The first wave of approved test labs represents a significant step towards the commercialization and market adoption of LTE solutions based in the 3.5 GHz band
SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 30, 2018 — The CBRS Alliance, an industry organization focused on driving the development, commercialization, and adoption of OnGo™ shared spectrum solutions, today announced that eight global labs have achieved approval to conduct testing for OnGo Certification. As an additional indicator of market readiness, OnGo access points from several member companies have already started the testing process and are expected to achieve OnGo Certification within the coming weeks. This announcement represents a significant step toward commercialization of the technology and confirms the imminent business opportunities that OnGo represents—both within the telecommunications industry and across enterprise verticals.
“OnGo offers valuable opportunities for players across the wireless ecosystem. Cable operators want access to mobile LTE, mobile operators need additional spectrum for increased capacity, and enterprises across a variety of verticals are well-positioned for successful deployments for numerous applications,” said Alan Ewing, Executive Director of the CBRS Alliance. “The launch of the OnGo Certification Program, along with the subsequent approvals of test labs to conduct the necessary testing for interoperability and certification, further indicates the explosive growth of this technology.”
The selection of the first eight Authorized Test Labs for OnGo Certification demonstrates the continued collaboration between the CBRS Alliance and the Wireless Innovation Forum (WInnForum), both organizations working closely with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on certification. The OnGo Certification program ensures that FCC regulations for operating in shared spectrum are met – expediting formal FCC certification – and allows manufacturers to conduct the initial phase of functional testing in support of bringing OnGo-ready access points to market.
In order to achieve OnGo Certification, manufacturers are required to demonstrate that all submitted access points can interoperate with other ecosystem components and communicate with a Spectrum Access System (SAS) and operate within the provided operating parameters for LTE systems with in the 3.5 GHz band (3GPP Band 48). An additional ability to synchronize LTE networks and support specific mandatory uplink and downlink frame formats ensures the ability for such networks to coexist with one another without causing harmful interference. OnGo certification will enable dynamic spectrum sharing among LTE TDD networks, and allows businesses, municipalities, and network operators to seamlessly deploy LTE networks at a historically low cost; while maintaining the reliability, security and high performance of LTE.
For system operators, certification brings seamless interoperability to large-scale deployments, even in multi-vendor environments, helping to control costs while improving customer connectivity. For enterprises, the OnGo Certified seal indicates a product will offer improved connectivity and enhanced customizability at a fraction of the cost that has historically been associated with LTE.
“The OnGo Certification Program is key to ensuring that new equipment operating in the 3.5 GHz band performs as advertised and works well with other devices in the ecosystem,” said Kurt Schaubach, Chair of the Test & Certification Working Group at the CBRS Alliance. “We’ve seen significant interest from reputable test labs around the world in becoming Authorized Test Labs for OnGo Certification, and we look forward to continuing to expand the program to bring hundreds of OnGo-certified devices to market.”
The first test labs that have been approved to act as independent Authorized Test Laboratories as part of the OnGo Certification Program include:
- Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services, a world leader in conformity assessment and certification services. Founded in 1828, the group has 74,000 employees in more than 1400 offices and laboratories located in 140 countries.
- DEKRA has been ensuring safety since it was founded in 1925. This basic need is met by DEKRA’s workforce of more than 39,000 people in over 50 countries on all continents with extensive expertise, wide-ranging services and passionate commitment.
- Nokia Global Product Compliance Laboratory offers a wide range of certification, consultation, mitigation and testing services for electromagnetic compatibility, mechanical design, product safety and telecommunications network interconnection
- Sporton International Inc., a provider of testing and certification services. Sporton has become a designated testing lab for regulatory bodies such as BSMI, NCC, and TAF and acquired professional certificates including PTCRB, GCF and CTIA.
- TÜV SÜD, one of the world’s leading technical service organizations represented by about 24,000 employees across more than 1,000 locations.
- Nemko Montreal Companies around the world trust Nemko to assess their products, systems, installations and personnel for conformity with relevant standards and regulations.
- Nemko Ottawa
- Nemko San Diego
These labs are considered the first wave of OnGo Certification test labs. The CBRS Alliance expects to have close to a dozen approved test labs by the end of 2018, which will expedite commercialization of the technology while providing equipment vendors, chipset manufacturers and others with several lab options when submitting an OnGo access point for testing and certification.
“We’re quickly progressing toward the commercial deployment of OnGo – solutions that offer the quality, reliability, and flexibility of LTE, with a simplicity and cost structure more traditionally associated with unlicensed technologies,” said Dave Wright, President of the CBRS Alliance. “The Alliance is enabling a broad range of business opportunities via OnGo Certification. This breadth is also reflected in the diversity of our membership.”
The CBRS Alliance will be showcasing the interoperability and end-to-end functionality of the OnGo ecosystem at the inaugural OnGo Interoperability Test Event on Aug. 27-31, 2018 in Louisville, Colorado. Hosted by CableLabs, the event will allow participants to exercise interactions between OnGo access points and SASs, demonstrating how the OnGo ecosystem interoperates when deployed in a real-world scenario, an important prerequisite for OnGo commercialization expected later this year.
Vendors and manufacturers interested in participating in the OnGo Interoperability Test Event and/or submitting their access points for testing and certification should contact admin@cbrsalliance.org. Learn more about the OnGo Certification Program online, and follow the CBRS Alliance on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About OnGo™
OnGo™ is uncompromised connectivity. An innovative approach to maximizing mobile broadband, OnGo is a technology that puts the power of wireless networks into the hands of those that rely on them to empower and expand business opportunities. OnGo presents nearly limitless options for enhanced customizability and allows users to tailor networks to a specific set of needs, such as Private LTE, neutral host and Industrial IoT applications. OnGo Certified is a recognized seal of approval that indicates a product’s ability to meet a high set of quality, interoperability and security standards when tested by an independent, OnGo Certification Authorized Test Laboratory. Both the OnGo brand and the OnGo Certification Program are managed and maintained by the CBRS Alliance. Learn more about the expanded business opportunities OnGo is enabling on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About the CBRS Alliance
The CBRS Alliance believes that LTE-based solutions in the 3.5 GHz band, utilizing shared spectrum, can enable both in-building and outdoor coverage and capacity expansion at massive scale. In order to maximize the full potential of spectrum sharing, the CBRS Alliance enables a robust ecosystem through the management of the OnGo brand, and the OnGo Certification Program. For more information, please visit www.cbrsalliance.org and learn more about the expanded business opportunities OnGo is enabling.
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