Celebrating Asia's telecom champions

Malaysian group Axiata and Japan's Softbank Mobile have taken the biggest prizes in this year's Telecom Asia Awards.

Axiata, the regional mobile group that demerged Telekom Malaysia in 2008, won honors in three sections.

CEO Jamaludin Ibrahim was voted Telecom CEO of the Year for the company's strong financial performance and for leading its successful IPO.

Axiata also won the inaugural Best Regional Mobile Group category, which recognizes carriers operating businesses in multiple markets, while Malaysian mobile subsidiary Celcom took out the Best Mobile Carrier award. It continues a good run for Axiata, whose Indonesian arm XL last year won the Best Mobile category.

Softbank Mobile, a division of internet, media and telecom giant Softbank Group, won the trophy of Best Asian Telecom Carrier for having "changed the rules" of Japan's wireless market.

Executives from region were presented with their trophies in a ceremony at the Capella Resort in Singapore on April 20.

The prizewinners included some familiar names. BT Asia-Pacific won Best Managed Services Provider for the fourth time in five years, while Apple nailed its second successive award, winning the Most Disruptive Technology prize for the iPhone and ecosystem.

Three Hong Kong carriers took home trophies: Hong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN) claimed the Fixed-Line and Broadband Award for its fast-growing broadband service, HGC was voted Best International Wholesale Carrier and PCCW took out Best Content Strategy.

In other categories, SK Telecom claimed the Best Converged Services while Indian mobile startup Tata DOCOMO was named Best Emerging Markets Carrier.

Winners' list: