Telecom Review Excellence Awards 2023: Meet the Winners

Telecom Review Group, together with an independent panel of judges, continued its dedication and commitment to the ICT industry in ranking the best of the best in terms of corporate growth, technological deployment, ICT investment, corporate social responsibility (CSR), digital customer experience, green initiatives as well as individual capabilities and brand contributions.

Commenting on the success of the event, Toni Eid, Founder of Telecom Review Group and CEO of Trace Media International, said, “A heartfelt thank you to all participants, distinguished speakers, and partners for their unwavering support for the huge success of the 17th Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit. The two days have been filled with excitement, networking and knowledge sharing. We look ahead with anticipation to the continued evolution of industry discourse and innovative advancements, and we will be ready to craft another chapter in ICT leadership excellence. Join us next year for another groundbreaking 18th edition!”

Jeff Seal, Chief of the Awards Committee, Managing Partner and Editor-in-Chief, Telecom Review North America, said, “In 2023, the Telecom Review Excellence Awards set a new benchmark, attracting significant industry interest with a record-breaking global nomination. To accommodate this, we introduced more distinct awards on a global and regional scale. These awards remain the industry standard for peer recognition, thanks to the thorough deliberation by our esteemed panel of global experts. Congratulations to all winners, and we look forward to another celebration of excellence next year!"

Below is the full list of winners announced during the Telecom Review Excellence Awards 2023 ceremony:

Telecom Review Regional Excellence Awards

Best Operator – Middle East: du

du’s strong public-private partnerships, along with its strong ecosystem with all global hyperscalers, makes it the most deserving of this award. Today, du’s platforms have reached many government entities who are fully enjoying the platform to excel in their digital transformation journey.

Best Operator – Asia: Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH)

IOH leverages its scale, financial strength, and complementary infrastructure to create cost and CapEx synergies that drive more ambitious investment with higher return.

Best Operator – North America: Verizon Partner Solutions

Verizon completed trials in its commercial fiber network in metro Long Island, NY: demonstrating increased speed, increased reliability, and increased overall capacity for its fiber network. During the trial, they successfully transmitted 1.2 terabits per second (Tbps) of data using a single wavelength. This was achieved over longer distances and through more nodes by upgrading the optical-to-electrical conversion cards. These cards manage the flow of customer data through the fiber optic cable.

Best Operator – Africa: MTN Group

MTN achieved a solid subscriber growth. The subscriber base reached 289 million in 2022, marking a 6.1% increase over the previous year. The company witnessed a strong increase in data users and traffic, with data traffic growing by 32.6% in 2022, reaching 11,719 petabytes. MTN also rapidly expanded their fintech ecosystem, despite new taxes and price cuts, demonstrating its commitment to providing innovative financial services to its customers.

Best Fiber Infrastructure Deployment – Europe: EXA Infrastructure

As a dedicated operator of hyperscale digital infrastructure, EXA continuously invests in expanding the depth and breadth of its network footprint. EXA believes that its Trans Adriatic Express (TAE) is a unique example of how innovative and strategic partnerships create value for a whole industry. Completed in 2020, the pipeline connects Melendugno in southern Italy, through Albania and Greece to the Turkish border at Kipoi, at which point it connects to the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) through Turkey to Azerbaijan.

Best Fiber Infrastructure Deployment – North America: TELUS

TELUS is the only Tier 1 carrier, globally, that has covered 70% of its operating territory

with a fiber network capable with speeds of up to 10Gbps. This unrivaled coverage includes connecting some of the country’s most remote, hard-to-reach rural and indigenous communities. Through PureFibre, TELUS is enabling these traditionally underserved areas with speeds that consistently outperform the overall average of many other countries— including the US, which is bridging digital divides and enabling remarkable human outcomes.

Best Diversity & Inclusion Program – Middle East: Zain KSA

Zain KSA was among the first telecom providers to implement diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives (DEI), primarily focusing on creating an environment that is equally inclusive and empowering for all and aspiring to alleviate all types of discrimination. DEI is a core component of the organization’s culture and is deeply ingrained in its daily operations.

Best 5G Advanced Innovation (Vendor) – Middle East: Huawei

Huawei has been instrumental in the overall development of 5G, including standards contribution, 5G patents declaration, 5G technology innovation, 5G ecosystem maturity etc.

