ISPA Name UK Internet Heroes Shortlist for 2021 Awards

The UK Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) has today unveiled a shortlist of three potential winners for the ‘Internet Hero’ category in their forthcoming 2021 industry awards, which was last year won more by all the telecoms sector’s key workers for their efforts during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

By comparison, this year’s event is a bit more specific and names two different individuals and one team as candidates to win the annual award.

The winner will be chosen by the ISPA Council and announced at the annual ISPA Awards event, which will be held on Thursday 4th November 2021 at the Sheraton Grand London Park Lane.

The 2021 Internet Hero Finalists

Rory-Cellan Jones
As the BBC’s Technology Correspondent since 2007, Rory has been responsible for keeping the public informed about technology in an accessible and meaningful way. Keeping millions of people aware of highly technical technological issues when their level of understanding about the internet is low is no small ask. The importance of this should not be underestimated, especially given the need for technological literacy in the modern world. Rory has been instrumental in communicating these issues from the age of dial up to the age of gigabit broadband. After 40 years of service to the BBC, he is retiring later this month.

Telecoms Infrastructure Project Team
TIP has been a hugely important group for driving infrastructure solutions to advance global connectivity. The positive signs that 58% of the world are now internet users show how TIP are helping achieve their goal, and while there is a long way to go, their work up until now deserves to be recognised. Special credit should also go to their work in promoting open industry standards and technology diversification, such as OpenRAN.

Helen Milner OBE
The Good Things Foundation has been vital in helping promote digital inclusion at a time when the pandemic has made digital literacy crucial to access health information and keep in contact with loved ones. The Good Things Foundation has provided practical support to millions of people to achieve social change. The numbers speak for themselves – 3.5 million people supported to gain digital skills shows the progress made. Their work with Government, ISPs and wider industry has been hugely important to champion a digitally included nation. We believe Helen Milner OBE is absolutely due praise for her work as CEO of the Good Things Foundation.