FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Megan Riebau
Phone: 240-575-7492
mriebau@A2LA.org
March 30, 2018, Frederick, MD – The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) has officially revised its Bluetooth Program to coincide with the recently revised Bluetooth SIG requirements. Bluetooth SIG revised the Bluetooth Qualification Testing Facility Program Overview for testing laboratories wishing to gain and maintain recognition as a “Bluetooth Qualification Testing Facility” (BQTF) or “Bluetooth Recognized Test Facility” (BRTF). A BQTF can perform testing for all Bluetooth SIG members and may be listed in Bluetooth SIG’s publicly available directory of test facilities. A BRTF is only recognized for purposes of testing their own products, and may not provide Bluetooth testing services to other Bluetooth SIG members.
One of the requirements a BQTF must meet is to be accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (or later), by a signatory to the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for ISO/IEC 17025 testing laboratories, such as A2LA. Before being qualified as a BRTF by Bluetooth SIG, an audit using the A2LA C253 – Specific Checklist – Bluetooth Program must be performed. A2LA is currently the only Accreditation Body approved by Bluetooth SIG to offer these services. (Note: BRTF audit activities do not fall under A2LA’s International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) Mutual Recognition Arrangement). If an applicant is interested in becoming either a BQTF or a BRTF, please follow the link listed here to formally apply with A2LA: A2LA Application for Accreditation
“With the publication of the new Bluetooth Qualification Test Facility program, it is apparent that the Bluetooth SIG is committed to strengthening the Bluetooth brand to the benefit of all SIG members and to the global market,” said Rob Miller, General Manager of A2LA. “A2LA is eager to continue to serve the Bluetooth SIG members by offering an assessment/audit program for BQTFs and BRTFs.”
About A2LA
A2LA is a non-profit, non-governmental, third-party accreditation body, offering internationally-recognized accreditation services and training to testing and calibration laboratories, inspection bodies, proficiency testing providers, reference material producers and product certifiers.
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