Best 5G Advanced Deployment (Operator) – Middle East: etisalat by e&

etisalat by e& has achieved 10Gbps throughput on the 6GHz band— a significant milestone that positions the UAE at the forefront of 5G-Advanced network capabilities. The achievement marks a

remarkable advancement in data transfer speeds, solidifying the company’s commitment to revolutionizing the telecommunications landscape. The trial focused on unlocking the full potential of the 6GHz frequency range and utilizing the 400 MHz bandwidth to achieve the unparalleled 10Gbps speed while enhancing the user experience.

Best Digital Outreach – Middle East: TDRA

TDRA plays a pivotal role in spreading awareness of digital concepts and encouraging customers to use digital services. In addition to that role, the department manages and supervises the official portal of the Government which comprises of 2,000 services and thousands of web pages containing information about government entities. 

Best Digital Outreach – Asia: ZTE Corporation

ZTE Corporation collaborated with the Shanghai branch of China Telecom, employing innovative solutions to swiftly transition from a traditional Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) to a modern MAN. This transformation aimed at quickly shifting from traditional broadband users to cloud broadband users. 

Best Sustainable Technology – Asia: China Mobile International

China Mobile International has implemented a ‘Green Action Plan’ for more than 16 consecutive years. The company has been proactively exploring organic and unified energy-saving and emissions reduction measures for itself, the industry, and society as a whole, while promoting sustainable development. 

Best 5G Infrastructure Deployment – Middle East: stc Bahrain

stc Bahrain sets a new benchmark in its country’s telecommunications history by becoming the first operator to provide nationwide commercial 5G services in 2019. Within two years, the company achieved yet another milestone by becoming the first operator to offer 100% nationwide 5G coverage. 

Best ‘Telco-Tech’ Partnership Award – Africa: Bayobab

Today, there emerges a growing imperative for enterprises to securely authenticate the identity of their customers, and the role of SMS-based One Time Passwords (OTPs) in this process cannot be overstated.

Today, the ubiquitous OTP sent via Application-to-person (A2P) SMS plays a pivotal role in establishing and verifying the identity of users on digital service platforms such as Meta, Google, Amazon, and banking institutions. Bayobab has emerged as the frontrunner in this field. 

Best CSR Initiative - Middle East: Ooredoo Oman

With sustainable investments in innovation, technology, and the ability to adapt based on customer feedback, Ooredoo Oman is a customer-centric, agile, and responsive digital leader in the country; one which has been able to diversify its offerings to meet the nation’s growing needs beyond connectivity. 

Best Digital Customer Experience – Africa: Win by inwi

Win by inwi is the first player in the Moroccan market to introduce (in 2019) a 100% digital telecom offering. As Africa’s first, they are an exclusive, interactive and evolving universe where the whole customer experience and services, from subscription to customer support are dematerialized. 

Best Digital Customer Experience – North America: Verizon Partner Solutions

In the course of just a few years, the sophistication of brands’ digital interactions with consumers has increased by leaps and bounds. This is thanks to companies’ growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) to guide those interactions. As they crunch ever more data and ‘learn’, with the help of machine learning and natural language processing, AI chatbots and other intelligent tools are becoming more responsive and taking on more human-like attributes. Verizon Partner Solutions has emerged as a trailblazer in this field with world-class digital customer experience. 

Best Regional Cloud Provider – Middle East: du

du’s cloud platform represents a significant leap forward in ICT services for Dubai government entities. By leveraging its enhanced functionalities, superior performance, and cost optimization, du is empowering its customers to embark on their digital transformation journeys with confidence and efficiency. 

Best Green Technology – Middle East: Zain KSA / Red Sea Global

Zain KSA and Red Sea Global recently launched the world's first zero-emission 5G network at the Six Senses Desert Dunes resort in the Red Sea. This groundbreaking solar-powered network utilizes 100% renewable energy from over 760,000 solar panels with purpose-designed towers and state-of-the-art 3D printing technology. These advancements align with three key objectives: environmental conservation, reduction of emissions through the utilization of clean energy, and minimizing visual distortion. 

Best Carrier Enterprise Service – Africa: Telcovas Solutions and Services

Telcovas’ Free Roaming Solution empowers subscribers to traverse seamlessly across 30 mobile operators, with the added advantage of enjoying complimentary mobile-to-mobile calls and SMS’ for an unprecedented 30 days of stay. This distinctive offering has not only revolutionized regional communication but has also garnered the attention and support of the operators who have chosen Telcovas as their trusted partner. 

