large Business Hosting
FastNet
Fidonet
Fluidata
Netcetera
Netplan Internet Solutions
StratoGen

Best Internet Telephony sponsored by Magrathea
Adepteo
Gradwell
iNet Telecoms
KC Business
Orbis Telecom
Telappliant

Digital Inclusion in association with RaceOnline 2012
Digital Activist Inclusion Network
LS14 Trust
Mecca Bingo
Merseytravel
Our Yesterday
UK Online Centres

Internet Safety and Security sponsored by Return Path
ClaranetSOHO
Exa Networks
GFI Software
KC
South West Grid for Learning
TalkTalk

Managed Service Innovation
Exa Networks
Fluidata
MacAce
Memset
Timico
Virtual Internet

Customer Choice
BE Broadband
MacAce
O2
Plusnet
Zen Internet

Best New ISP
Boundless Communications
Hyperoptic
Spectrum Internet
Wirehive

We suspect that some readers might be a bit surprised to see BE Broadband, especially after all of the recent network problems and service delays, popping up no less than three times above. On the flip side we’re pleased to see that the ISPA has finally added a ‘Customer Choice’ category and that Zen Internet has been given a well deserved mention.

One other thing of note is Hyperoptic’s inclusion under the ‘Best Consumer Fixed Broadband’ category which, given the services tiny coverage in dense urban areas, will surely come as a pleasant surprise to them.