The Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA UK) has unveiled the winners of the 18th Annual UK Internet Industry Awards, the ISPAs. Seventeen awards were presented at a gala dinner, ranging from broadband, hosting and VoIP to cloud, cyber security and marketing. More than 65 companies and organisations were in attendance with dozens of innovative providers and organisations represented alongside NGOs, parliamentarians, media and Government officials at this leading industry event.
The event began with keynotes from Clive Selley, CEO of Openreach, on the next stages of broadband rollout, and from Joanna Cherry QC MP, who gave her take on the Investigatory Powers Bill as a lead parliamentary campaigner on the Bill; one of the major issues affecting the sector in the last year. The ISPA Awards are a celebration of the sector and provides an opportunity to reflect on a significant year with the introduction of a Universal Service Obligation, age verification, new surveillance powers, Brexit, cyber-attacks and a once-in-a-decade review of how the sector is regulated.
Apple sees off MPs and wins Internet Hero
Apple were named as the Internet Hero for defending the fundamental principle of encryption and protecting customer security. Their win reinforces how important issues around surveillance, privacy and encryption are to industry. Cherry was also nominated for the award alongside Apple, with Nicola Blackwood MP from Parliament’s Science & Technology Committee, Andrew Ferguson from Thinkbroadband and the Web Foundation.
Mossack Fonseca Panama (of Panama Papers fame) won the Internet Villain for their poor cyber-security practices demonstrating the importance of sensitive data breaches. They saw off competition from Donald Trump, The FBI, TCYK and ‘the troll’ to win this accolade.
Hyperoptic, Relish, Venus & Wessex Internet win the broadband awards
There were four broadband awards this year, with Hyperoptic winning Best Superfast for the 4th year running and Relish winning Best Consumer Broadband. Venus was named the best ISP for businesses and superfast wireless ISP Wessex Internet walked away with the Best Wireless Award. Millions of tests were carried out this year by Thinkbroadband and all those shortlisted needed to show an excellently performing network to be nominated.
ISPA Secretary General Nick Lansman said “A big congratulations to all the winners at the 18th ISPA Awards winners. A huge range of companies won this year, showing the continued diversity, innovation and competitiveness of the UK Internet industry in what has been an eventful year for the sector. The Hero and Villain Awards winners also showed industry concerns with encryption and how essential cyber security has become.”
For details of the winners see below and for more information and photos go to www.ispaawards.org.uk or our twitter @ISPAUK.
About the ISPA Awards
The 2016 ISPA Awards are the 18th Annual UK Internet Industry Awards and sixty companies were nominated across seventeen categories. Vodafone led the way with 6 nominations and Catalyst2, Exa Networks, Hyperoptic and Storm Internet had 4. The full list of nominations can be found here.
Source: The Internet Services Providers’ Association
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s win is richly deserved.
SEE ALSO:
Apple nominated for Internet Hero of the Year, Donald Trump nominated for Internet Villain of the Year – June 15, 2016
Here’s the page announcing Apple the “Internet Hero” winner:
http://www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards/enter-and-award-categories/internet-hero/
BTW: I’d have nominated EFF, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who are my perennial heroes. But of course Apple’s win is well deserved, making we fanatics proud!
Congrats Apple. You deserve the award.
BTW, we live in a sad time when one of the biggest corporations in the world is the one defending citizens against overreach by our own governments.
Apple forever the consumer champion.
👍👏💪