Best Smart Infrastructure Management/Solution – Europe: Comarch

Comarch currently offers fifth-generation mobile solutions with dedicated applications for iOS and Android devices. Within this particular generation, they have added completely new capabilities, including much better integration with its flagship OSS products. 

Best Digital Government Initiative – Middle East: du

du’s digital platform was designed exclusively for government entities involved in recreation and wellness. This pioneering platform aims to enrich park experiences by providing ticketless entry, streamlining identity management processes, and offering a user experience that is seamless and convenient for park visitors. 

Best Wholesale Company – Middle East: Saudi Telecom Company – KSA

The MENA region has experienced a notable transformation in connectivity, driven by market demand growth. stc has played a pioneering role in digitization efforts to meet the demands of the region's evolving market. The telco’s focus has been on empowering the MENA carrier partner ecosystem by fostering a collaborative environment that drives innovation and progress. 

Best Digital Customer Experience – Middle East: Ooredoo Oman

Ooredoo Oman offers a client-tailored, omni-channel, data-driven, intent-based and reliable end-to-end customer experience (CX); coupled with seamless and on-demand digital offerings and simple, intuitive, and personalized interactions. The telco has continued to lead the digital space by upgrading every customer’s world through its multi-award-winning app and by bringing other innovative products and services to the market. 

Best Brand – Africa: Bayobab

At the heart of Bayobab’s journey lies its first core value, which has been its guiding principle since its inception six years ago and remains unwavering today. This is: to think big and bold while staying firmly grounded. The strategic rebranding was a pivotal decision aimed at facilitating the execution of its business strategy. This strategy involves achieving independence, neutrality, and the ambitious goal of rolling out 135,000 kilometers of proprietary fiber by 2025. 

Best Sustainable Green Innovation Technology – Middle East: InfraX - A Digital DEWA Company

InfraX’s impressive project portfolio is a testament to its commitment in delivering successful outcomes while upholding core values of sustainability, innovation, and efficiency. The company's remarkable achievements include its involvement in the Moro Hub Green Data Centre, a Guinness World Records-certified solar-powered data center, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to eco-friendly solutions. 

Best Carrier Enterprise Service – Asia: China Mobile International

China Mobile International created their end-to-end Smart Campus solution to harness next-generation digital technologies and enhance the efficiency and resilience of enterprise workspace including factory areas, industry parks and offices. The company’s solution leverages advanced connectivity – including 5G, cloud, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics – to provide management systems that improve productivity and safety. 

Best Loyalty & Rewards Program – Middle East: Ooredoo Kuwait

Ooredoo Kuwait's rewards program has been at the forefront of the company’s digital transformation journey and innovation, as well as a main accelerator for its customers' digital adoption. The program has allowed Ooredoo to shift from in-store rewards to a whole digitized experience; an adaptive platform with a huge variety of interactive rewards relevant to each customer profile and preference. 

Most Innovative Product/Service (Vendor) - Middle East: MYCOM OSI

A Service Experience Assurance (single pane of glass) dashboard for an entire network was created for all services and impacted customers by modelling a range of mobile, broadband and enterprise services. 

Best Diversity & Inclusion Program – Africa: Bayobab

Bayobab contemplated the profound concept of connection. The company reflected on the power of connecting people at work, with customers and suppliers. As a strong multicultural team of 36 nationalities out of 324 employees, it deeply appreciated our shared humanity. We celebrate our diversity because it gives us strengths, promotes creativity, and increases the quality of our innovations. Diversity and inclusion are in Baobab’s DNA upon which it has built its very strong and rapid growth, reaching more than USD 500 million in revenue in less than 4 years. 

Best Smart Infrastructure Management/Solution – Middle East: du

By integrating digital Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with cloud connectivity, du has created a comprehensive approach to expedite enterprise cloud journeys. This initiative empowers more organizations to confidently transition to the cloud. 

Telecom Review Global Excellence Awards

Best Sustainable Green Innovated Technology – Global: SKYFive Arabia

SKYFive Arabia's Air-to-Ground Technology offers in-flight connectivity on airplanes. This innovative ‘A2G’ technology reflects practices that contribute to environmental conservation and resource efficiency in aviation. Key highlights encompass ‘Fuel Efficiency and Emissions Reduction,’ ‘Efficient Resource Use,’ ‘Sustainable Supply Chain,’ and ‘Long-term Viability.’ 

