Bluetooth® Qualification Program

The requirements of the the Bluetooth® SIG Qualification Program are stated in the 'PRD' (Program Reference Document), giving an overview of the necessary testing, documentation, assessment, declaration, listing, marking and compliance to auditing and enforcement.

The latest PRD2.0 update of March 2008 entitles companies to qualify and list their products on their own. However, for companies who are not or scarcely familiar with the process, the Bluetooth SIG recommends that a BQE (Bluetooth® Qualification Expert - formerly BQB) be involved with the product listing. Doing so eliminates errors in qualification and waives a random audit performed on listed products by the Bluetooth SIG.

In addition, the Bluetooth® Qualification testing for products which are classified as a CAT A product including RF, BB (baseband) and LM (Link Manager) layers, can only be performed by a BQTF (Bluetooth Qualification Test Facility).  

BQTF - Bluetooth® Qualification Test Facility

A Bluetooth® Qualification Test facility is recognized by the Bluetooth SIG as competent to perform the conformance tests defined in the Bluetooth Qualification Program. The Bluetooth® laboratories of CETECOM Germany and USA are accredited Bluetooth® Qualification Test Facilities, recognized by the Bluetooth® SIG as competent to perform the conformance tests defined in the Bluetooth® Qualification Program.

As BQTF CETECOM’s full scope of Bluetooth® Qualification services include:

• RF Conformance Testing for version 1.1, 1.2, 2.0+EDR
• Protocol/Profile Conformance Testing using the BITE® Protocol/Profile Tester
  • BB, LM, L2CAP, SDP, RFCOMM
  • GAP, SPP
• Profile Interoperability Testing using...
  • The Bluetoothi® SIG’s PTS (Profile Tuning Suite) Test System
  • CETECOM’s Bluetooth® product library for Extended Interoperability Testing

BQE – Bluetooth® Qualification Expert

A Bluetooth® Qualification Expert is a person recognized by the Bluetooth® SIG to support with testing and qualification related services. The Bluetooth® laboratories of CETECOM Germany and USA have several BQE’s in-house.

CETECOM’s BQE’s assist members in:

• Checking documents and test reports against the Bluetooth® qualification requirements
• Listing products (supports PRD2.0 listings)
• Determining applicable test cases
• Consulting Services in Testing and Qualification

Being listed by a BQE, products are exempt from the SIG's mandatory audit.