Home Secretary David Blunkett seen as internet villain

The awards - the net industry's equivalent of the Brits - recognise the work of internet service providers and related organisations.

The Home Office was regarded by the judges as a worthy winner because of its confused and often contradictory policies on internet snooping laws, including the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security (ATCS) Act and continued delays associated with the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA).

The Internet Hero award went to Richard Allan, Liberal MP for Sheffield Hallam, who along with fellow members of the All Party Internet group led an inquiry into the tangled web of government snooping laws.

'Size doesn't matter'

Winners at a glance Best Consumer Broadband Provider - Pipex Best Unmetered ISP - Freeserve Best National Consumer ISP - One.Tel Best Niche Market ISP - West Dorset Internet Best Business Broadband Provider - Eclipse Internet Internet hero - Richard Allan MP Internet villain - The Home Office

It was also a night for minnows, with the tiny West Dorset Internet picking up two awards.

The first, for Best Niche Market ISP, was awarded for West Dorset's determination to get the service out to remote areas by using wireless masts.

Accepting the award, head of West Dorset Internet Tim Snape had an ironic thank you for BT.

"This award proves that size doesn't matter," he said.

"But I'd like to thank BT for promoting broadband in areas where people cannot actually get it," he added.

West Dorset Internet also picked up the award for Best Broadband Supplier, this time pitched against the might of BT Wholesale.

BT - which failed to pick up any awards on the night - was gracious in defeat.

"Well done West Dorset Internet. A true David and Goliath style victory. Only this time Goliath will recover and win. We'll be back next year," said a spokesman for BT.

Child safety

While rival Freeserve was victorious in the Best Unmetered ISP category, cable firm ntl also won nothing.

This would have pleased the small group of protesters gathered outside the ceremony at London's Marriott Hotel.

The protesters are angry at ntl's decision to cap the amount of music and software broadband customers can download per day.

BBCi missed out in the category for Developments in Online Safety.

The award, sponsored by the Internet Watch Foundation, went to Childnet for its Kidsmart project.

Kidsmart provides information for parents, teachers and children about how to be safe online, including posters, seminars, road shows and lesson plans.