Most Innovative Product/Service (Operator) – Global: PCCW Global | Console Connect

Unlike other NaaS providers, PCCW Global/ Console Connect’s platform orchestrates connectivity across its privately-owned global network infrastructure. The platform is integrated with all major hyperscale cloud providers globally, including AWS, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, Tencent and more. Through the portal or via its API, users can access a broad range of native and third-party solutions. 

Best 5G Innovation – Global: Nokia

Nokia played a pivotal role in advancing RedCap’s IoT functionality. RedCap almost didn’t happen. When 5G first emerged, low-capacity connectivity was the furthest thing from the industry’s mind. It was Nokia that realized RedCap’s potential and pushed for the standard, using every diplomatic and technical tool at our disposal to build consensus among our peers. 

Best Loyalty & Rewards Program – Global: Ooredoo Qatar and Comviva for Nojoom Program

Ooredoo Qatar has one of the best loyalty programs that is not only rich in features but also in enrollments across the Middle East. The updated loyalty ecosystem, powered by Comviva's MobiLytix Rewards, resulted in a huge surge in customer satisfaction. With the on-boarding of numerous well-known brands, an extensive catalog of rewards was created and curated. The system profiles all members instead of just primary account members.

Best Satellite Operator – Global: SES

SES has the capability to route traffic to either one of its managed gateways or a customized private location. The flexibility extends to SES's ability to readjust both forward and return paths, as well as port capacity, based on the evolving needs of the customer. 

Most Innovative Product/Service (Vendor) – Global: NEC

NEC has been delivering innovative technology solutions to Telecom Service Providers, significantly improving the digital experience for their B2B customers and adding substantial value to the services offered to SMEs and Enterprises. The company's expertise in seamlessly integrating various technologies not only enhances operational efficiency year after year but also accelerates the time-to-market for launching new services in an agile manner. 

Best AI Use for Network Monetization – Global: Netcracker Technology

With its remarkable ability to create new content and engage in powerful human-like interactions, generative AI (GenAI) has the potential to dramatically enhance business and operational efficiency and usher in a new era of customer satisfaction across the telecom industry. Netcracker has proved this by producing the best AI use case for network monetization. 

Best Fiber Infrastructure Deployment – Global: BNET Bahrain

BNET’s national broadband all-optical network provides diversified transportation services, including 2H. The fiber covers 94% of households and it’s capable of offering, at a minimum, 100Mbps download speeds, to enable downstream operators to plan their service portfolios. 

Best Smart Infrastructure Management/Solution – Global: Nokia

Leveraging its cutting-edge Rural Connect solution, including the CloudBand Application Manager, Nokia is enabling the rapid deployment of mobile services in rural areas. This groundbreaking collaboration automates and simplifies cloud resource management, ensuring swift and efficient connectivity solutions. Thousands of rural sites across seven African countries are being empowered with digital connectivity, including countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Niger, and South Africa. 

Best Digital Transformation Provider (Vendor) – Global: Huawei

Technology is increasingly more present and essential in our lives and will be especially crucial in powering a post-COVID recovery. Reliable, secure, and seamless connectivity is crucial to keep everyone connected to the people and things that matter the most. With its new products and solutions launched over the last year in the Middle East, Huawei aims to satisfy customer needs for high-speed, fully intelligent networks to accelerate digital transformation. 

Best Digital Transformation Deployment (Operator) – Global: PCCW Global | Console Connect

PCCW Global and Console Connect were early pioneers of network automation and continues to grow their expansive list of partners and Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) capabilities to give businesses the tools they need to be competitive in today’s fast-moving digital world. The necessity for the platform stems from the fact that the public internet is no longer predictable enough for sensitive data. While private networking solutions can be complex, as well as time and resource intensive, PCCW Global and Console Connect’s mission is to make it easy for businesses to connect their digital ecosystem securely and on their own terms.

Most Innovative SD WAN Solution – Global: Fortinet

Fortinet's advanced network and connectivity services are seamlessly integrated into its robust security platform, enabling deployment across diverse environments and form factors. This integration facilitates the extension of secure connectivity and networking functions to the SD-Branch. Additionally, Fortinet's integration with their E cloud-delivered security services allows organizations to smoothly transition to a single-vendor SASE solution. This ensures consistent enterprise-grade security and an enhanced user experience, regardless of their location.

Best BSS Solution – Global: Netcracker Technology

Netcracker’s Digital BSS helps CSPs eliminate critical bottlenecks associated with legacy BSS environments that are, in most cases heavy, scattered, poorly integrated, and inflexible in terms of supporting new technologies and business models. It enables CSPs to achieve rationalization of their disparate IT landscape, respond more rapidly to key industry trends and competition across markets, reduce costs, expand margins, and share resources to benefit from innovation and collaboration across organization. 

