AUSTIN, TX, November 16, 2010 - The Wi-Fi Alliance has announced a new Authorized Test Laboratory (ATL) in Seoul, Korea. Effective this month, TUV Rheinland Korea is the Alliance's newest independent ATL, providing certification testing services to a global roster of Wi-Fi Alliance member companies. TUV Rheinland Korea joins 13 other independent ATLs in the Alliance's network, which perform tests for more than 380 member companies worldwide.
The growth of Wi-Fi® products developed in Korea has been significant, with more than 20 Korean companies accounting for nearly 25 percent of total product certification volume in the past 12 months. Nearly half of Wi-Fi Alliance member companies are based in Asia and approximately 25 percent of Wi-Fi products are expected to ship to users in Asia in 2011.1
Wi-Fi is an essential part of daily life in Korea, as it is around the world. South Korea has one of the largest Wi-Fi hotspot service networks in the world with more than 20,000 locations and growing. In a recent survey conducted by the Wi-Fi Alliance, 64 percent of Korean respondents would choose to go a week without coffee or tea rather than give up a week of Wi-Fi access2.
"Wi-Fi technology continues to proliferate in consumer electronics and mobile devices making Wi-Fi certification more important than ever to help ensure that Wi-Fi products deliver a good user experience." said Edgar Figueroa, chief executive officer of the Wi-Fi Alliance. "The addition of the TUV Rheinland Korea Authorized Test Laboratory ensures the continued accessibility of our Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program in one of our key regions."
A product must undergo a rigorous set of interoperability tests to carry the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, helping to ensure that products from various manufacturers will work together.
"We are proud to become a Wi-Fi Alliance Authorized Test Laboratory and we are committed to testing that meets the rigorous quality standards for which the Wi-Fi Alliance is known," said Stefan Heuer, chief executive officer of TUV Rheinland Korea. "We are very excited to open our doors for Wi-Fi certification later this month."
About the Wi-Fi Alliance
The Wi-Fi Alliance is a global non-profit industry association of hundreds of leading companies devoted to the proliferation of Wi-Fi technology across devices and market segments. With technology development, market building, and regulatory programs, the Wi-Fi Alliance has enabled widespread adoption of Wi-Fi worldwide.
The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™ program was launched in March 2000. It provides a widely-recognized designation of interoperability and quality, and it helps to ensure that Wi-Fi enabled products deliver the best user experience. The Wi-Fi Alliance has completed more than 8,000 product certifications to date, encouraging the expanded use of Wi-Fi products and services in new and established markets.
Wi-Fi®, Wi-Fi Alliance®, WMM®, Wi-Fi Protected Access® (WPA), the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo, the Wi-Fi logo, the Wi-Fi ZONE logo, and the Wi-Fi Protected Setup logo are registered trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance; Wi-Fi CERTIFIED™, Wi-Fi Direct™, Wi-Fi Protected Setup™, Wi-Fi Multimedia™, and the Wi-Fi Alliance logo are trademarks of the Wi-Fi Alliance.
Contact:
Karl Stetson
A&R Edelman for Wi-Fi Alliance
karl.stetson@edelman.com
206-268-2215
1ABI Research, December 2009
2Wi-Fi Alliance and Wakefield Research, September 2010