The increasing importance of higher data rates has lead to a record number of mobile phones and wireless devices being certified by the Global Certification Forum.
A total of 479 mobile phones and wireless devices were certified by the forum, up 14% on 2011.
Ninty-eight percent of certified devices certified incorporated GSM and 321 devices, 67% of the total, incorporated 3G (WCDMA/UMTS). Some 221 new devices incorporated 3G in the 900 MHz band which is currently widely used for GSM.
According to GCF, the extent to which mobile technologies are being deployed across increasingly diverse spectrum was highlighted by 3G device certifications in eight different bands including three specific to the US and two specific to Japan
Adriana Nugter, GCF’s operations manager, said: 'As 3GPP [mobile broadband standard] mobile technologies are deployed across increasingly diverse spectrum bands, certified multimode, multiband devices become increasingly important to preserving the economies of scale of a global market. The record number of certifications in 2011 confirms the value that manufacturer and operator members place on the scheme.'
GCF certification offers a way of demonstrating the interoperability of a new mobile device. In order to receive certification, devices are subjected to industry agreed test. The forum said certification not only increases device-network interoperability but also reduces acceptance testing overheads for individual operators.