Certification of CDMA2000 Mobile Devices Move from CCF to GCF

The Global Certification Forum (GCF) and the CDMA Certification Forum (CCF) have confirmed that they are on track to complete the transfer of certification for CDMA2000 mobile devices into GCF by the end of 2014.

GCF is the certification scheme for mobile phones and wireless devices based the 3GPP standards.

The two organisations have been formally collaborating since November 2012 to determine how CCF tests, certification criteria, processes and databases could be integrated into GCF to offer a single, unified certification process suitable for any mobile device incorporating any combination of 3GPP and 3GPP2 wireless technologies.

The initiative is a response to the widespread deployment of 3GPP LTE as the next generation network technology by 3GPP2 operators.

A common certification scheme embracing 3GPP and 3GPP2 wireless technologies has the potential to realize efficiencies and generate benefits across the mobile and associated industries.

A new CDMA Conformance and Interoperability Agreement Group (CAG2) within GCF has taken over responsibility for agreeing and maintaining certification criteria for 3GPP2 devices and for the development of CDMA-specific elements of the certification process.

The approval of a new permanent reference document in June 2014 effectively enabled CDMA device certification to start within GCF. For an interim period, new device certifications under CCF rules are being recognized by GCF.

Trial certifications have been undertaken to verify GCF processes and database tools for CDMA devices.

A successful review of the trial results at the CCF meeting scheduled for the end of October 2014 will pave the way for CDMA certification to be transferred to GCF by the year-end. Once the transfer to GCF has been formally completed, certification of CDMA devices within CCF will cease.

"Most of the world's leading device manufacturers and a growing number of CDMA operators are members of both GCF and CCF," said Nick Baustert, chair of the Boards of both GCF and CCF.

"With the mobile industry converging on LTE, the time for a unified device certification scheme has arrived."