LAS VEGAS, NV, April 6, 2006 - The Wi-Fi Alliance® and CTIA - The Wireless Association® today announced a partnership agreement to develop and promote certification programs for converged Wi-Fi®/mobile handsets. The groups will cooperate on development of test programs for overlapping aspects of converged Wi-Fi/mobile phones. This agreement results from liaison activities that have been taking place between the two groups since early 2005.
The initial focus of this cooperation will be on Radio Frequency (RF) performance mapping in a mixed network environment. Future work will explore other technology challenges of convergence, such as handover between cellular and Wi-Fi networks, cross-radio signal sensitivity and battery life.
Converged handsets are reaching the market from leading manufacturers. These devices offer consumers a rich, dynamic wireless broadband experience and improved in-building coverage. They also allow carriers to allocate spectrum efficiently and provide differentiated services to subscribers. ABI Research expects the market for Wi-Fi/Mobile handsets to reach 100 million units annually by 2009.
"As more converged phones become available, and carriers announce plans to support convergence, cross-industry collaboration becomes critical to address pressing technological challenges," said Wi-Fi Alliance Managing Director Frank Hanzlik. "We are pleased to partner with CTIA, who has a proven track record developing test programs that have been embraced by mobile carriers."
"The Wi-Fi Alliance has significant expertise in unlicensed wireless technology and developing certification programs that address end user expectations," said Robert Mesirow, vice president of operations for CTIA. "By combining our knowledge bases we can ensure that carriers and subscribers alike have the best possible experience with converged devices."
The groups envision that testing will occur in shared top-tier test laboratories worldwide, each authorized to perform both CTIA and Wi-Fi Alliance tests, and they expect to announce further details regarding program availability in the coming months.
About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global, non-profit industry association of more than 250 member companies devoted to promoting the growth of wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). With the aim of enhancing the user experience for mobile wireless devices, the Wi-Fi Alliance's testing and certification programs ensure the interoperability of WLAN products based on the IEEE 802.11 specification. Since the introduction of the Wi-Fi Alliance's certification program in March 2000, more than 2,500 products have been designated as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services across the consumer and enterprise markets. Visit www.wi-fi.org.
Media contact: Michael Diamond, Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance, michael.diamond@edelman.com, 650-429-2772.
About CTIA
CTIA-The Wireless Association® is the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, representing carriers, manufacturers and wireless Internet providers. Visit www.ctia.org.
For more information, contact: Cheryl Delgreco, Media Strategies, cdelgreco@msipr.com 617-723-4004
The initial focus of this cooperation will be on Radio Frequency (RF) performance mapping in a mixed network environment. Future work will explore other technology challenges of convergence, such as handover between cellular and Wi-Fi networks, cross-radio signal sensitivity and battery life.
Converged handsets are reaching the market from leading manufacturers. These devices offer consumers a rich, dynamic wireless broadband experience and improved in-building coverage. They also allow carriers to allocate spectrum efficiently and provide differentiated services to subscribers. ABI Research expects the market for Wi-Fi/Mobile handsets to reach 100 million units annually by 2009.
"As more converged phones become available, and carriers announce plans to support convergence, cross-industry collaboration becomes critical to address pressing technological challenges," said Wi-Fi Alliance Managing Director Frank Hanzlik. "We are pleased to partner with CTIA, who has a proven track record developing test programs that have been embraced by mobile carriers."
"The Wi-Fi Alliance has significant expertise in unlicensed wireless technology and developing certification programs that address end user expectations," said Robert Mesirow, vice president of operations for CTIA. "By combining our knowledge bases we can ensure that carriers and subscribers alike have the best possible experience with converged devices."
The groups envision that testing will occur in shared top-tier test laboratories worldwide, each authorized to perform both CTIA and Wi-Fi Alliance tests, and they expect to announce further details regarding program availability in the coming months.
About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global, non-profit industry association of more than 250 member companies devoted to promoting the growth of wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). With the aim of enhancing the user experience for mobile wireless devices, the Wi-Fi Alliance's testing and certification programs ensure the interoperability of WLAN products based on the IEEE 802.11 specification. Since the introduction of the Wi-Fi Alliance's certification program in March 2000, more than 2,500 products have been designated as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services across the consumer and enterprise markets. Visit www.wi-fi.org.
Media contact: Michael Diamond, Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance, michael.diamond@edelman.com, 650-429-2772.
About CTIA
CTIA-The Wireless Association® is the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, representing carriers, manufacturers and wireless Internet providers. Visit www.ctia.org.
For more information, contact: Cheryl Delgreco, Media Strategies, cdelgreco@msipr.com 617-723-4004