Tuesday, April 17, 2012

NFC Forum Appoints TÜV SÜD for Global Near Field Communication Validation Service

TÜV SÜD
TÜV SÜD (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The NFC Forum has appointed TÜV SÜD Product Service to provide its worldwide Radio Frequency (RF) Analogue Test Tool Validation Service.


Posted via Industry Today. Are you into it? Follow us on Twitter@IndustryToday
The NFC Forum has appointed TÜV SÜD Product Service to provide its worldwide Radio Frequency (RF) Analogue Test Tool Validation Service.

The NFC Forum is a non-profit industry association that advances the use of Near Field Communication (NFC) technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology.

TÜV SÜD will validate all RF Analogue test tools used as part of the NFC Forum Certification Programme for testing the RF Layer of the communications stack to prove conformance to the NFC Forum specifications. In order to ensure consistent test results and predictable device behaviour, the NFC Forum authorised test laboratories and device manufacturers must use approved RF Analogue test tools which have been validated by TÜV SÜD prior to NFC Forum approval.

Debbie Arnold, NFC Forum Director said: "TÜV SÜD was able to demonstrate the level of expertise necessary to verify the correct operation of the newly developed RF Analogue test tools for use in NFC Forum certification testing on a global scale. In order to achieve a high level of quality in certification testing, it is crucial that test tools are fully evaluated and their functionality validated. TÜV SÜD matched all of our requirements, and we are confident that they will deliver a solid test tool validation service that will meet the needs of their customers while adhering to the standards of the NFC Forum."

The NFC Forum Certification Program provides the industry with approved test tools as a means of establishing that products conform to the NFC Forum's published specifications. 
Devices that conform to NFC Forum specifications deliver benefits such as:
• Increased assurance that the device will interoperate with other NFC-Forum-certified devices.
• Enhanced global credibility and encouragement for other companies to put NFC applications on their devices.
• Placement of the NFC Forum N-Mark on the device to indicate the touchpoint to trigger NFC services.
• Displaying the NFC Forum Certification Mark on sales materials, company websites, and product packaging.

Jean-Louis Evans, Managing Director of TÜV SÜD Product Service, said: "The NFC market is growing exponentially as new developments make life more convenient for consumers, such as touch payments on mobiles and swipe cards on public transport. We are very proud that the NFC Forum has selected TÜV SÜD to support its 160+ member companies worldwide who want to protect their brand and promote the growth of the market."

About TÜV SÜD
TÜV SÜD Product Service is one of the world's leading experts in product testing and certification, with 150,000 product certificates in circulation globally. TÜV SÜD Product Service analyses over 20,000 products each year in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, ensuring that products are safe, reliable and compliant, and minimising liability risks for manufacturers, importers and retailers.

About The NFC Forum
The NFC Forum  was launched as a non-profit industry association in 2004 by leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. The Forum's mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability among devices and services, and educating the market about NFC technology. The Forum's 160+ global member companies currently are developing specifications for a modular NFC device architecture, and protocols for interoperable data exchange and device-independent service delivery, device discovery, and device capability.
The NFC Forum's Sponsor members, which hold seats on the Board of Directors, include leading players in key industries around the world. The Sponsor members are: Barclaycard, Broadcom Corporation, INSIDE Secure, Intel, MasterCard Worldwide, Microsoft Corp., NEC, Nokia, NTT DOCOMO, Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Renesas Electronics Corporation, Samsung, Sony Corporation, STMicroelectronics, and Visa Inc.

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