London, 9th October 2012 NextGen Challenge – the annual awards programme for advanced broadband networks – culminated last night in a presentation ceremony inside the Palace of Westminster.
These awards celebrate innovation and success in revitalising the UK economy by investing in digital infrastructure. Trophies were presented to winners of the program’s four categories:
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Award for Rural Leadership and Community Development – for individuals or teams working to bring communities together to deliver local access network projects in ‘hard-to-reach’ areas.
Award for Innovative Funding Solutions - for achievement in assembling the financial resources to deploy advanced digital access networks.
Award for Collaborative Advantage - for exceptional endeavour in developing multi-party public/private collaboration to plan and/or deliver locally sustainable FTTH deployments.
Award for Urban Enterprise - for larger communities and developments where the quality of network access is a significant factor in local economic growth.
The awards were presented by Lord Erroll, Chairman of The Information Society Alliance (EURIM) and David Harrington, Head of the CMA’s Regulatory College.
Speakers at the NextGen 12 Conference Dinner held in the House of Commons Members Dining Room included Lord Erroll and Lord Inglewood, chair of the House of Lords Communications Committee. Speaking to over 140 NextGen delegates, Chi Onwurah MP (formerly of Ofcom) remarked that, ‘it is great, at last, to speak in this house to a room entirely full of people who really understand the significance of the digital economy.”
And the winners were:
Award for Rural Leadership and Community Development
Marrying the Medieval with the 21st Century (Cambium Networks and allpay Broadband) - Using church towers and spires to bring wireless broadband to communities in every parish in the Diocese of Hereford.
The runner-up for this award was:
Broadband not-spots eliminated in rural East Yorkshire (KC)
'Committed to ending the digital divide between rural and urban Britain, KC eliminated all of the broadband notspots - where download speeds were less than 2Mbps - three years before the Government's 2015 target for this achievement
Award for Innovative Funding Solutions
‘By the Community, For the Community’ (B4RN)
Broadband for the Rural North (B4RN) is a community enterprise addressing broadband needs in parishes to the east of Lancaster by using fibre to properties and a great deal of local support.
The runner-up for this award was:
Enriching Edinburgh (Almond Networks)
Designed to serve 30,000 residents and Edinburgh City Airport this project charts progress in the race to raise funds for a faster digital future and a smarter, healthier, economy.
Award for Collaborative Advantage
Connected and Transformed (CityFibre)
By integrating their separate administration, health, libraries and education networks, the City of York Council not only transformed services and saved money, but also created the backbone for a city-wide Fibre to the Home network that will position the city as the Digital Infrastructure Capital of the North.
The runner-up for this award was:
The Next Generation arrives at Wembley City (Magnet Networks)
Embedding broadband as an essential utility in the design of the Wembley City development has not only enabled hundreds of new jobs but is seen as an exemplar for economic and social regeneration throughout the UK.
Award for Urban Enterprise
Hyper-fast living and working in London (Hyperoptic)
Hyperoptic works with freeholders, developers, property managers and residents to bring Gigabit broadband services to residential and business developments, providing an unrivalled connection that increases the attractiveness of each property.
The runner-up for this award was:
Broadband at Brooklands (IFNL)
In the design of the Brooklands development of Eastern Milton Keynes, Places for People took the decision to deliver a future-proof fully fibred broadband network that will eventually serve 2,500 homes, schools, shops and leisure facilities.
