MEF, the driving force enabling assured services across automated networks, today announced Finalists for the 2018 MEF Awards, which recognize service, application, technology, and professional excellence and innovation.

 MEF’s awards program is the largest in the world focused on emerging dynamic network services powered by LSO (Lifecycle Service Orchestration), SDN, NFV, SD-WAN, and Carrier Ethernet technologies.

Award Winners will be revealed at the MEF18 global networking event, held 29 October – 2 November 2018 at the JW Marriott LA LIVE Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Finalists and Winners will be celebrated during the MEF Awards Gala Dinner, 7:30pm – 10:00pm on 30 October, except for the Proof of Concept Winners who will be announced on the evening of 31 October. 

Register here for MEF18 and the Awards Dinner.

“We are pleased to congratulate more than 30 companies for being chosen as 2018 Awards Finalists,” said Nan Chen, President, MEF. “We appreciate the diligent work of the dozens of companies who made submissions for this year’s program, and we look forward to recognizing the standout service and technology leaders at MEF18.”

Judges for the 2018 MEF Awards include global and regional senior analysts from ACG Research, ATLANTIC-ACM, Battle Green Research, Dell’Oro, Frost & Sullivan, Futuriom, IHS Markit, Ovum, and Vertical Systems, along with independent judges.

Service Provider Awards Finalists recognize leadership in the delivery of global, regional, retail, and wholesale services, as well as excellence in network and service innovation, SD-WAN managed services, LSO, and marketing.

AT&T

CenturyLink

Colt Technology Services

Comcast Business

 Fujitsu Network Communications

Liquid Telecom

Marcatel

Orange Business Services

PCCW Global

PLDT

PT. Aplikanusa Lintasarta

Sparkle

Spectrum Enterprise

Tata Communications

Ufinet

Verizon

Verizon Partner Solutions

Enterprise Application Awards Finalists recognize the most innovative use of MEF 3.0 / Carrier Ethernet services to meet application requirements of industry verticals, including finance, health, education, government, sports and entertainment, media, retail, and other categories.

AT&T

CenturyLink

Colt Technology Services

Comcast Business

PLDT

Spectrum Enterprise

Tata Communications

Technology Solutions Awards Finalists recognize leadership in LSO, service automation, service assurance, service analytics, SD-WAN, Carrier Ethernet/IP, NFV, optical, and multi-vendor technology solutions. This year, we also will recognize a technology provider of the year.

Accedian

Amdocs

CENX

Ciena

ECI Telecom

EXFO

Fortinet

Infinera

Juniper Networks

NEC/Netcracker

Nokia/Nuage

NoviFlow

RAD

Silver Peak

Versa Networks

Proof of Concept Awards recognize the MEF18 Proof of Concept (PoC) demonstrations that best showcase the ability to orchestrate dynamic and assured services across automated, virtualized, and interconnected networks in accordance with the MEF 3.0 framework. More than 50 companies are participating in 19 PoCs this year.

A special PoC Awards ceremony in the MEF18 Networking Hall during the evening of 31 October will recognize Gold, Silver, and Bronze PoC Award Winners as well as the Winner of the 2018 MEF 3.0 Implementation Project Award.

Professional Awards recognize individuals who have exhibited professional excellence and advanced the work of MEF and the development of MEF 3.0 solutions. The three Awards in this category include Industry Executive of the Year, MEF Distinguished Fellow and the Certified Professional