GrandCentral Communications today announced that its next-generation personal communications service has received one of the “Webware 100” awards for Communications by CNET Webware. The finalists for the “Webware 100” awards were selected by the editors of Webware.com, a CNET site, but the ultimate winners were picked by the site’s users.

The “Webware 100” Awards recognizes the best Web 2.0 sites, services, and applications that are leading the next wave of innovation. Webware.com editors received and reviewed thousands of entries. Finalists were selected and featured in an online voting poll, where users voted and ultimately selected 100 winners in 10 categories. A list of the winners can be found at www.webware.com/100

The ten categories are Browsing (web browsers, extensions, widgets, and security); Communications (e-mail, chat, VOIP); Community (social networks, groups); Data (search, storage, backup, sharing, and sync); Entertainment (games and contests); Media (audio, video, photo); Mobile (portable utilities and apps); Productivity (apps, business tools, commerce); Publishing (blogging, web content, design tools); and Reference (mapping, reference works, and education).

“Our goal is to provide everyone with the most useful and comprehensive communications service available and have that service work across all their existing phones, regardless of type, network or service provider, which is something the Web 2.0 community really appreciates,” said Craig Walker, CEO of GrandCentral Communications. “We’re thrilled that so many people love and use GrandCentral and that their support won this award for our service.”

At GrandCentral.com, users choose a single phone number that ties their telephone numbers (home, work, cell) and services (voicemail, etc.) to a single inbound number. After that, when anyone calls the GrandCentral number, all their telephones ring simultaneously and they can answer from whichever phone is most convenient. Users can control which phones ring, which ring-back tones are played and which voicemail greetings are heard, all based on who is calling. The service is currently free and GrandCentral now offers phone numbers in over 5,500 US cities.

“We were so impressed by the amount of participation of the Web 2.0 community, which was clearly demonstrated through our online voting polls – more than 450,000 votes were cast," said CNET Editor at Large, Rafe Needleman. “Webware.com created the Webware 100 awards to help consumers weed through the vast amount of Web 2.0 websites available and find the best ones they trust to meet their needs.”