2012 AfricaCom Awards shortlist announced

Conference manager and head of product innovation at Informa Telecoms & Media, Emily Martyr commented that competition was fierce this year with a record number of entries, up 60% on last year, which itself was a bumper year.

"The quality and number of entries into these awards is testament to the importance of this sector across Africa" she says.

South African judge, Bradley Shaw, editor of Africa Telecoms magazine, added that "the tech economy and digi-sphere on the African continent is an exciting space to play in. All of this year's entries were outstanding and it has been a difficult task to select only a few per category."

The shortlists are:

Best Network Improvement

Airtel Nigeria - Airtel Nigeria
Helios Towers Africa - Shared Telecoms Infrastructure
Liquid Telecom - FTTH in Zimbabwe
Orange Group - Orange Cote d'Ivoire
Orange Group - Internet for All
ZTE - Network & Services

Most Innovative Service

Afrique Telecom - VSAT Services
BWired - Open Access Fibre Based ICT Network
Comviva - Airtel MVAS
Econet Wireless - EcoCash
Emerging Market Communications (EMC)
Intersec - Loyalty Management Suite
Orange Group - Deezer
Orange Group - Internet for All
Safaricom - M-PESA Retail Distribution Service
Spice VAS Africa - Music Scorer

Best Quality User Experience - sponsored by MTN
Airtel - Airtel MVAS
Orange Group - Enhanced Mobile Browser
Orange Group - Orange Voices
Prezence Digital - Ster Kinekor Smart-Phone App
Sicap - Mobile Money ATM
Safaricom - USSD Self Service Internet Kiosk

Best Cost Efficiency Initiative

ACME / Reime - Energy Management Unit
AfriGIS - Census Progress Watch
Airtel Nigeria - Airtel Nigeria
Conduct Telecom - Last Mile Open Access Fibre Optic Infrastructure
IHS - Cost Efficiency Technology
Orange Group - Low Cost WiFi Hotspots
Safaricom Business - Safaricom Business
ZTE - ZTE Solution

Rural Telecoms Award

Gateway Communication - Mauritius Island Connectivity through CellDirect
Orange Group - Internet for All
Rorotika - SIM Swap
Safaricom - Webbox & USSD Internet Self-Service
Orange Group - Birth Registration
Viettel - Movitel Rural Network

Best Backhaul Solution for Africa

BWired - High Speed Fibre Based Network
Comtech EF Data - Mobile Mackhaul Solution
Dark Fibre Africa - Open Access Infrastructure Provider
Isotel Telecom - Benin Backhaul Network

Best Marketing Campaign

Etisalat Misr - Etisalat Misr Marketing
Mobitainment - Monsta Pops Mega Music Giveaway
MTC - NetMan 4G
Orange Group - Deezer
Prezence Digital - #Mandelastory
Warid Telecom - Kiyitridde

Best Smart-Device for Africa - sponsored by Gateway
Etisalat Misr - Smart Device
Orange Group - Internet on TV

Best Pan African Initiative

AFRINIC - AFRINIC
Gateway Communications - SADC Terrestrial Rollout
Helios Towers Africa - Infrastructure Sharing Energy Storage System
Sky Vision - Skyvision
Orange Group - West African Cluster Architecture
WIOCC - Seamless, High-Capacity International Connectivity Ring around Africa

The 2012 Mobile Data and Social Media Award

biNu - biNu Social Content Platform
Bozza Mobile - The Bozza.mobi App
Eskimi - Eskimi Mobile Social Network
Motribe - Motribe Mobile Social Networks
Mxit - Mxit
Prezence Digital - #Mandelastory

Industry Personality of the Year

Adiel Akplogan, AFRINIC
Alan Knott-Craig, Cell C
Andile Ngcaba, Convergence Partners
Karel Pienaar, MTN
Ben Sira, Sky Vision
Cheikh Tidiane Mbaye, Orange Group

Changing Lives Award - sponsored by Comviva

Etisalat Misr - CSR Initiative 'Origin'
Orange Group - Mobile Birth Declaration
Orange Group - Tele Diagnostics
Praekelt Foundation - YoungAfricaLive
Safaricom - DAKTARI-1525
Safaricom - Safaricom Business KimMNCHip Project

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on 14 November 2012.

For more, go to www.africacomawards.com