2026 TIE Award Winners – Congratulations!

Kate McKenzie has been named the Australian Communications Ambassador for 2026.

Kate is a highly accomplished corporate leader and Non-Executive Director specialising in large-scale change management. She currently serves as the Chair of Healius Limited and an Operating Partner at Stonepeak. Her extensive governance portfolio also includes serving as a Non-Executive Director at Stockland and as the former Chair of nbn. A telecommunications and infrastructure expert, Kate previously served as CEO of Chorus NZ and spent 12 years in senior executive roles at Telstra, culminating in her tenure as Chief Operating Officer. She began her career leading major departments in the public sector, building deep expertise in regulation, corporate strategy, and corporate transformation.

Superloop • AI Chatbot “Teddy”
Teddy is Superloop’s next-gen AI assistant, designed to deliver fast, reliable, friendly support through the Superloop App. Unlike typical chatbots, Teddy can take real action: run real-time diagnostics, manage accounts, place equipment orders, process plan changes, and escalate to human agents when needed—helping customers resolve issues anytime, anywhere.

Isoton • ZMobile Embedded VMNO
ZMobile is Australia’s newest embedded mobile service – a digital-first MVNO built on Isoton’s MVNE platform and TPG’s wholesale network, delivered entirely within the Zip app. Customers select a plan, verify identity and activate eSIM in minutes – with no separate app, login or store visit required.

Telstra Foundation • Australian Youth Digital Index Initiative
Telstra’s Australian Youth Digital Index Initiative pairs rigorous research with genuine youth participation to improve outcomes for children and young people and, in doing so, strengthen Australian society. It amplifies youth voice, builds Australia’s evidence base on digital inclusion and wellbeing, and turns insight into action.

Occom • Customer Service Excellence Programme
Occom delivers reliable internet services supported by clear onboarding, multilingual customer support, extended service hours, and consistent service standards. Our customer-focused approach has resulted in strong satisfaction, positive online feedback, and recognition from independent industry organisations across Australia.

Victoria Rubensohn AM is a distinguished communications, governance, and regulatory policy expert dedicated to consumer advocacy. As Consumer Director and Deputy Chair at Communications Compliance Ltd, she has spent decades championing consumer rights across statutory agencies, media law panels, and major bodies like the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN). Her lifelong commitment to fairness and digital accessibility makes her a true consumer champion.

Ventia • SKAO Digital Infrastructure Breakthroughs
Ventia is helping the SKA Observatory deliver world‑first digital infrastructure for the SKA‑Low telescope on Wajarri Yamaji Country in Western Australia. Combining high‑capacity fibre, RFI‑shielded power and processing facilities and operating within a protected radio-quietzone, the platform enables ultra‑faint signal detection while establishing sovereign, mission‑critical capability applicable beyond astronomy.

Telstra • Dynamic 5G (Ericsson Partnership)
Telstra Dynamic 5G is Australia’s first commercial enterprise-grade network slicing service with a managed Service Level Agreement (SLA), delivered over Fixed Wireless Access. Powered by Ericsson’s network slicing technology on Telstra’s 5G Standalone network, it delivers guaranteed throughput, usage-based pricing, and real-time performance transparency — giving enterprises committed, on-demand wireless connectivity on their terms.

Optus • D2 Solar Sailing
Optus successfully demonstrates solar sailing on an operational GEO satellite — Optus D2 — using repurposed solar arrays rather than a purpose-built sail. Conducted entirely from the Belrose Space Operations Centre, this innovation offers new pathways for sustainable end-of-life spacecraft management and advances knowledge for GEO operators globally.

NetComm • Home Grown Wi-Fi 7 Solution
The NF71 Wi-Fi 7 Gateway and NS71 EasyMesh Satellite are Australia’s own next-generation whole-home broadband platform, purpose-built for the NBN network. Delivering Wi-Fi 7 speeds up to 6.4 Gbps, 2.5GE connectivity, and zero-touch ISP provisioning, the platform launched with More Telecom and Tangerine in February 2026.