2016 ISPA Awards Registration

The ISPAs - the UK Internet industry awards - are the longest established and most respected awards in the internet industry. Since 1999, the ISPAs have been rewarding and celebrating the best in the UK internet sector. The ISPAs are run by the Internet Services Providers' Association (ISPA UK) to herald the best of the Internet industry and to celebrate innovation and best practice. In 2002 the awards were dubbed The ISPAs.

The ISPAs Rules and General Information

The awards will be presented in July 2016, as outlined on www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards.

The awards will be judged according to the criteria for each category published at www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards.

Companies and organisations may be short-listed for more than one award.

Companies cannot be short-listed for an award they have sponsored.

Following confirmation by the judges, ISPA Council and partner judges, the shortlists for each award will be published prior to the Awards ceremony. The ISPA Secretariat will contact companies that have been short-listed.

Once the shortlist is published by ISPA, companies that have made the shortlist may publicise this fact (including using the official ISPA logos) but can only do so under licence from ISPA.

Copies of the licence are available on request and will be provided to each nominee. On nomination, nominees must decide whether they wish to pay the licence fee and use the ISPA trade marks (including official ISPA logo) to publicise their nomination.

The winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony in July 2016 and not before.

Winners may publicise that they are a winner of an ISPA Award (including using the official ISPA logos) but can only do so under licence from ISPA.

Copies of the licence are available on request before the Awards ceremony, and will be provided to each winner after the Awards Ceremony. At this point, winners must decide whether they wish to pay the licence fee and use the ISPA trade marks (including official ISPA logo) to publicise their award.

The assessment criteria for each category can be found on www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards.

Value-added forms must be submitted to awards@ispa.org.uk by March 2016

No entrant shall engage in any activity that may damage the integrity of The ISPAs scheme or ceremony. Any such actions shall be raised with the ISPA Council who will take any decision on disqualification. The ISPA Council's decision with respect to disqualification is final.

ISP Awards Testing

The awards tester will conduct an analysis of the services offered by the entrants in the access and hosting categories of the ISP division.

ISPs must register their intent to enter the awards with ISPA and register their services and other requested information with the awards tester via the online form linked to from www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards. Registration intent and technical registration with the awards tester opens on 1st December 2015 and will close on 29th January 2016.

Companies wishing to be considered for a particular award should submit the relevant information in accordance with the instructions on www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards.

ISPs must register their technical details with the awards tester via the online form linked to from www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards. Entrants must have the stated required number of users registered for each award and technical details where required reported to the awards tester by 29th January 2016, when monitoring is due to begin.

Monitoring is scheduled to end on 8th April 2016

Entrants may only enter one service in each category (service/package stated in the application/intent form i.e. speed cost etc)

ISPA reserves the right to request further information about the service and technical specifications provided by entrants and to conduct spot checks if deemed necessary

Entrants will be required to submit supporting information demonstrating how they meet the criteria. All supporting information must be submitted via the value-added forms at www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards by 25th March 2016.

On conclusion of the testing period the awards tester's data will be used to select the shortlists. This data may face independent analysis prior to selection of the finalists in each category. The number of entrants to be included in the shortlists will be determined by the ISPA Secretariat. A report will be produced by the awards tester for consideration by the panel of judges.

An independent judging panel composed of knowledgeable observers of the ISP sector will assess the nominees in the ISP Division and choose the winners in each category.

Entrants will not have access to their performance data during the monitoring process.

If it becomes apparent that an entrant is employing what may be considered dubious tactics or attempting to tamper with the monitoring procedure they will be disqualified from the awards process. Any such activity will be raised with the ISPA Council who will take any decision on disqualification. The ISPA Council's decision with respect to disqualification will be final.

The designated technical and marketing contacts must be available during the monitoring and set-up phase. Failure to assist in the process may render the entrant's registration null and void.

Best Dedicated and Shared Hosting ISP

Entrants must be an ISP or a company offering mass web site hosting to customers.

Entrants for both categories will be given a file that they will place on a server.

Best VoIP

Entrants must be an ISP or a company offering VoIP services to customers.

