Manchester event will mark tenth anniversary of INCA while honouring those making the biggest impact on the UK’s independent broadband sector
London, UK, 27 September 2019 – As all eyes turn towards the next chapter in the UK’s quest to meet ambitious full fibre targets ahead of 2025, the Independent Networks Co-operative Association (INCA) has revealed its 2019 INCA Golds awards shortlist.
The organisations shortlisted include 5GRIT, Airband, Blu Wireless, B4YS, Cameron Barney, Connecting Cambridgeshire, EMS, Herefordshire & Gloucestershire – Fastershire, ITS Technology Group, Gaist, MLL Telecom, Truespeed, Stirling Council and the Welsh Government. Andrew Ferguson of Thinkbroadband, Dana Tobak of Hyperoptic and Tom Rigg of B4RN, have also been shortlisted for individual awards.
Recognising a number of joint initiatives to improve connectivity across the UK, Stormontfield Community Association has also been shortlisted for an award for its project with Broadway Partners and Perth and Kinross Council to connect the community of Stormontfield. Superfast Dorset and Wessex Internet have also been nominated for two awards for their collaborative work.
Launched in 2018 to celebrate the inroads being made in the UK independent broadband market, the INCA Golds awards winners will contend for a prestigious INCA Gold at the INCA Conference and Awards 2019, which will be held in Manchester, on October 16.
“We are delighted to have had such a high volume of entries for the second year running,” said Malcolm Corbett, CEO at INCA. “What has been especially interesting is the variety of entries we have received. There has been a real shift towards a wider participation than before, with entries coming not only from those providing crucial services to rural and underserved communities through fibre, but also from those now providing networks via some fascinating and innovative new means.
“What’s also striking, is that despite so much change taking place right now within the industry and a certain level of uncertainty still present with Brexit and political unknowns, there still seems to be a great deal of activity in terms of new and emerging networks coming into the arena,” added Corbett.
The 2019 awards follow INCA’s introduction of its Gold Standard Quality Mark. The INCA Gold Standard Quality Mark not only highlights best practices in performance and design and operations, it also provides assurance to consumers, helping them to buy with confidence when choosing internet packages.
Now in its tenth year, INCA has recently welcomed 34 new members, bringing its total membership to more than 130. The 2019 Awards Dinner will firmly acknowledge the increasing role that the UK’s independent broadband networks are playing.
The winners will be revealed at the climax of day one of the tenth INCA Conference which will host key speakers including James Heath, Director, Digital Infrastructure, Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS); Kees De Ward, President of FTTH Council Europe, Jonathan Oxley, Competition Director at Ofcom, Wenbing Yao, Director of Strategy and Marketing at Huawei, Chi Onwurah, MP, plus local authorities, investors and leaders from the altnet sector.
The INCA Conference will take place at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel, Manchester on October 16 and 17.
To find out more about the Annual INCA Awards Dinner, please visit: https://www.inca.coop/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=138. To find out more about the Annual INCA Conference, please visit: https://www.inca.coop/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=135.
To register to attend and to book a table, please visit: https://www.inca.coop/civicrm/event/register?id=135&reset=1.