Get ready—the prestigious INCA Awards nominations are now open! With just nine fiercely competitive categories, we’re looking for the best of the best in a sector driven by rapid innovation and excellence. Submit your top picks today and don’t miss the INCA Awards dinner to see who takes home the prize.
Explore this year’s categories and tell us who deserves the spotlight:
- Customer Acquisition Award: In 2024 the focus continues to be on the transition from building new networks to growing the rate of customer take-up using those new networks. This is all about understanding customer needs, creating compelling service offers, effective communication, and, of course, outstanding customer service. Who are the innovators and leaders in this space driving customer take-up rates with brilliantly designed and executed strategies? We want to know.
- Outstanding Delivery of New Infrastructure: This award recognises remarkable achievement by an organisation in tackling the challenges and embracing the opportunities that the last 12 months has offered. The pace and scale of deployment across the AltNet sector has continued to be remarkable, even in the face of substantial headwinds, and this award seeks to identify the best of the best. Which organisation has really stood out for you over the last year?
- Sustainability: As we see the increasing effects of climate change across our everyday lives, there has never been a more important time to take action against a challenge that both faces and unites every one of us. As one of the world’s largest greenhouse gas (GHG) producers, the ICT sector sits at the precipice of damage and opportunity. This award celebrates those organisations who are leading the way on sustainability. Whether that is through collaborative action projects, reducing sectoral emissions, enablement, promoting greater circularity, or placing and achieving environmental, social and governance (ESG) directives at the heart of their strategies. We want to hear from organisations who are delivering on sustainability – those who are leading by example, delivering results, and creating best practice towards a greener future that all can enjoy for years to come.
- Best Social Value: The importance of connectivity to everyday life in modern society is evident. With the shift from luxury to necessity, addressing the question 'how do we deliver connectivity to everyone, for everyone?' has never been more important. This award highlights those who are delivering, or helping to deliver, projects that drive key social value. Whether through individual organisational activity, community projects, or partnering with others to help deliver the skills, devices or connectivity needed to fully engage with a rapidly digitised society, we want to hear about those delivering great work to communities and individuals. Meaning that no one is left behind as we move into a digital future, and all can benefit from the wealth of opportunity that advanced connectivity can offer.
- Best Public Sector or Community Project: Local authorities and other public bodies often play a significant role in the delivery of digital connectivity. As we strive for ubiquitous coverage of advanced connectivity across the UK, this award celebrates the expertise, coordination and collaboration needed between communities and private sector partners to make public sector projects a success. In addition to public sector led activities, we also want to hear from those smaller, often community focused, connectivity projects; activities that are community led and making a difference, providing vital inclusion to the people they serve.
- Technical Innovation: Designed in part to enable hardware and software providers in membership of INCA to engage with the awards programme, often in partnership with our operator members and others, this award focusses on the critical role of innovation in our industry. What innovations have proved crucial in the last year? Who has been delivering the ground-breaking work?
- Outstanding Contribution (individual and/or organisation): The Outstanding Contribution Award is an opportunity to recognise the achievements of an individual or an organisation in our industry. What person or organisation has gone above and beyond to make truly distinctive things happen? In the case of individuals, their achievement may be over a longer timeframe – perhaps even their whole career. Whilst in the case of organisational nominees the judges will be looking at achievements in the last year or so. Subject to the submissions we receive, the judges may choose to make two awards in this category, i.e. one for an individual, and one for an organisation.
- Rising Star (individual): Recruiting and nurturing talent is essential in our sector. For any organisation, success begins with your people – how you develop them, how you support them, and how you enable them to reach their potential. This award recognises the rising stars of our industry. The people who are often new to the sector and are making a significant contribution despite their limited experience. We're looking not only for energy, enthusiasm, and imagination, but also a willingness to step up to new challenges and show resilience when the going gets tough. Who in your organisation stands out as a future leader – always ready to support their colleagues and learn from their mistakes? Our judges want to know about them and how they are adding value. Tell us why your chosen nominee is destined for great things, and why they should win this award this year. NB: Nominees must be 30 years of age or less on 26th November 2024. We cannot accept self-nominations for this award.
- Best Consolidation Project: Over the last year there has been significant rationalisation in the AltNet space. Some takeovers, some mergers, and some integrations of AltNets with a common funding source. Pulling diverse operations together is a very challenging exercise both at the operations, customer, staff, and management levels. We want to recognise those most successfully executed.
Ready to nominate? Start by picking the most fitting category from the list above. Take a moment to review our straightforward rules, then craft a succinct and impactful nomination. When you're set, use our nomination form to submit your entry. Let's spotlight the best in the business!
What Happens After You Submit a Nomination?
Our independent judges will meticulously review each submission, taking on the tough job of creating a shortlist. We’ll announce the finalists after voting closes on August 31st, 2024.
Then, mark your calendars for the INCA Awards Dinner during our 2024 Summit in November. Who will claim the coveted INCA award? Be there to find out!