TTA TTA to launch official certification testing service by year-end Following the acquisition by Korea's Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA) of the WiMAX Forum Designated Certification Laboratory qualification at the WiMAX Forum Board Meeting, held in Paris, France, last February, TTA's official certification test service for Mobile WiMAX (WiBro) products to be commenced next December is being watched with keen interest. Inspired by this qualification acquirement, TTA aims to improve the WiMAX certification system and authorized laboratory infra to a direction to help domestic companies' industry development by making inroads into WiMAX certification test market. At the same time, with WiMAX as an impetus for test equipment market and test technology development, TTA Mobile Communication Testing Center General-Manager Jeong In-myoung explained that the laboratory plans to cooperate with domestic and global test system-related companies for Korea to stand proud as a real telecommunication power in the forthcoming 4G market by taking part in certification program development as well as test system validation affairs proactively and by constructing infrastructure across the entire process such as standardization and certification. About promoting TTA's WiMAX designated laboratory process in the meanwhile, the General-Manager explained further, "Since TTA has applied for membership as a regular member of WiMAX Forum in Oct. 2005, we have acquired this Forum's member qualification on Jan. 2006 and have come to finally acquire the WiMAX Forum Designated Certification Laboratory qualification in February this year from the WiMAX Forum Board Meeting. He stressed that this designated certification laboratory attraction performance is a result that the MIC-TTA-WiMAX Forum-domestic associated companies have accomplished through thorough preparation while holding numerous telephone conferences and real meetings. General-Manager Jeong added that WiMAX Forum is currently striving to attract WiMAX designated certification laboratories in the United States, China, and Taiwan at the moment, explaining that WiMAX Forum has designated two certification laboratories officially, namely Spain CETECOM and Korea TTA. Since starting the validation of Mobile WiMAX RCT & PCT test system on July, 2006 and finishing the delivery and setup of mobile WiMAX RCT & PCT test system in TTA, TTA side is scheduled to start WiMAX Forum official certification testing service from Dec. 2006. Concerning WiBro testing & certification service of TTA, Jeong noted first of all that TTA will provide the testing & cerficiation service of all mobile WiMAX certification profiles as well as WiBro profile. In a nutshell, TTA is expected to provide the testing & certification service based on -WiMAX Forum-defined Test Specification -WiMAX Forum-approved Test System -WiMAX Forum Certification Program The General-Manager went on to say that TTA would provide the WiMAX Logo Certificate that is officially issued by WiMAX Forum, providing that the product passes all the test requirements of WiMAX Forum. In other words, domestic WiBro operators can use TTA as WiBro product Quality Assurance Test Lab and domestic WiBro products (SS/BS) can be tested by TTA according to WiMAX Forum Rule, he emphasized, referring to the fact that in that sense, WiMAX Logo Certificate should be considered as Quality Qualified Evidence of WiBro product on the domestic market. In regard to the expected benefits of TTA WiBro testing & certification service, network operators can reduce the Lab. setup costs and manpower, enhance the service quality by using the products which are certified by global standards, and the better service quality can guarantee more subscribers from the standpoint of network operators. From the standpoint of manufacturers too, he underscored that TTA test results can be used for both operators, KT and SKT, adding that TTA test results for domestic market access can be used for global market access. Moreover, the expected benefits of TTA WiBro Testing & Certification Service is that it can reduce the testing time and costs (realizing the time to market) and enhance the global marketing power by using the internationally approved WiMAX Forum certificate.