North American PTCRB Certification Overview
PTCRB (PCS Type Certification Review Board) is a personal communication services type certification evaluation committee, established by North American mobile operators in 1997. The current operators are not limited to North America, but cover mobile operator members around the world. Its purpose is to provide type certification for terminal products and templates including Cellular GERAN (GSM), UTRAN (UMTS), and E-UTRAN (LTE).
To ensure that your phone or communication device can work on the PTCRB operator's mobile network, your device must be certified by PTCRB. This is also to ensure that your product matches the mobile standards of the operator network. Therefore, for devices that have not been certified by PTCRB, PTCRB operators will prevent the product from running and working on their network.
North American PTCRB Certification Requirements
Operator Admission Certification
In the United States, operator access certification is also known as PTCRB certification testing. PTCRB is an audit committee established in North America in 1997 responsible for PCS model certification, along with a validation group primarily responsible for PCR mobile terminal model certification and IMEI allocation.
PTCRB certification is a quasi mandatory model certification performed by third-party certification agencies. All PCS terminal devices launched in the North American market must undergo PTCRB certification and apply for IMEI based on the report. The term used here is quasi mandatory, which should be a requirement issued by government regulatory agencies. However, PTCRB is not government mandated, but rather a forum format that is highly authoritative. The reason for this is that distributors entering North America must test products provided by manufacturers in accordance with this requirement, hence it is called quasi mandatory.
PTCRB Certification Composition
Similar to GCF, PTCRB is composed of operators and some large mobile phone manufacturers, as well as some accredited laboratories.
PTCRB Certification Test Classification
- 1. RF testing;
- 2. Testing of the Protocol section;
- 3. Testing of SIM section;
- 4. Testing of the Audio section;
PTCRBTesting requirements forOTAPart of the certification
GSM 850, GSM 1900, FDD BAND II, FDD BAND IV, and FDD BAND V are tested according to the OTA testing standards issued by CTIA.
Test Standard Number
Consistency 3GPP TS 51.010-1 (generally updated every 3 months)
Generation of test cases
Generate corresponding test cases for 3GPP TS 51.010-2 based on the PICS (Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement) filled out by the customer
Test Case Classification
RF corresponds to chapters 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 21, and 22
SIM corresponds to chapter 27
Audio corresponds to chapter 30
Protocol corresponds to all other chapters
Field Testing
Field testing is an indispensable part of PTCRB certification. For each working frequency band, interactive testing with 5 operators can be conducted simultaneously with RF, Protocol, and SIM testing.
PTCRB Network Deployment
Become a member/associate of PTCRB
Member types
- Operator
- Manufacturer
- Laboratories
- Observer
Fill out relevant information on the PTCRB website and submit the membership application.
PTCRB Certification Review
After review, you can become a PTCRB member without having to pay membership fees.
Members can have their products tested by laboratories.
Members can submit relevant information and test reports on the PTCRB website. See the PTCRB certification online operation process for details.
PTCRB will review the submitted information and test reports, and issue payment notifications. The product will be in a pending certification status.
PTCRB Certification Test Cycle
The testing cycle mainly depends on the functions supported by the phone. For example, the frequency bands supported by the phone, whether the phone supports GPRS Class10, EDGE, half rate, etc., vary greatly depending on different situations, and the testing period is also affected by the phone's rectification and debugging during the testing process.
Generally speaking, if a full PTCRB test is successful, the testing cycle usually takes about 4 weeks.
Materials Needed
Documents
Operation Manual
Schematic diagram
Circuit diagram
Test Prototype
Two units need to be tested for RF, with RF interfaces and fake batteries
2 units for Audio and Stray, require normal operation, with fake and real batteries
2 units for protocol testing, RF cable, real battery, charger
Using one SIM card may damage the casing near the SIM socket
