ISPA Names WINNERS of the 2023 UK ISP Internet Industry Awards UPDATE
The UK Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA) has this morning revealed the winners of their 25th annual 2023 internet industry and broadband awards, which among other things saw several ISPs taking home more than one award across different categories, including Hyperoptic, CommunityFibre and Brsk.
The award categories have been revised again for this year’s event, such as via the decision to retire the “Internet Villain” category (again), and the addition of the “ISPA 25th Anniversary Award” – given to an organisation or individual that has contributed the most to UK internet over the past 25 years.
Elsewhere, to reflect the pace of fibre (FTTP) build, the threshold of infrastructure categories has also increased from 100K premises passed for the lower category to 250K. Finally, three new award categories (Best Customer Protection, Best Customer Experience, Best Integrated Communications Campaign) have also been introduced, which should be fairly self-explanatory.
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Steve Leighton, Chair of the ISPA, said: “As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the ISPA Awards, we are proud to recognise the outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations in the ISP industry. This year’s event highlights the continued importance of digital inclusion and showcases the incredible contributions made by all the award winners. We congratulate them and are excited about the future of the broadband industry.”
2023 ISPA UK Award Winners
Best Consumer ISP – with less than 50k customers
Lightning Fibre
In a highly competitive category, Lightning Fibre took the prize for their customer focus and charter, with a strong community focus and transparency.Best Consumer ISP – 50k-250k customers
CommunityFibre
The judges feel that Community Fibre’s generous social tariff, good range of packages and low churn meant they are clearly doing something right.Best Consumer ISP – with more than 250k customers
Hyperoptic
In a closely run category, Hyperoptic’s pioneering roll out of gigabit broadband, social tariffs and support for vulnerable customers made them worthy winners.Best Customer Protection
TalkStraight
Talk Straight’s overall services use of AI and advanced analytics, engagement with NCSC, regulatory compliance and customer training gave them the edge.Highly Commended – WebMate
Best Infrastructure – with more than 250k premises passed
CityFibre
For continuing its nationwide rollout, adding significantly more homes to its 2.5m Ready For Service in the past year, and moving into connecting hard to reach areas through Project Gigabit, the judges felt CityFibre were worthy winners.Best Infrastructure – less than 250k premises passed
Brsk
Winning for the second year, Brsk’s rapid build year-on-year growth, targeting of underserved areas and strong take up gave them the edge.Best Integrated Campaign
KCOM
In a field full of high quality entries, Kcom’s campaign to get the message out on the impact of the PSTN switch off through impressive earned media, delivering on tough targets and great results pipped the competition.Highly Commended – Hey!Broadband
Best VoIP
Voipfone
In a world moving to digital voice, Voipfone was once again crowned as winners for learning lessons from past incidents, offering free services to charities, and proactive comms on PSTN switch off.Best Hosted Service
KrystalHosting
This is the second time Krystal won this award. They keep impressing our judges with their UK-based support and engineering teams, as well as affordable services and flexible options.Best Channel Support
FullFibre Limited
Full Fibre was chosen as the winner for their impressive growth stats, low cost per acquisition numbers and their fibre heroes campaign that promotes fibre for the benefit of the industry.Best Rural ISP
Wessex Internet
Wessex Internet were crowned winners for their high take up rates in underserved areas, and community focus that is transforming local communities.Highly Commended – County Broadband
Best Business ISP
CommunityFibre
The judges felt that their serious focus on business support and account management, competitive pricing and a 5G back up service meant that they were deserved winners.Highly Commended – Cerberus
Best Customer Experience
Brsk
The judges felt that strong staff testimonials from customers, investment in digital tools, in-house same day installation, along with a 1.5 hour repair function, made Brsk deserved winners.Internet Hero
Digital Team at the Gov’s Department for Work and Pensions
ISPA Council decided to award the coveted hero award to the DWP Digital team for delivering the broadband social tariff API, working in partnership with the ISP community to make a real difference to those that need it most.Digital Inclusion
Spark Somerset
Spark Somerset demonstrated a wide range of holistic support, partnership working, broad reach and strong impact in their Spark IT project.ISPA 25th Anniversary
Hyperoptic’s CEO and Founder – Dana Tobak
Since the mid 2000s, Dana Tobak has been a driving force in disrupting and accelerating the UK broadband market. From pioneering use of LLU at Be Broadband to its sale and integration as O2 broadband to launching and leading one of the first altnets, Hyperoptic, in 2011, Dana has set new standards, pushed the competition and improved the UK’s broadband for more than two decades.
UPDATE 9:09am
Wessex Internet confirmed to have won the Best Rural ISP award.
UPDATE 10:42am
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Added some extra details from the official announcement.
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, BlueSky, Threads.net and Linkedin.
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Oh no, another meaningless sham award ceremony.
Absolutely
YEP!
