These guidelines are to state the purpose and details of the awards, the process of application, and an approximate timeline for the award cycle. It is very important that you read through the guidelines carefully to ensure an eligible application.

Purpose

The GTI Awards program aims to acknowledge achievements and success of industry players in 5G/5G-A×AI development across a wide range of market segments.

In the year of 2025, GTI mainly focused on areas of 5G Technology and Product, 5G Enterprise Network Solutions (5G ENS), and GTI 5G-A×AI Development. Therefore, GTI Awards 2026 intends to recognize outstanding contributions in these areas and encourage the development of innovative technologies, products, solutions and applications that address key challenges faced by GTI operators, and honorable contribution to the industry and the GTI.

Categories, Eligibility and Criteria

GTI Awards 2026 has Five categories: Innovative Technology Breakthrough Award, Innovative Product and Solution Award, Mobile AI Application Award, Market Development Award, and Honorary Award.

- Category 1: Innovative Technology Breakthrough Award

This award is for operators and vendors providing innovative technological breakthroughs in 5G/5G-A, as well as in the integration of 5G/5G-A with AI, across network infrastructure, devices, chipsets, modules, and test systems that support 5G commercialization and 5G-A evolution. To be eligible for this award, technologies must have been commercially launched, or will be launched or unveiled specifically before or at the GTI Summit on March 3rd, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.

Innovative Technology Breakthrough Award entries are judged on aspects including innovativeness, advantages, as well as sustainability, impact and leverage of technology.

For detailed description of the criteria, please refer to the attached “Annex A-GTI Awards 2026 Application Form for Category 1- Innovative Technology Breakthrough Award”.

- Category 2: Innovative Product and Solution Award

This award is for operators and vendors providing innovative 5G/5G-A products and solutions, as well as AI-integrated 5G/5G-A offerings, enabled by 5G commercialization and 5G-A evolution technologies for consumers and verticals. To be eligible for this award, products and solutions must have been implemented in trial or commercially launched before or at the GTI Summit on March 3rd, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.

Innovative Product and Solution Award entries are judged on aspects including innovativeness, advantages, sustainability and potentiality.

For detailed description of the criteria, please refer to the attached “Annex B-GTI Awards 2026 Application Form for Category 2- Innovative Product and Solution Award”.

- Category 3: Mobile AI Application Award

This award is for operators and vendors providing 5G/5G-A and AI-integrated applications and use cases enabled by 5G commercialization and 5G-A evolution technologies for consumers and verticals. To be eligible for this award, applications and use cases must have been implemented in trial or commercially launched before or at the GTI Summit on March 3rd, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.

Mobile AI Application Award entries are judged on aspects including innovativeness, economic and social value, as well as its scalability and sustainability.

For detailed description of the criteria, please refer to the attached “Annex C-GTI Awards 2026 Application Form for Category 3-Mobile AI Application Award”.

- Category 4: Market Development Award

This award is for operators and vendors that make outstanding contributions to 5G commercialization, 5G-A evolution, best practices and business models in 5G/5G-A and AI-integrated 5G/5G-A, which bring market values and corporate benefits in verticals. To be eligible for this award, commercial use cases, practices, business models must have been commercially launched, or will be launched or unveiled specifically before or at the GTI Summit on March 3rd, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.

Market Development Award entries are judged on aspects including contribution to the industry ecosystem, business and monetization models, as well as market penetration and commercialization effectiveness.

For detailed description of the criteria, please refer to the attached “Annex D-GTI Awards 2026 Application Form for Category 4- Market Development Award”.

- Category 5: Honorary Award

This award is for the individuals, groups and companies whose technical or marketing efforts have brought significant credit to 5G commercialization, 5G-A evolution and AI-integrated 5G/5G-A, such as giving presentations, leading/participating/supporting GTI work. Only GTI operators and partner members are eligible for this award. Deadline for approved membership status is set to December 31st, 2025.

Honorary Award entries acknowledge the company, group or individual who has made significant contribution and held a major leadership role in 5G commercialization, 5G-A evolution and AI-integrated 5G/5G-A, marketing promotion and the GTI work in 2025 either regionally or globally.

For detailed description of the criteria, please refer to the attached “Annex E-GTI Awards 2026 Application Form for Category 5-Honorary Award”.

Process of Application and Timelines

GTI Awards program has an open application process:

1. GTI Secretariat announces the GTI Awards 2026 open for application.

2. Applicants complete the application form, and return it to the GTI Secretariat (admin@gtigroup.org) before the deadline: December 19th, 2025. Other supporting materials may also be attached with the application form.

3. GTI Secretariat assesses the applications based on the criteria and makes a recommendation report to GTI Steering Committee for approval.

4. GTI Awards will be unveiled at GTI Night during MWC Barcelona 2026.

For detailed description of the criteria, please Click Here to download the GTI Awards 2026 Application Form for Category 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and submit it to GTI Secretariat (admin@gtigroup.org).

Click Here to review GTI Awards 2025.

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