Entrants are required to supply a SIP account and related details to Malden Electronics

Malden Electronics will periodically perform a VoIP call over a broadband service, using the supplied SIP account, to a PSTN terminated callee. The same broadband service and PSTN terminated callee will be employed to test all VoIP services. An audio reference will be injected into the VoIP call and the performance of the audio delivery and network behaviour during the call will be measured. Specific measurements taken are as follows:

• Speech Quality Score (using ITU P.862.1 PESQ)
• Round trip
• Speech level loss
• Background noise
• Network jitter
• Network packet loss

Best Consumer, Best Business, Best Superfast & Best Wireless Broadband

Entrants for the Best Consumer Fixed Broadband category must be able to prove, on request, that a significant proportion of the service entered is specifically focused on consumer users

Entrants for the Best Business Fixed Broadband category must be able to prove, on request, that a significant proportion of the service entered is specifically focused on business users

Entrants must register their services and other requested information for the appropriate award(s) via the registration form linked to from www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards.

As part of the registration process the entrant will agree to ensure that enough speed tests over appropriate connections are carried out during the monitoring period, February 2016 to April 2016. If test volumes are low the contacts given during registration will be notified to give opportunity to encourage more testing.

The tester will run on a wide variety of devices including phones and tablets, but obviously to get the best speeds an Ethernet connected device is best, the devices as seen by the tester are recorded.

The awards tester will test broadband connections when initiated by someone visiting the tester, either ISPA specific tester or any other testers thinkbroadband provide to numerous websites. Specific measurements made are as follows:

• Downstream throughput
• Upstream throughput
• DNS lookup time
• Latency
• Buffer bloat

Best Consumer and Best Business Customer Service Awards

Entrants must register their service and other requested information for the appropriate award(s) via the registration form linked to from www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards.

Safety, Security, Hero & Villain Awards

The Safety & Security Awards will be judged by the ISPA Awards judges and an agreed partner. Entrants are required to download and submit the written entry form by 25th March 2016.

The Internet Hero and Internet Villain Awards shortlists and eventual winners will be selected by the ISPA Council.

Safety, Security, Hero & Villain Awards

The Safety & Security Awards will be judged by the ISPA Awards judges and an agreed partner. Entrants are required to download and submit the written entry form by 25th March 2016.

The Internet Hero and Internet Villain Awards shortlists and eventual winners will be selected by the ISPA Council.

Best Cloud, Best Marketing Campaign and Best CPE

The Best Cloud Product and Best Marketing Campaign shortlist and eventual winner will be determined by the ISPAs judges, using case studies as the determining factors. Entrants will be required to complete the online written entry forms by 25th March 2016.

The Best Cloud Procduct is open to any provider of cloud services.

The Best Marketing Campaign Award is open to ISPs who have undertaken a marketing campaign in the year to 7th July 2016. mar. Entrants will be required to complete the online written entry form by 25th March 2016, and include any relevant links to URLs, creative and other supporting information within.

The Best CPE Hardware Award is open to vendors who manufacture customer premises equipment that sit in consumers homes (for example routers) and will be judged by the ISPA Awards judges. Entrants are required to download and submit the written entry form by 25th March 2016.

Best Tech Law Firm

This award is for law firms with a TMT practice or a telecommunications specialism and is judged by a selection of ISPA Awards judges who will decide a shortlist and a full judging panel to determine the winner. Entrants must submit a 500 word case study, taking in to account the judging criteria listed below.

Judging criteria:

• Team expertise
• Knowledge of TMT market
• Engagement with industry
• Project management skills
• Value added services and 'going the extra mile'
• Innovation in delivery of legal services
• Speed
• End result for client
• Value for money

ISP Awards Testing

The awards tester will conduct an analysis of the services offered by the entrants in the access and hosting categories of the ISP division.

ISPs must register their intent to enter the awards with ISPA and register their services and other requested information with the awards tester via the online form linked to from www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards. Registration intent and technical registration with the awards tester opens on 1st December 2015 and will close on 29th January 2016.

Companies wishing to be considered for a particular award should submit the relevant information in accordance with the instructions on www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards.

ISPs must register their technical details with the awards tester via the online form linked to from www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards. Entrants must have the stated required number of users registered for each award and technical details where required reported to the awards tester by 29th January 2016, when monitoring is due to begin.

