NFC Forum Streamlines Testing Requirements

NFC Forum, the global standards body for Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, has announced the availability of Test Release 13.2 (TR13.2) which adds new capabilities to its certification program to simplify the testing of NFC end-products. This addition makes the certification process easier and more affordable for businesses, and enables other standards bodies using NFC technology to more easily test product functionality and deliver better user experiences.

The NFC Forum Certification Program confirms that certified devices are compliant with NFC Forum Specifications. Conformance ensures a consistent behavior of devices across different NFC-ecosystem and sets the foundation for interoperability within each use case of diverse markets.

TR13.2 Market Benefit

The added NFC Forum testing approach provides new capabilities for market-ready products allowing for release candidate software to be evaluated rather than engineering software designed exclusively for testing. This shortens time-to-market for NFC Forum enabled products. Work has also been done to streamline testing requirements to evaluate how the device will behave depending on the intended use of the product.

Together these efforts reduce the number of tests needed without impacting testing coverage or changing the functionality being evaluated.

"NFC Forum enabled products are known to work seamlessly," explains Mike McCamon, Executive Director of NFC Forum. To maintain integrity and trust in the technology, Mike McCamon adds that cross market interoperability has never been more important. "Testing product conformance to NFC Forum Specifications is crucial for our industry to enable the basic first step to achieve interoperability. Simplified and affordable approaches, such as those introduced in TR13.2, are key to deliver the optimal balance of cost versus quality for ensuring a good user experience."

Impact On Partners

Industry bodies which incorporate NFC Forum testing practices within their certification programs, such as the Connected Car Consortium, Universal Stylus Initiative and GSM Association, will not be impacted by the updates.

McCamon concludes: "NFC Forum has an incredibly adaptive certification program which supports the needs of many different industry groups. We are sensitive to the requirements of our partners and ensure that any advances made don't affect their testing programs. There are three levels of testing offered by NFC Forum: analogue, digital and NDEF-application test cases. The latest updates are exclusive to certain NDEF-application tests."

Streamlined Certification Process And Authorized Test Labs

NFC Forum partners with select authorized test laboratories to provide certification testing services. These laboratories are now equipped to deliver TR13.2 testing. Visit our website to view certified products and get more information on how to get a product certified.

To learn more about the updates, read our blog What's new in the NFC Forum Test Release 13.2?

About the NFC Forum

The NFC Forum, established in 2004, is a non-profit industry association comprised of leading mobile communications, semiconductor, and consumer electronics companies. Its mission is to advance the use of Near Field Communication technology by developing specifications, ensuring interoperability, and educating the market about NFC technology. The NFC Forum's global member companies share skills, technical expertise and industry knowledge to develop specifications and protocols for interoperable data exchange, device-independent service delivery, and device capability. Forum's supporting certification program and user marks enhance and promote a consistent, reliable, seamless and secure NFC user experience. To learn more about joining the Forum, visit https://nfc-forum.org/engage/join.

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