Mobiqa and mBlox were among the winners when the results of the 4th annual Global Messaging Awards were announced earlier this week in Monte Carlo by 160 Characters, the mobile messaging forum, in association with Informas Global Messaging Congress.
Over 90 submissions were received from messaging providers and organisations across 15 countries, including Russia, Australia, South Africa and India. The awards have been designed to mark the outstanding contribution and innovation that messaging companies have made this year in the global SMS, MMS, IM, email and voice messaging industries.
The submissions were judged by a panel including Mike Grenville, Chairman and Founder of 160 Characters, the mobile messaging forum; Mike Short, Chairman of the Mobile Data Association and VP or Research and Development at O2; and Pamela Clark-Dickinson, Editor of Mobile Messaging Analyst, published by Informa Telecoms and Media.
The winners were as follows:
User Experience awarded for the device or software that makes mobile messaging easier: Easy Setup Visto, Visto Mobile, US.
Messaging Infrastructure or Platform -awarded to the product that has enhanced the existing messaging network by providing greater capacity, security, reliability or adds an additional application: Open Source Synchronisation Platform, Funambol, US.
Messaging Application or Service: Business – judges looked for innovative and practical ways that enterprises have made the best use of mobile messaging in their business using this application: Chiltern Railways Mobile Train Tickets, Mobiqa, UK.
Messaging Application or Service: Consumer – awarded to the company with the product or service that has best stimulated consumers to use mobile messaging: Acision Message Plus, LogicaCMG/Acision Netherlands.
Messaging Application or Service: Public Sector/not for profit – awarded to the organisation that has used mobile messaging to the best effect by providing an effective information or feedback service, alerts or awareness campaign: 888 Municipality Channel- Mobile Democracy Platform, Turkcell, Turkey.
Innovation in Messaging – for this category the judges were looking for what is new and in their opinion looks as though it has potential to make a difference: Spin-my-Blog SpinVox UK and mBlox Inc and Monitis, UK.
There is renewed life in the messaging industry at Global Messaging this year said Granville. Messaging continues to evolve in step with advances in technology, new messaging formats and a deeper understanding of the user experience. Taken together, these advances allow messaging companies to create and innovate, bringing new applications and services to market. More then this, messaging is providing organisations in the not for profit sector with the tools to reach out and communicate with their audiences in new and effective ways. The Global Messaging Awards is the only award ceremony that celebrates this innovation and once again, this years entrants have raised the bar.
The Messaging Awards were not the only gongs handed out in Monte Carlo this week. The Mobile Entertainment Forum also dished out the Meffys at its annual bash there. Winners of these were as follows:
The Games Award: Gameloft for Miami Nights, Singles in the City.
The Music Service Service Award: Omnifone for MusicStation.
The Artist Campaign Award: Parlophone/New Visions for the Lily Allen Mobile Site. 
The TV & Video Service Award: QUALCOMM for its MediaFLO System.
The Technology Innovation Award: Alltel Wireless for Celltop.
The Content Award: Endemol Digital Media for Get Close toSugababes.
The Innovative Business Model Award: AdMob for the AdMob Marketplace.
The Communities & UGC Award: Loop Mobile for MOKO.
The Search & Discovery Award: MCN for the DoCoMo D903i FM Radio Search.
The Marketing Campaign Award: Hungama Mobile for the Hutch & Casino Royale Campaign.
The Handset Application Award: ShoZu.
The Entertainment Handset Award: Nokia for the N95.
The Operator Award: Telenor Norway.
