Smart Communications, Inc. (SMART) bagged three of 11 awards in this week's annual Mobile Asia Congress of the global trade group for the mobile industry, the GSM Association (GSMA), in Hong Kong.

SMART’s winning entries were: Smart Money’s expanded mobile-based security feature for online purchases under the Best Mobile Money Service category; SMART Islands Activation Program (IAP) under the Mobile Money for the Unbanked Award category; and the AXE on Phone campaign, in partnership with Unilever, under the Best Mobile Advertising or Marketing category.

The entries won in the field of over 100 submissions from mobile phone operators all over Asia. They have been automatically shortlisted for the Global Mobile Awards, which will be held during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain in 2010.

“This is unprecedented (for the GSMA), that one company has won three awards in one night,” remarked Rob Conway, Chairman and CEO of the GSMA.

“These awards show that the Philippines has an innovative and vibrant telecommunications industry that continues to provide its customers with ground-breaking products and services,” stressed Napoleon L.Nazareno, President and CEO of SMART.

“As we embed Smart Money into the web experience with our Mobile-based Online Security Feature, our Islands Activation program reaches deep into the grassroots and impact people's lives,” according to Orlando B. Vea, SMART Chief Wireless Advisor.

“The AXE on Phone campaign shows our leadership in developing a new marketing space that will be a source of revenues in the future," he added.

The Smart Island Activations Program provides remote, underserved island communities with mobile money transfer services. This was piloted in Polillo Island, Quezon province which was cut off from financial services when the only rural bank on the island and the telegraphic transfer office closed shop in 2008.