Likewize, TMT First, and Vodafone Business were the major winners at the Mobile News Awards 2026, held at the London Hilton on Park Lane on March 19. The ceremony, hosted by Martin Bayfield, recognized excellence across the mobile communications industry, from device insurance and repair to network innovation and sustainability initiatives.
Likewize achieved a notable hat-trick of awards. The company was named the top Gadget & Phone Insurance Provider, won the Lifecycle Initiative category, and was recognized as the Service & Repair Provider of the year. The judging panel highlighted Likewize’s “repair-first, reuse-first” operational model and its significant impact on promoting a circular economy at a national scale.
TMT First secured two awards, winning in the Refurbishment Programme and Secondary Market Provider categories. These wins were said to reflect the company’s high operational standards and its strong partnerships within the mobile industry.
Vodafone Business also earned two major accolades. It was recognized for its AI Enabled Network Platform, specifically its TOBi platform, and in the Network category for business services. These awards underscore Vodafone’s ongoing investment in enterprise-grade solutions and artificial intelligence to enhance customer experience.
Broad Recognition Across the Industry
The awards featured over 100 entries, with winners selected by an independent panel of industry experts. Judges were drawn from various sectors of the mobile ecosystem, including retail, distribution, consultancy, and refurbishment. The scoring process was conducted via a secure platform using defined criteria, with no single judge able to determine an outcome, ensuring impartiality.
Other notable winners included Anker for Accessories Manufacturer and Global Telecom Networks for B2B Dealer. Active Digital was named the Customer Service winner for business, while The Big Phone Store won the equivalent Consumer Customer Service award.
In distribution and innovation, EGE won for Device Distributor, and SureSIM was recognized for eSIM Innovation & Deployment. Apkudo won the Innovative Product category, with Trustonic securing Innovative Service.
Retail and Connectivity Winners
The retail and network sectors saw several companies honored. Fonehouse was named Mobile Retailer of the year, while Lebara won the MVNO category. EE took the award for Network in the consumer segment.
Companies focused on device lifecycle and sustainability were prominently featured. musicMagpie was named Online Retailer, reinforcing its role in the circular economy. Back Market won as Secondary Market Facilitator, and Mazuma Mobile secured the award for Trade-In & Resale Programme.
Organizers noted that competition was particularly strong this year. The range of winners reflects broader industry trends toward sustainability, technological innovation, and an enhanced focus on customer experience at every stage of the device journey.
Future Outlook
The Mobile News Awards are expected to continue as an annual benchmark for excellence in the mobile sector. Based on this year’s entries, the industry’s trajectory points toward increased integration of artificial intelligence in network and customer service platforms, alongside a continued emphasis on circular economy models for device lifecycle management. Further details on the awards and judge commentary are available in the official winners’ publication.
Source: Mobile News Awards