Yes – backhanders all round I mean have you seen who these “judges” are? all trash mag site owners in their little circle. it’s pathetic
How much did it cost to buy an award… Sorry, I mean book a bunch of tables this year?
Not sure ask Ferguson he’s a “judge” apparently. Sorry I mean a backhand participant.
Want to meet for a coffee to discuss your concerns?
@Andrew Ferguson
Why don’t you explain to us all how it works?
We’d all be really interested to know.
It’s a trade association. This is what trade associations do.
Pay to play and/or display awards all pretty standard
Companies enter
Shortlisting done
Judges meet and votes and winners decided
All very simple and logical
@Andrew Ferguson
You seem to have conveniently forgotten to mention the money changing hands.
So far as I’m aware, none of the money for dining tables and sponsorship etc., which helps to pay for the event itself, goes to any of the judges – this is all fairly normal fair for trade associations. The judges are usually a pretty credible and competent group.
Judges are not paid. You have the option for a free ticket to the dinner and that is it.
Given the hours it takes to read the many entries that, and costs of getting to the dinner its something you would not do for just a sit down hot meal.
This constant accussation of corruption helps no-one. At least they aren’t death threats that arrive now and then
@Andrew Ferguson – oh dear, death threats! That sounds a bit extreme.
Who are they from? Disgruntled CEO’s of ISP’s who think they should have won an award maybe?
@Andrew Ferguson.. Come on Andrew, even you must think it’s a bit strange that year after year there’s certain companies that never get a mention of receive an award, even if they’re doing well.
Some companies don’t enter – hence no mention, some enter and are not shortlisted, others enter but have a poor written submission
HINT If you sell lots of FTTC you are not going to get shortlisted in some categories where FTTP dominates.
Perhaps rather than accussing people of bribery you should give some details on who you think should win from all the categories and why,
Congratulations to all the winners!
Congratulations Wessex Internet on Best Rural Provider
Why did they win though? Are we able to see a paragraph etc explaining why they and the others win the awards?
They’re being unusually slow to send out an official press release today, so I had to scrape the data from social media.
@Mark thanks Mark, guess we shall need to wait to see the reasons. I’ll keep an eye out for the update here with their press release.
See also the winners of:
https://tmt.knect365.com/videotech-innovation-awards/2023-shortlist-winners/
Advanced TV Innovation of the Year:
WINNER – Netgem for Immersive Entertainment with Cloud Gaming on TV
Advanced TV Service of the Year:
WINNER – ITV for ITVX
The Super Aggregator Award:
WINNER – Mirada for Deep Super-aggregation Framework: izzi use case
Source:
https://tmt.knect365.com/videotech-innovation-awards/2023-shortlist-winners/
Best Consumer ISP category is broken down to 50k, 50 to 250k and 250k+.. I think that is not enough breakdown.
Can I suggest they break that down further to 50k, 50 to 60k, 60 to 70k, etc. so they can get winners announced?
Oh look, Cityfibre are sponsoring the ISPA Awards.
Oh look, surprise they’ve won an award too!
Yes, these awards are just a complete joke. Does anyone take them seriously?
It’s a good excuse to have a boozy party paid for by the Altnet investors.
Enjoy it while you can, the gravy train is drawing to a halt.
I think Daisy and AAISP are kick ass ISP’s I guess they don’t pay enough to be in any awards this year..
Or last.. OR next..
Funny that.
How is it that BT Openreach and Virgin Media O2 are never mentioned in these awards?
Is it simply because they don’t sponsor them or pay for tables at the event?
Or am I missing something?
It’s is because they are focusing their energy on building their networks over these pointless altnet awards
It’s because they’re so crap that they can’t even bribe their way to an award.
It’s because NEITHER deserve anything close to praise!
OR doing 59k/week. Anyone else doing faster?
I am just waiting for an Awards program for the best award program
These awards are in my view meaningless
Yes! This! ^^^
The load of Tosh awards, winner is the one who buys the white lightening!
Is it like the Which? awards where winners have to then pay for the privilege of displaying the fact they won an award?
The ISPA Awards are run as a profit making company. I don’t believe they are an independent body who have an unbiased view.
Should you be nominated for or win an award, you will be able to publicise your achievements through the purchase of a finalist or winners logo:
Finalist logo: £500+VAT
Winner logo: £1,000+VAT
That says it all for me.
Nevermind all the money they receive from sponsors and companies paying for tables, etc.
Surely everyone can see through it can’t they?
That’s exactly why they have so many different categories.
The more awards they give out to different companies, the more companies attend the award ceremony, more tables they sell, more logos they sell and more money they make.
I’m thinking of starting a company called I5PA (not ISPA).
Companies will be able to download a Winner Logo to use as they wish for only £900 +VAT.
What do you reckon? I think I’m onto a winner! 🙂