Best Technology Deployment (Vendor) – Global: Reailize - A B-Yond Company

Reailize’s Continuous Assurance (CA) solution represents a revolutionary approach to network management. This powerful system aggregates data from various sources, including Performance Management (PM), Fault Management (FM), Configuration Management (CM), and Control and User Plane data; covering an array of technologies, from 2G to 5G, and spanning multiple domains such as Radio, Transport, Core, and Service. Reailize also employs Machine Learning-based Anomaly Detection and Cross Correlation techniques. 

Best ICT Investment – Global: e& international

e& international invested heavily in innovative technologies such as 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). These investments have enabled the company to develop new products and services that meet the needs of its customers in the digital age. They have partnered with global technology leaders such as Microsoft, Meta, and Google to develop and launch new ICT solutions. These partnerships have enabled them to bring the latest technologies to its customers in the MEA region.

Best Diversity & Inclusion Program – Global: Nokia

Nokia’s commitment to promoting gender equality, diversity, and inclusion within the workplace and beyond has led to transformative initiatives that are reshaping the landscape of technology and fostering innovation with a social impact.

Best DDoS Detection & Security Mitigation Solution – Global: Verizon Partner Solutions

Verizon’s DDoS Shield is a high-capacity, carrier agnostic, cloud-based dedicated denial-of-service (DDoS) protection solution that detects and diverts DDoS traffic. The cloud-based platform can be scaled on an ongoing basis to provide mitigation capacity for the very largest of DDoS attacks, and can also handle attacks against virtually any internet-connected service (web, email, File Transfer Protocol [FTP], VoIP, etc.), whether encrypted or not. 

Best Employer Initiative – Global: e&

e&’s distinctive approach focuses on engaging and motivating employees, optimizing HR practices, and fostering an inclusive and innovative culture. This has yielded exceptional results that set them apart. e& firmly believes that motivated and engaged employees are the cornerstone of their success. To achieve this, they have taken several innovative approaches to ensure employees remain connected. 

Best Cloud (CSP Enablement) – Global: AWS/Omantel

The introduction of the new e-commerce marketplace will allow consumers to enjoy shopping from the comfort of their homes; with a wide range of products including electronics, fashion and beauty, at their fingertips. This will create numerous opportunities for sellers by diminishing the reliance on physical stores, delivering a more streamlined service to customers, and gaining access to valuable insights derived from customer shopping trends. In addition to selling standalone digital products, the new marketplace will also enable enterprises to facilitate transactions and collaboration among businesses (B2B), serve end customers (B2C), and engage with third-party partners (X) who create industrial solutions & packages that fit the national market. 

Telecom Review Regional Merit Leader Awards

Merit Leader CEO of the Year – Asia:

Vikram Sinha, President Director & Chief Executive Officer

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison

Merit Leader CEO of the Year – Operator – Middle East

Bader Naser Al-Kharafi

Zain Group

Telecom Review Global Merit Leader Awards

Global Merit Leader CEO of the Year – Operator

Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO

e& Group

Hatem Dowidar is a highly skilled strategist and visionary with over 30 years of experience in the telecommunications and technology industry. He has played a major role in the transformation of his company into a global technology and investment conglomerate. Under his leadership, e& Group has become the world's strongest telecom brand. He has also been instrumental in ushering in a new phase of strategic partnerships and key collaborations with global industry leaders such as Microsoft and Meta.

Global Merit Leader CTO of the Year – Operator

Haithem Al-Faraj, Group Chief Technology Officer

Saudi Telecom Company – KSA

At the helm of the company, Haithem Al-Faraj (CTO) has orchestrated a technological renaissance, pushing the boundaries of innovation, enhancing customer experience, and expanding network reach. Guided by his leadership, stc has elevated digital empowerment and connectivity to unparalleled heights; generating myriad job opportunities for the diverse populace and enriching their digital lives.

Global Merit Leader Women in ICT of the Year

Njoud Al Shehri, Digital Executive General Manager

Zain KSA

Njoud Alshehri’s impactful journey in the ICT sector unfolds as a narrative of exceptional leadership and innovation. She leads the Digital Department while tackling many daily challenges with grace. She has mastered many skills such as decision-making, effective workforce and project management, and displays a profound understanding of advanced technologies.