A Suffolk and Norfolk technology company has been recognised on the national stage after winning the Digital Inclusion Award at the AbilityNet Tech4Good Awards 2026.
Phonely, which has offices in Lowestoft and Norwich, has won the Digital Inclusion Award at this year’s AbilityNet Tech4Good Awards, recognising its work helping older people stay connected and protected as the UK transitions from traditional analogue phone lines to digital landlines.
The annual awards celebrate organisations using technology to improve people’s lives, with winners selected for the positive impact they make on society.
In announcing Phonely as the winner, AbilityNet praised the company’s service for “combining simple access with real protection”, recognising how it helps older people and others who may be more vulnerable to fraud or less confident using digital technology. The judges also highlighted how Phonely continually strengthens its protection using thousands of scam reports submitted by members of the public.
Today, Phonely supports more than 8,000 households across the UK, helping customers keep their existing home phone and number while benefiting from modern scam protection features including automatic call blocking, call screening and trusted contact support.
The award comes as millions of households continue preparing for the UK’s move to digital landlines, a change that many older people have found confusing or worrying.
Bryn Thompson, Director at Phonely, said:
“Winning this award is an incredibly proud moment for everyone at Phonely. It’s especially meaningful because it recognises the difference we’re making to people’s lives, not simply the technology we’ve developed.
“From our offices in Lowestoft and Norwich, our team works every day to make digital landlines easier to understand, safer to use and more accessible for everyone. Whether we’re helping someone keep the phone they’ve had for years or protecting them from increasingly sophisticated scam calls, our focus has always been on giving people confidence.
“To have that recognised by AbilityNet is a huge honour. This award belongs to every member of the Phonely team and reflects the passion and care they put into supporting our customers every single day.”
The Digital Inclusion Award was sponsored by BT Group and presented during the awards ceremony at IBM’s London offices.
The event brought together charities, technology companies and accessibility organisations from across the UK to celebrate innovations improving people’s lives through technology.
For the Phonely team, the award is independent recognition that technology can improve lives when it’s designed around people’s needs. As the UK’s transition to digital landlines continues, Phonely says it remains focused on ensuring every customer can make the change with confidence, without compromising on safety or accessibility.