GCF certifications for NB-IoT and LTE Cat.M products
Following the most recent discussions and decisions of the GCF CAG 49ter and the GCF SG#70, certification of initial NB-IoT and LTE Cat.M products is possible now!

Currently certification is still at a very early stage and GCF has lowered the specific entry criteria for NB-IoT and LTE Cat.M certifications. The 80% threshold, typical for the validation progress of conformance work items, has been lowered to 50% or even less. On that basis, a few work items have been activated already and the respective test results can be used to provide the required compliance evidence (see GCF-CC Version 3.65.2).

At the moment GCF certification is still weak in providing appropriate qualified field-trial networks for the required field-test assessments. So far it is not clear when appropriate networks can be referenced and actually being used. It is likely that progress will be made at the next GCF FTAG meeting, which will be held end of April 2017 in London.

“7layers is already well positioned in the field of NB-IoT and LTE Cat.M”, states Thomas Jaeger, Director Global Business Developments and Innovation at 7layers. “We are already involved in first product developments and are performing the corresponding assessments in our laboratories”.

It is to be expected that power efficient and less expensive NB IoT and/or LTE M devices will make an impact on the IoT, being especially suited to monitoring sensor data for example in smart buildings, manufacturing plants etc. Manufacturers and IoT services providers, looking for NB-IoT and LTE Cat.M development support and certification services, rely on 7layers outstanding experience in cellular technologies and assessment procedures, a valuable asset when it comes to introducing new certification procedures into our laboratories.