INCA Name Shortlist for 2019 AltNet UK Broadband ISP Awards
The Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA) has today announced a shortlist of potential finalists for their forthcoming 2019 INCA Golds awards event, which aims to recognise and celebrate the best broadband alternative network ISPs (altnets) from across the United Kingdom.
The organisations shortlisted this year, across various different categories, include 5GRIT, Airband, Blu Wireless, B4YS, Cameron Barney, Connecting Cambridgeshire, EMS, Herefordshire & Gloucestershire – Fastershire, ITS Technology Group, Gaist, MLL Telecom, Truespeed, Stirling Council and the Welsh Government. Andrew Ferguson of Thinkbroadband, Dana Tobak of Hyperoptic and Tom Rigg of B4RN, have also been shortlisted for individual awards.
Recognising a number of joint initiatives to improve connectivity across the UK, Stormontfield Community Association has also been shortlisted for an award for its project with Broadway Partners and Perth and Kinross Council to connect the community of Stormontfield. Superfast Dorset and Wessex Internet have also been nominated for two awards for their collaborative work.
The INCA Golds awards winners will be unveiled at the INCA Conference and Awards 2019, which are due to be held in Manchester (Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel) on 16t October.
Malcolm Corbett, CEO at INCA, said:
“We are delighted to have had such a high volume of entries for the second year running. What has been especially interesting is the variety of entries we have received. There has been a real shift towards a wider participation than before, with entries coming not only from those providing crucial services to rural and underserved communities through fibre, but also from those now providing networks via some fascinating and innovative new means.
What’s also striking, is that despite so much change taking place right now within the industry and a certain level of uncertainty still present with Brexit and political unknowns, there still seems to be a great deal of activity in terms of new and emerging networks coming into the arena.”
Anybody interested in attending can register and to book a table here, although it’s a little pricey for non-members. Speaking of awards, Cityfibre recently scooped the gold at last Thursday’s Coventry Business Excellence Awards (CBEA) by winning the Award for Excellence in Innovation.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and Linkedin.
« CityFibre Start 1Gbps FTTH Broadband Build in Northampton UK
New Agreement Set to Improve Mobile Coverage in London »
Latest UK ISP News
- FTTP (5514)
- BT (3514)
- Politics (2536)
- Openreach (2297)
- Business (2262)
- Building Digital UK (2244)
- FTTC (2043)
- Mobile Broadband (1972)
- Statistics (1788)
- 4G (1663)
- Virgin Media (1619)
- Ofcom Regulation (1460)
- Fibre Optic (1395)
- Wireless Internet (1389)
- FTTH (1381)
I can’t believe Fastershire are on the list. All they seem to do these days is organise “how to use [e-mail/social-media/your tablet]” sessions. There is still no roll-out schedule, very little visible progress (roadworks.org), and absolutely no updates whatsoever.
I find it hard to believe there hasn’t been much progress. Where I am in North Herefordshire there’s been a huge Gigaclear rollout recently, and indeed they’re still going in Holmer, north of Hereford. Also seen lots of Gigaclear activity elsewhere in North Gloucestershire.
It is good to hear there is progress somewhere. Maybe one day they will tell someone about it? And maybe they will make progress in Gloucestershire west of the Severn…
There is a specific combined authority mapping for Herefordshire and Gloucestershire at https://labs.thinkbroadband.com/local/herefordshire-and-gloucestershire
Its fairly new so for long term history you still need to bounce back to the individual councils but numbers are improving
That’s interesting Andrew. From your figures there has indeed been some progress – there’s a big drop in under-USO for the Forest of Dean that I wasn’t expecting to see. Down from 14% the last time I looked to 12.5% now. I’m surprised the few Gigaclear connections around Tibberton and Newent make that much difference.
I think it’s an interesting area as there’s full fibre to much of rural Herefordshire from the likes of OpenReach, Gigaclear, and Airband. It’s now a case of rural has far exceeded the towns and as per my name, I’m certainly on a copper island, albeit with FTTC and a G.Fast pod that may or may not ever get activated (we’re on 8 months now).