The inaugural NXTcomm Eos Awards were a resounding success that reflects the wide range of communications technologies and services on display at the show. Close to 200 companies registered to take part in the program, which presented awards in 12 different categoriesXthe largest number of awards ever presented at a TIA USTelecom-sponsored show.
Awards were presented to service providers and vendors in traditional categories such as backbone, wireless and network infrastructure and services, along with optical, access and application layer technologies. Additional categories for home networking, content delivery and management, and IPTV, among others, were added this year to address NXTcomm's expanding connection to entertainment services and technologies.
The range of nominees was wider than ever as the program drew interest from large and small companies in Asia, Europe, South America and the U.S. The winners and finalists were drawn from multinational communications groups such as Microsoft and Motorola, and emerging players such as Greenfield Communications and Multi-Tech Systems.
The award categories were broken down into three groupings. The Network Design and Services Group is reserved for service providers and includes awards for Backbone/Core, Wireless and Mobile Services, and Network Infrastructure. The Technology Innovation Group is directed at vendors and includes seven award categories: Backbone/Edge, Optical Networking, Application Layer, Access Networking, Wireless/Mobile Technologies, Home Networking and Content Delivery and Management. The Special Categories Group was open to both service providers and vendors and presents awards for Strategic Support and Ongoing Achievement.
The awards program was supported by mBLAST, a provider of media and marketing relationship software. By leveraging mBLAST's awards platform, the nomination and judging processes were conducted entirely online.
Judging was conducted by 16 analysts and journalists over a three-week period in May. It involved three rounds of review and commentary before winners and finalists were chosen.
| Backbone/Core Winner |
Procure Networks Inc. for PacketLogic PL9200; runner-up: Tekelec for TekCore Session Manager |
| Application/Layer Winner |
MRV Communications Inc. for OptiSwitch 930 10GE; runner-up: Ciena Corp. for FlexSelect 40G Shelf/Ciena's CoreStream Agility Optical Transport System |
| Access Networking Winner |
RadiSys Corp. for the RadiSys Convedia Media Server; runner-up: Convergin Inc. for the Accolade WCS Platform |
| Access Networking Winner |
Motorola for Motorola wi4 WiMAX Flexible Access Point System; runner-up: Axerra Networks for the AXN10-8NR Pseudo-Wire Access Device |
| Wireless/Mobile Technologies Winner |
Multi-Tech Systems for Call Finder GSM/CDMA; runner-up: Strix Systems for Access/One Network Edge Wireless System 150 |
| Home Networking Winner |
Ruckus Wireless for the Ruckus MetroFlex Dual Zone System; runner-up: Entropic Communications for c. Link |
| Content Delivery and Management Winner |
Redback Networks for SmartEdge 1200; runner-up: Kasenna Inc. for PortalTV |
