CTIA - the Wireless Association(R) and the CDMA Certification Forum Announce their Cooperation in Certification Process

SAN DIEGO, April 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The two leading organizations in the CDMA certification process, CCF (CDMA Certification Forum) and CTIA - The Wireless Association(R), have announced the encapsulation of the CTIA Certification Market Endorsement within the CCF converged certification process for CDMA devices.

The purpose of the CTIA Certification Program is to verify conformance of CDMA wireless devices to defined industry standards for the North American market. Products that may be certified include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, PDAs, wireless data devices, PC cards, modules and devices with embedded modules.

"We are very happy to be working with the CCF on the converged certification process giving CDMA industry participants one location for all their certification needs," says Mark Sargent, Assistant Vice President of Certification Programs at CTIA - The Wireless Association. "While CTIA still owns and develops its own requirements, we recognize the need to consolidate the different requirements to certify CDMA devices and to provide vendors and operators worldwide with a single consistent process."

Last year, the CCF, in partnership with the CDG, implemented the first step of its converged certification process by merging the CDG-recommended test guidelines and the state-of-the-art CCF test solution, making the new CCF testing procedure the most efficient, consistent and standardized CDMA device certification process worldwide. This single certification process helps vendors and operators improve time-to-market and save money while providing customers with excellent products that have been thoroughly and independently tested. This latest cooperation between the CCF and the CTIA is an extension of the evolution of this converged certification model.

"By integrating the CTIA market certification into the CCF certification process, the CCF and CTIA are responding to the desires expressed by both organizations' members such as Nortel and TELUS to continue the CCF convergence model," says Thom Erickson, President and CEO of the CCF.

"TELUS is a strong supporter of such industry initiatives," says Alfred Baghouzian, Director, Technology Strategy Terminals. "The creation of a Single Industry Test Process will allow Operators to benefit from one Global Certification organization for CDMA Terminal Certification achieving time to market and cost improvements."

During International CTIA Wireless 2009(R), the CCF will invite wireless professionals and journalists to come to its booth (#456) to learn more about this current initiative that will allow CDMA vendors and operators to benefit from a single certification model that will further reduce time to market and certification costs.

About the CCF

The CCF is a partnership of CDMA vendors and operators worldwide that has established and maintains a single core global device certification process. The CCF process allows quick and affordable certification of devices so they meet prescribed international performance requirements. This process improves quality through consistent interoperability, signaling conformance, and performance testing. For more details, visit the CCF Web site at www.globalccf.org, or contact Sandrine Melfort, s_melfort@globalccf.org

About CTIA - The Wireless Association (R)

CTIA -The Wireless Association(R) is the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, representing carriers, manufacturers and wireless Internet providers. CTIA is also recognized as the producer of two annual technology events: International CTIA WIRELESS 2009 takes place in Las Vegas, April 1-3; International CTIA WIRELESS I.T. & Entertainment 2009 takes place in San Diego, October 7-9. For more association information, visit www.ctia.org.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $9.7 billion of annual revenue and 11.6 million customer connections including 6.1 million wireless subscribers, 4.2 million wireline network access lines and 1.2 million Internet subscribers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video. In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $135 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered more than 2.6 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Nine TELUS Community Boards across Canada lead our local philanthropic initiatives. For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.