Awards (PIA) Trophy. The Winner of The Most Innovative Technology Provider category also receives a prize valued at nearly 50 thousand dollars. This category evaluates technical innovation like the other awards categories, but it specifically assesses how innovation is embraced, shared, and promoted across an entire organization – internally and externally with its suppliers, partners, and customers.

The Finalists of the Most Innovative Technology Provider category this year included CloudSmartz, Netcracker, and Promptlink Communications. At first glance, one might think that Netcracker being an awards veteran, past winner of this category, and market-share leader had this one all buttoned up, but they would be mistaken. Promptlink Communications bagged the prize by a single vote in a near tie with Netcracker. The final results are Promptlink Communications as the Winner, Netcracker as the Runner-up, and CloudSmartz as the Finalist. CloudSmartz only fell two votes behind Netcracker and resonated particularly well with the analyst judges getting as many analyst votes as Promptlink Communications and Netcracker combined.

Editor’s Choice

Another unique category to the Pipeline Innovation Awards is the Editor’s Choice category. The Editor’s Choice Winner and Runner-up are selected from a multitude of factors across all categories and contestant submissions. It also incorporates input from the category chairs, the judging panel, and Pipeline’s editorial team. But at the end of the day, it’s Editor’s Choice and this singular category provides Pipeline the exclusive opportunity to select the most innovative contestants it feels set themselves apart from the rest of the competition. This year, particular submissions from Comarch, Etiya, Promptlink Communications, MYCOM OSI, and Netcracker stood out.

Comarch submitted its mobile app featuring integrated Augmented Reality (AR) for field technicians in the Innovations in OSS category. Etiya submitted its digital twin innovation for personalized and emerging use cases in the Innovations in AI & Analytics category, and flowE for low-code, drag-and-drop digital process automation in the Innovations in Agility & Automation category. MYCOM OSI submitted its AI Ops for autonomous networks innovation in the Innovation in OSS category. Netcracker submitted notable innovations in several categories that stood out. These included a Digital BSS for digital experiences such as metaverse, generative AI, cloud gaming, and connected healthcare in the Innovations in BSS category; a multi-system data aggregation and pattern analysis for core and non-core use cases in the Innovation in AI & Data Analytics category; an Edge and SDN network management system solution in the Innovations in Network Technology category; and a no-code partner ecosystem management innovation in the Innovations in Partner Ecosystem Management category. Promptlink Communications submitted its AI solution for identifying, targeting, and eliminating network noise in hybrid, HFC networks in several categories including Most Innovative Technology Provider and Innovations in Network Technology, AI & Data Analytics, and Digital Transformation.

While the judges are not required to vote on this category, as it’s the only category exclusively voted on by Pipeline, that didn’t stop them from providing their input. The judges found that “Etiya’s customer service solution was impressive… with many innovative features and functions, but not overbuilt.” The Esteemed Judges Panel also found that Netcracker submissions demonstrated compelling “innovation across a number of areas with components fitting into a broader portfolio.” We agreed, and had our work cut out for us. While all of Netcracker’s submissions were truly innovative in their own right – as were all the Finalists in each category – we felt they were properly recognized in those respective categories. Further, we felt strongly that MYCOM’s use of AI for autonomous networks, and Etiya’s application for digital twins for emerging use cases set them apart. Going a little against the grain, Pipeline selectedMYCOM OSI as the Winner, Etiya as the Runner-up, and Netcracker, Promptlink Communications, and Comarch as Finalists – which is notable in its own right.

Innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Data Analytics

The Innovation in AI & Data Analytics category showed the most significant leap forward this year with many companies embracing real-world use cases for Artificial Intelligence (AI). In fact, it was one of the most hotly contested categories with nearly 10 Semi-finalists, and from which the Finalists included CloudSmartz, Etiya, Netcracker, and Subex. Subex submitted its AI-first fraud management system for SIM box fraud detection and prevention, a powerful tool that uses an advanced AI engine to enable companies to combat fraud and security risks. CloudSmartz’s submitted its Acumen360™, a digital marketplace and customer experience platform that enables enterprise self-service and automates many OSS functions, Etiya submitted its Digital Twin Engine. Netcracker showcased its Data Analytics Platform. In the end, Subex edged out the win by a couple of analyst votes, making Etiya the runner-up. Notably, both had an equal number of service provider votes, underscoring the difficult decisions our judges must make each year and the minute difference between final placements in the awards program.

Innovations in Agility & Automation

The Agility & Automation category featured many innovations and, like the Innovation in AI category, included a robust group of highly competitive Semi-finalists. The selection included CloudSmartz, Etiya, and Netcracker. CloudSmartz submitted its aforementioned comprehensive Acumen360™ platform, Etiya entered the previously mentioned flowE digital process automation innovation, and Netcracker submitted its Intelligent Automation solution, mentioned above in Editor’s Choice, that enables advanced OSS automation to enable autonomous networks.

The judges found Netracker’s technology the most innovative, securing the Winner placement with the most CSP votes with several analysts jumping on board as well. Etiya resonated evenly among the CSP and analyst judges but fell just a couple of votes short of the top spot, making it the Runner-up, and CloudSmartz also garnered notable votes from the Esteemed Judging Panel securing the Finalist position in this category.

Innovations in IoT & Connected Devices

In the Innovations in IoT & Connected Device category, Comarch, Incognito, and Intraway submitted compelling solutions and placed as finalists. Comarch submitted its IoT Connect innovation and Industry 4.0 and Healthcare add-ons. Incognito submitted its DX (digital experience) solution for smart home service delivery and standards-based automation for in-home device management. Intraway submitted Symphonica, its flexible orchestration engine that manages complex orchestration processes, supporting high-volume transactions efficiently with zero-touch service order management and open APIs.