Monitoring is scheduled to end on 8th April 2016

Entrants may only enter one service in each category (service/package stated in the application/intent form i.e. speed cost etc)

ISPA reserves the right to request further information about the service and technical specifications provided by entrants and to conduct spot checks if deemed necessary

Entrants will be required to submit supporting information demonstrating how they meet the criteria. All supporting information must be submitted via the value-added forms at www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards by 25th March 2016.

On conclusion of the testing period the awards tester's data will be used to select the shortlists. This data may face independent analysis prior to selection of the finalists in each category. The number of entrants to be included in the shortlists will be determined by the ISPA Secretariat. A report will be produced by the awards tester for consideration by the panel of judges.

An independent judging panel composed of knowledgeable observers of the ISP sector will assess the nominees in the ISP Division and choose the winners in each category.

Entrants will not have access to their performance data during the monitoring process.

If it becomes apparent that an entrant is employing what may be considered dubious tactics or attempting to tamper with the monitoring procedure they will be disqualified from the awards process. Any such activity will be raised with the ISPA Council who will take any decision on disqualification. The ISPA Council's decision with respect to disqualification will be final.

The designated technical and marketing contacts must be available during the monitoring and set-up phase. Failure to assist in the process may render the entrant's registration null and void.

Best Dedicated and Shared Hosting ISP

Entrants must be an ISP or a company offering mass web site hosting to customers.

Entrants for both categories will be given a file that they will place on a server.

Best VoIP

Entrants must be an ISP or a company offering VoIP services to customers.

Entrants are required to supply a SIP account and related details to Malden Electronics

Malden Electronics will periodically perform a VoIP call over a broadband service, using the supplied SIP account, to a PSTN terminated callee. The same broadband service and PSTN terminated callee will be employed to test all VoIP services. An audio reference will be injected into the VoIP call and the performance of the audio delivery and network behaviour during the call will be measured. Specific measurements taken are as follows:

• Speech Quality Score (using ITU P.862.1 PESQ)
• Round trip
• Speech level loss
• Background noise
• Network jitter
• Network packet loss

Best Consumer, Best Business, Best Superfast & Best Wireless Broadband

Entrants for the Best Consumer Fixed Broadband category must be able to prove, on request, that a significant proportion of the service entered is specifically focused on consumer users

Entrants for the Best Business Fixed Broadband category must be able to prove, on request, that a significant proportion of the service entered is specifically focused on business users

Entrants must register their services and other requested information for the appropriate award(s) via the registration form linked to from www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards.

As part of the registration process the entrant will agree to ensure that enough speed tests over appropriate connections are carried out during the monitoring period, February 2016 to April 2016. If test volumes are low the contacts given during registration will be notified to give opportunity to encourage more testing.

The tester will run on a wide variety of devices including phones and tablets, but obviously to get the best speeds an Ethernet connected device is best, the devices as seen by the tester are recorded.

The awards tester will test broadband connections when initiated by someone visiting the tester, either ISPA specific tester or any other testers thinkbroadband provide to numerous websites. Specific measurements made are as follows:

• Downstream throughput
• Upstream throughput
• DNS lookup time
• Latency
• Buffer bloat

Best Consumer and Best Business Customer Service Awards

Entrants must register their service and other requested information for the appropriate award(s) via the registration form linked to from www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards.

Safety, Security, Hero & Villain Awards

The Safety & Security Awards will be judged by the ISPA Awards judges and an agreed partner. Entrants are required to download and submit the written entry form by 25th March 2016.

The Internet Hero and Internet Villain Awards shortlists and eventual winners will be selected by the ISPA Council.

Safety, Security, Hero & Villain Awards

The Safety & Security Awards will be judged by the ISPA Awards judges and an agreed partner. Entrants are required to download and submit the written entry form by 25th March 2016.

The Internet Hero and Internet Villain Awards shortlists and eventual winners will be selected by the ISPA Council.

Best Cloud, Best Marketing Campaign and Best CPE

The Best Cloud Product and Best Marketing Campaign shortlist and eventual winner will be determined by the ISPAs judges, using case studies as the determining factors. Entrants will be required to complete the online written entry forms by 25th March 2016.

