Excellence Awards

Excellence in transformation with ODA​

For delivering measurable business impact, efficiency, agility, and business velocity by deploying ODA and AI at scale.

Excellence in customer & developer experience

For achieving breakthrough improvements in customer and developer experience, enabled by ODA and AI.

Excellence in people, profit and planet​

For delivering innovation that drives economic performance while making positive social and environmental impact, aligned with the 3P’s.

Excellence in AI & data for business impact​

For creating significant business value through AI and data innovation – from agentic AI and LLMs to new approaches in intelligent operations and services.

Excellence in composable ecosystems for new revenues​

For pioneering new business models and revenue streams by harnessing composable IT and ecosystem innovation.

Excellence in autonomous networks

For advancing network autonomy to unlock operational resilience, self-healing capabilities, and intelligent service innovation.

Excellence in regional impact​

For outstanding innovation and transformation that creates a demonstrable regional impact. All entries to other categories will be considered for this award. No resubmission is required.

Nomination Process

The online entry form opens on 6th October 2025.

Submit your nomination before 16th January 2026 in one of the six award categories.

For tips on submitting a winning entry Download the nomination guide

We only accept entries via the electronic submission form, but you may optionally also upload a maximum of five PowerPoint slides including infographics and supporting materials.

Suppliers / solution providers must enter jointly with an end customer, who must be willing to be named publicly. However, CSP internal projects (where the supplier is the same organization as the end customer) may be accepted in appropriate categories. Confirmation of the customer’s agreement to be named publicly must be provided by 6th February 2026.

Multiple entries may be submitted for consideration but we will only select one entry per category from the same submitting company, so it is in your interest to submit only your strongest entry for consideration.

Selection of Nominees and Finalists

High-quality entries from each of the award categories will be announced as official Nominees on 13th February 2026.

The top–scoring Nominees in each of the categories will be declared by the judges as Finalists on 27th March 2026.

Finalists will then be encouraged to submit a short (max 5 minute) video with further details of your project; this will be optional, but videos submitted before 24th April 2026 will be included in the evaluation and will be featured on the Excellence Awards website.

Winners will be announced at DTW Ignite in June 2026 and will be invited to work with TM Forum on a written case study for publication on our website.

Judging Process & Criteria

An independent panel of experts will judge the entries in each category, based on the following criteria:

1. Significance of the challenge addressed
2. Innovation
3. Impact
4. Scale
5. Use of ODA and contribution of learnings back to the industry

Hints and tips for a good submission

The Judges will be looking for:

• Real-world deployments – not proof-of-concept studies or pilots
• Real KPIs showing business benefits that can be tangibly linked to the project – no need to go overboard; loads of exaggerated and spurious benefits are less convincing than a few credible ones
• Evidence that TM Forum assets were used effectively – these are TM Forum Excellence Awards so we’re looking for a solid link to TM Forum’s work programs
• Something different from what everyone else has already done before – emphasize novel approaches, use of new technologies (or use of old technologies in new ways), innovative ways of working…
• Potential for reuse elsewhere – what can the rest of the industry learn from the success of this project?

KEY dates

• October 6 2025: Entry forms open
• January 16, 2026: Deadline for all entries
• February 13, 2026: Nominees announced
• March 27, 2026: Finalists announced
• April 24, 2026: Deadline for finalist video submission

Winners will be announced during DTW Ignite in June 2026.

Entrant Checklist

We’re here to help you get your Excellence Award entries completed! Consider these tips and check off each item as you complete it to keep on top of your progress.

The basics:

• Track projects throughout the year, not just at awards time
• Read the process and judging criteria for the categories you’d like to enter
• Read the hints and tips for a good submission here
• Provide high quality .jpg and vector versions of your company logo with your entry

Logistical requirements for Finalists:

• Provide name and contact details for a Senior Executive attending the event, who will accept the award on your company’s behalf, should your entry win.
• Provide a public relations contact – should your entry win, this individual will be sent a photo from the Excellence Awards ceremony with the winner receiving the award, winner graphic, etc.

If you have any questions on the online entry system, please do not hesitate to contact [email protected].

FAQ

What’s the history of the Awards? Since 2007, TM Forum’s Awards have recognized the world’s leading companies for their innovative achievements.

