CTIA-The Wireless Association® and Global Certification Forum Collaborate on Wireless Device Evaluation

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CTIA-The Wireless Association® and Global Certification Forum (GCF) have agreed to a common process for evaluating the over-the-air performance of new wireless devices. An agreement announced today allows GCF to incorporate CTIA's "Test Plan for Wireless Device Over-the-Air Performance" into its Performance Measurement process. The agreement also allows the organizations to work together on future updates of the test plan to ensure that the needs of network operators and device vendors throughout the world are being addressed.

Today, CTIA's "Test Plan for Wireless Device Over-the-Air Performance" is part of the CTIA and PTCRB certification programs. The test plan defines a standard method to measure a wireless device's antenna performance. By simulating the network environment, the wireless device is put through a rigorous testing process to evaluate how well it can transmit and receive a wireless signal.

For GCF, Performance Measurement is an optional scheme that complements GCF Certification and allows manufacturers to quantify and report on agreed aspects of the performance of a mobile device. Performance Measurement relies on test criteria developed by recognized standards bodies, especially 3GPP. GCF's current use of the CTIA Over-the-Air test plan establishes a single benchmark for device vendors and network operators throughout the world.

"By working with GCF, CTIA's Certification Program is helping device manufacturers and network operators reduce the time and cost of bringing new devices to market. Ultimately, wireless consumers benefit since they will know their devices will be of the highest quality," said Robert Mesirow, Vice President, Operations of CTIA-The Wireless Association.     

"GCF's Performance Measurement program has been developed to eliminate the duplication of testing that can arise from a multitude of un-coordinated operator-specific acceptance testing schemes," said Adriana Nugter, GCF Operations Manager. Use of the CTIA test plan allows this philosophy to be extended to the measurement of the over-the-air performance of mobile devices."

Learn more about CTIA's Certification Program here: http://www.ctia.org/business_resources/certification/

For more information on GCF certification, visit http://www.globalcertificationforum.org

About CTIA
CTIA-The Wireless Association® (www.ctia.org) is an international organization representing the wireless communications industry. Membership in the association includes wireless carriers and their suppliers, as well as providers and manufacturers of wireless data services and products. CTIA advocates on behalf of its members at all levels of government. The association also coordinates the industry's voluntary best practices and initiatives, and sponsors the industry's leading wireless tradeshows. CTIA was founded in 1984 and is based in Washington, D.C.

About GCF
Global Certification Forum – GCF – is an active partnership between network operators, device manufacturers and the test industry. Since its inception in 1999, GCF has created an independent certification program to help ensure global interoperability between mobile devices and networks.  By providing the focal point for the world's most experienced practitioners in conformance testing, field trials and certification, GCF establishes best practice for the certification of mobile phones and the ever-expanding range of devices that incorporate wireless broadband connectivity.  479 different 3GPP mobile phones, wireless modems and connected devices achieved GCF Certification during 2011.

SOURCE CTIA-The Wireless Association