The Best Cloud Procduct is open to any provider of cloud services.

The Best Marketing Campaign Award is open to ISPs who have undertaken a marketing campaign in the year to 7th July 2016. mar. Entrants will be required to complete the online written entry form by 25th March 2016, and include any relevant links to URLs, creative and other supporting information within.

The Best CPE Hardware Award is open to vendors who manufacture customer premises equipment that sit in consumers homes (for example routers) and will be judged by the ISPA Awards judges. Entrants are required to download and submit the written entry form by 25th March 2016.

Best Dedicated and Shared Hosting ISP

Entrants must be an ISP or a company offering mass web site hosting to customers.

Entrants for both categories will be given a file that they will place on a server.

Best VoIP

Entrants must be an ISP or a company offering VoIP services to customers.

Entrants are required to supply a SIP account and related details to Malden Electronics

Malden Electronics will periodically perform a VoIP call over a broadband service, using the supplied SIP account, to a PSTN terminated callee. The same broadband service and PSTN terminated callee will be employed to test all VoIP services. An audio reference will be injected into the VoIP call and the performance of the audio delivery and network behaviour during the call will be measured. Specific measurements taken are as follows:

• Speech Quality Score (using ITU P.862.1 PESQ)
• Round trip
• Speech level loss
• Background noise
• Network jitter
• Network packet loss

Best Tech Law Firm

This award is for law firms with a TMT practice or a telecommunications specialism and is judged by a selection of ISPA Awards judges who will decide a shortlist and a full judging panel to determine the winner. Entrants must submit a 500 word case study, taking in to account the judging criteria listed below.

Judging criteria:

• Team expertise
• Knowledge of TMT market
• Engagement with industry
• Project management skills
• Value added services and 'going the extra mile'
• Innovation in delivery of legal services
• Speed
• End result for client
• Value for money

Best Consumer, Best Business, Best Superfast & Best Wireless Broadband

Entrants for the Best Consumer Fixed Broadband category must be able to prove, on request, that a significant proportion of the service entered is specifically focused on consumer users

Entrants for the Best Business Fixed Broadband category must be able to prove, on request, that a significant proportion of the service entered is specifically focused on business users

Entrants must register their services and other requested information for the appropriate award(s) via the registration form linked to from www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards.

As part of the registration process the entrant will agree to ensure that enough speed tests over appropriate connections are carried out during the monitoring period, February 2016 to April 2016. If test volumes are low the contacts given during registration will be notified to give opportunity to encourage more testing.

The tester will run on a wide variety of devices including phones and tablets, but obviously to get the best speeds an Ethernet connected device is best, the devices as seen by the tester are recorded.

The awards tester will test broadband connections when initiated by someone visiting the tester, either ISPA specific tester or any other testers thinkbroadband provide to numerous websites. Specific measurements made are as follows:

• Downstream throughput
• Upstream throughput
• DNS lookup time
• Latency
• Buffer bloat

Best Consumer and Best Business Customer Service Awards

Entrants must register their service and other requested information for the appropriate award(s) via the registration form linked to from www.ispa.org.uk/ispa-awards.

Safety, Security, Hero & Villain Awards

The Safety & Security Awards will be judged by the ISPA Awards judges and an agreed partner. Entrants are required to download and submit the written entry form by 25th March 2016.

The Internet Hero and Internet Villain Awards shortlists and eventual winners will be selected by the ISPA Council.

Best Cloud, Best Marketing Campaign and Best CPE

The Best Cloud Product and Best Marketing Campaign shortlist and eventual winner will be determined by the ISPAs judges, using case studies as the determining factors. Entrants will be required to complete the online written entry forms by 25th March 2016.

The Best Cloud Procduct is open to any provider of cloud services.

The Best Marketing Campaign Award is open to ISPs who have undertaken a marketing campaign in the year to 7th July 2016. mar. Entrants will be required to complete the online written entry form by 25th March 2016, and include any relevant links to URLs, creative and other supporting information within.

The Best CPE Hardware Award is open to vendors who manufacture customer premises equipment that sit in consumers homes (for example routers) and will be judged by the ISPA Awards judges. Entrants are required to download and submit the written entry form by 25th March 2016.