B4RN (Broadband for the Rural North) has been
appointed the Internet Hero at the 14th annual ISPA (Internet Service Provider
Association) awards for bringing high speed fibre-optic broadband to rural
communities, and setting an example for other projects to follow. The ITU has
been awarded the Internet villain award for its Internet governance policies
which might lead to a less open and free Internet.
In total, ISPA announced the winners in 14 categories at the star studded
ceremony located in the Park Lane Sheraton Hotel. Keynote speakers at the event
included Dr Peter Cochrane, former CTO at BT, who has been very outspoken on
the BT Groups focus on FTTC in its fibre roll-outs, and social media expert Tom
Scott.
“ISPA would like to congratulate all the winners and thank all the attendees
and sponsors for making the evening possible. It’s been another important and
fast-moving 12 months for the internet industry, and the Awards are a good
measure of achievement and innovation in the past year.”Nicholas Lansman, ISPA Secretary General
For the winners in each category, see the table below.
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Consumer Fixed Broadband | Plusnet |
| Best Business Fixed Broadband | Fluidata |
| Best Consumer Customer Service | Catalyst2 |
| Best Business Customer Service | KC Business |
| Best SME Business Hosting | Netcetera |
| Best Large Business Hosting | Fidonet |
| Best New ISP | Hyperoptic |
| Internet Safety & Security | TalkTalk |
| Best Internet Telephony | iNet Telecoms (Voipfone) |
| Best Managed Service Innovation | Fluidata |
| Digital Inclusion (in association with Go ON UK) | Mersey Travel |
| Customer Choice | MacAce |
| Internet Hero | Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN) |
| Internet Villain | International Telecommunications Union (ITU) |
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Wonder if someone from the ITU will come along and pick up their “award” ?
Wow, what a night! Thanks to the ISPA people for a fantastic event, and for choosing B4RN as internet hero, our community are honoured to be the winners and voted for by their peers in the networking world as worthy of it. We still have a long way to go, but we’ll get there. Heroes can do IT. Right.
Was awesome to meet so many fantastic people in one room. Thanks from Lancashire to you all.
Congrats B4RN! 🙂 More publicity more interest
ISPA ‘awards’ mean nothing.
IspReview Top 50 list wins the day as usual.
Totally biased but surprised not to see Sky on there as they are still one of the few to have a unlimited download service.
If Sky did not step forward and say we would like to be in the running, and submit to the technical testing, then they can’t win an award.
Registrations usually are done in Jan of each year, so towards the end of the year is the time to pester providers if you think they should enter.