What are the benefits of entering the Awards? There are a number of benefits to being acknowledged as a Nominee, Finalist or Winner of the TM Forum Excellence Awards. All qualified entries will be featured on the TM Forum Excellence Award webpage and the DTW Ignite website, along with other digital channels including press releases, TM Forum newsletters and TM Forum’s news channels.

Do I need to be a Member to enter the Awards? Submitting companies and customers must be TM Forum Members. To confirm that your company is a TM Forum Member, please see the Member list here.

How do I enter the Awards? Entries must be submitted via the online form. Each entrant will need to create a profile. Once your profile has been created, the Submission tab will appear at the top of the entry form homepage.

Will I be sent an acknowledgment and/or receipt for my entry? Once you have completed your entry form(s), you will receive confirmation via e-mail. Please e-mail [email protected] if you have any questions concerning your entry.

How are the Nominees per category chosen? Entries are initially assessed based on the judging criteria, and high-quality entries are declared official Nominees. Please note that a maximum of one entry per submitting company will be nominated in each category, with the exception of the Regional Impact category.

Can I submit multiple entries?   Multiple entries may be submitted for consideration, but we will only select one entry per company per category as Nominees. Only customer companies may be submitted more than once per category. It is in your interest to collaborate across your organization to ensure you select the best entry per category for your company.

Does the submission need to demonstrate use of TM Forum standards? The judges will specifically look for use of TM Forum’s Open Digital Architecture assets (i.e. standards and best practices developed by our collaboration projects), and/or evidence that TM Forum resources and activities such as research, Catalysts and communities were used to assist the project.

Hints and tips for a good submission? The Judges will be looking for:

• Real-world deployments – not proof-of-concept studies or pilots
• Real KPIs showing business benefits that can be tangibly linked to the project – no need to go overboard; loads of exaggerated and spurious benefits are less convincing than a few credible ones
• Evidence that TM Forum assets were used effectively – these are TM Forum Excellence Awards so we’re looking for a solid link to TM Forum’s work programs
• Something different from what everyone else has already done before – emphasize novel approaches, use of new technologies (or use of old technologies in new ways), innovative ways of working…
• Potential for reuse elsewhere – what can the rest of the industry learn from the success of this project?

Will TM Forum write case studies for all the Finalists? Finalists will be encouraged to submit a short (max 5 minute) video with further details of their project; this will be optional, but videos submitted before 24th April 2026 will be included in the evaluation and will be featured on the Excellence Awards website. Winners will also be invited to work with TM Forum on case studies for publication on our website. 

Must I name the end customer for my project submission? Yes. Suppliers / solution providers must enter jointly with an end customer, who must be willing to be named publicly. Confirmation of the customer’s agreement to be named publicly must be provided by 3rd February 2026, before the Nominees are announced. All parties that are named in the award submission MUST agree to be featured publicly in announcements of Nominees and Finalists and Winners. Internal projects (where the supplier is the same organization as the end customer) may be accepted in appropriate categories.

When are the Finalists chosen? Finalists will be announced on 27th March 2026.

Who decides the winners? The finalists and winners in all categories will be decided by an impartial group of expert judges. The decision of the judges is final. No discussion will be entered into regarding the selection process or final decisions.

Who are the judges? Judges comprising senior industry executives from around the world assess the entries based on material submitted and determine the winners of each award.

How does the judging process work? Details of the judging panel meetings will not be disclosed. Information regarding the participating judges will not be released until the Award ceremony takes place during DTW Ignite.

How will the awards be promoted? Award winners will be presented their award during DTW Ignite. Company logos will be prominently displayed. TM Forum will issue a press release naming the winners and winners are encouraged to do the same.

When and where does the Awards Ceremony take place? The TM Forum Excellence Awards 2026 winners will be announced during DTW Ignite.

What is the Entry Fee? There is no entry fee.

If I have any further questions regarding entering the Awards, who can I contact? Please contact [email protected] with any questions you may have regarding the Awards.

Why should you enter?

INCREASE your individual and company profile with a globally recognized award

VALIDATE your success with a truly independent award voted by panel of recognized experts

SHOWCASE your achievements to the industry

PROMOTE your success throughout the year after the event and generate positive PR

NETWORK with the industry’s top executives and gain new business and contacts at the DTW Ignite flagship event

BENEFIT from award coverage through TM Forum newsletters, social media posts, tmforum.org and leading industry press