Kiwi company shortlisted for global broadband pioneer award

The finalists of the World Communication Awards have been announced, and included in the lineup is New Zealand's very own Spark.

Spark has been nominated in the Broadband Pioneer category which aims to recognise companies that are changing the way broadband is delivered around the world.

Spark's chief operating officer, Mark Beder says it's especially great to be nominated in this category as it recognises the role we have played in changing the game for Kiwis.

"Wireless broadband redefines what we think of as 'broadband': a wireless solution with no complex installation process - all that's needed is a good 4G mobile signal and a plug and play modem." "Many Kiwis have signed up for the simple, easy experience that wireless broadband offers. There are nearly 100,000 customers on the service in less than 2 years, which demonstrates Kiwis' appetite for a wireless alternative.

"Wireless broadband customers respond as significantly more satisfied with the reliability, speed and overall performance of their broadband service than customers with copper broadband.

Other award finalists include Vodafone Carrier Services, Huawei and VMware.

Here's the full list of award finalists:

Best Brand

Orange - Orange Sponsors You Smart Communications - Welcome Change Viettel Group BITEL – 4G coverage campaign

Best Enterprise Service

CITIC Telecom CPC - TrustCSI ATP NTT Communications Corporation - SD-WAN Service Portfolio Singtel - Software-Defined Hybrid Network Telstra Broadcast Services

Best Customer Care

Telekom Research - Development Telia Carrier Telstra Turkcell

The Social Contribution Award

Cable - Wireless - Identity Scoring Indosat Ooredoo - INSPERA Mahindra Comviva - Idea Cellular's Private Recharge powered by PreTUPS Ooredoo Myanmar - Site Pyo Smart Communications - SHINE OS+ Telin - Kartu As2in1 Turkcell - No Barriers Viettel Group - Operation Healthy Heart

Best Connectivity Solution

Telekom Research - Development - iSSEF Prime Turkcell - Automatic Rotating Antenna

Most Innovative IoT Solution

Cisco Jasper Control Center Huawei - Oceanconnect IoT Platform iBasis - Global IoT Solution Indosat Ooredoo - IoT Connect ZTE Corporation - Smart Parking Product

Industrial IoT Award

NTT Communications - IoT Platform Orange - Pops by Orange

Smart Cities Award

Greenwave Systems - AXON Platform Indosat Ooredoo - Kota Digital Intersec - GeoInsights Magnet Networks - Smart City, Wembley Park

The Moving Pictures Award

Huawei - Envision mobile video service MEO - 4K Experience Ooredoo Qatar PCCW Global - Virtual Reality (VR) Broadcast Solution

Digital Lifestyle Award

Indosat Ooredoo Orange PLDT - Smart Home

5G Trailblazer

Mimosa Networks Ooredoo Qatar Telstra Corporation

NFV Innovation Award

Accedian SkyLIGHT Platform Huawei NFV Integration Solution Iskratel - vIMS Mavenir - Multi-ID solution Netcracker Technology - Netcracker 12 Vmware - vCloud NFV 2.0

The Innovation Award: Vendor

Content Guru - Patient Relationship Manager (PRM) Invia - Bill on Behalf Mahindra Comviva - Ecocash Diaspora Metaswitch - 100% Cloud Native VoLTE Solution ZTE - Innovative Combo PON Solution

The Innovation Award: Operator

Colt Technology Services - Colt On Demand Fareastone Telecommunications Co. - iTracer Singapore Telecommunications Limited - One Singtel Sales Experience Telekom Research - Development - Multi Service Wireless Access Network Telkomtelstra - Delivery Robots (Dbots)

The Cloud Infrastructure Award

CITIC Telecom CPC - SmartCLOUD Epsilon Telecommunications - Infiny Huawei - China Mobile Zhejing Province Telco Cloud Interoute - Enterprise Digital Platform

Network Transformation Initiative

Reliance Jio and Accedian - 4G Customer Experience Assurance Tata Communications Transformation Services - Lab as a Service Telecom Argentina and Huawei - core network cloud transformation Telstra Corporation - Programmable Network Vodafone Carrier Services

Best Regional Wholesale Operator

enet GlobeNet Optus Wholesale Telin

Best Wholesale Operator

Deutsche Telekom International Carrier Sales - Solutions (ICSS) Interoute Communications NTT Communications Corporation PCCW Global Telia Carrier Vodafone Carrier Services

CTO of the Year

Alexandre Fonseca - Altice / PT Bryn Jones - Three UK Dato' Rafaai Samsi - Telekom Malaysia Berhad Hatem Bamatraf -Etisalat Nanang Hendarno - Telin Rajiv Datta - COLT Sascha Zabransky - Telekom Austria Group Yogesh Malik - Veon

CEO of the Year

Ahmad Hanandeh - Zain Jordan Alan Masarek - Vonage Dana Tobak - Hyperoptic Ernst L Cu - Globe Telecom Rick Calder - GTT Communications

The Broadband Pioneer Award

Essex County Council - Superfast Essex Huawei - Europe's First Docsis 3.1 Based GigaSpeed Network Hyperoptic - Full fibre Ooredoo Qatar - Supernet PLDT - Home Fibr Spark New Zealand - Nationwide - Home Wireless Broadband rollout

Best Operator in an Emerging Market

Liquid Telecom Ooredoo Myanmar Smart Communications Telin Telkomsel

Best Global Operator

NTT Communications Corporation Ooredoo Group Telstra Corporation

The winners of the World Communication Awards will be announced on 28 November in London.