Small Cell Forum opens 2026 Mobile Network Awards entries
Small Cell Forum has opened entries for its Mobile Network Awards 2026, with winners set to be announced at the Small Cells World Summit in London.
The industry body said it has updated the award categories this year to reflect newer areas of the wireless connectivity market, including AI, cloudification and Open RAN. It has also reinstated a Judge's Choice award.
Small Cell Forum runs the awards as a peer-reviewed programme. It said the awards cover technical innovation and commercial success across mobile network design, deployment and operations.
"The SCF Mobile Network Awards are an opportunity to recognize tangible advances in how mobile networks are being designed, deployed, and operated across a wide range of use cases. We are looking forward to seeing entries that demonstrate real advances in connectivity, from established players and from newer entrants to the ecosystem," said Dr. Prabhakar Chitrapu, SCF Chair, Small Cell Forum.
Judging panel
Small Cell Forum said an expert judging panel will assess the submissions. It named Caroline Gabriel, SCF Content Director and an industry analyst, as a panellist. It also named Simon Saunders, an industry expert and a fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
The judging panel includes Monica Paolini, Founder and Analyst at Senza Fili. It also includes Sue Rudd, Analyst and Director at B-Band Communications. The panel also includes Keith Dyer, Editor and Founder of The Mobile Network.
Categories updated
Small Cell Forum said entrants can submit into one or more of six open categories. It did not detail the individual categories in its announcement, but it said it updated them this year to cover AI, cloudification and Open RAN as part of broader change in the wireless sector.
The return of the Judge's Choice award adds a discretionary element alongside category prizes. Small Cell Forum did not set out how it will apply that award, beyond stating it will be part of the 2026 programme.
Who can enter
The awards are open across the industry and are not limited to Small Cell Forum members, according to the organisation. It said it typically receives entries from mobile network operators, neutral hosts and private network operators.
It also cited participation from suppliers across the technology stack, including software, hardware and chipset vendors. That structure mirrors current procurement and deployment models in mobile and private wireless, where multiple vendors often contribute to a single deployment.
Previous winners
Small Cell Forum pointed to past winners from large companies as well as smaller firms and collaborations. It cited the 2025 Judges' Award winners: Shared Access, GiveVision, Airspan Networks, Neutroon and Druid Software.
The organisations received recognition for an initiative called Vision Reimagined - Empowering Sight Loss Fans with 5G Connectivity. Small Cell Forum described that project as a stand-out collaboration in the prior awards programme.
Timetable
Small Cell Forum said entries will close on 3 April 2026. It plans to announce the winners during the Small Cells World Summit in London.
The Mobile Network Awards sit within a broader set of industry initiatives around small cells, neutral host infrastructure and private mobile networks. Small Cell Forum positions itself as a global trade organisation focused on sustainable digital transformation in industry, enterprise and communities.