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LoRa Alliance Introduces Certification Affiliate Program

April 7, 2020

The program offers OEMs a path to LoRaWAN IoT device certification without Alliance membership.

To make its Internet of Things (IoT) device certification more accessible and pervasive, the LoRa Alliance has launched a Certification Affiliate option for certifying devices with the LoRaWAN standard. The new option provides non-members of the LoRa Alliance a path to obtaining LoRaWAN device certification.

The LoRa Alliance, which backs the open LoRaWANstandard for the IoT low-power, wide-area networks (LPWANs), offers a certification program that includes full protocol testing, as well as interoperability and RF performance tests, which are critical for open global standards. The Certification Affiliate program will increase the number and breadth of LoRaWAN Certified devices available in the market to serve the IoT needs of companies and users around the world.

The Certification Affiliate program allows any device manufacturer to certify its products, ensuring they meet end-user requirements for dependability, interoperability and security as defined by the LoRaWAN standard. While membership in the Alliance remains the most affordable path to certification, membership may not be an option for some OEMs.

Under the Affiliate Certification program, companies receive the following benefits:

The use of the LoRaWAN Certification Test Tool (LCTT), a precertification test tool allowing device manufacturers to test their product at their own facility prior to sending the device to an authorized test house for certification
One license for the LCTT is included in the affiliation fee per year, and affiliates have the right to purchase additional licenses
Use of the LoRaWAN Certified logo on their certified products in compliance with LoRa Alliance policies
Have certified products included in the LoRaWAN Showcase online catalog of certified products
Receive LoRa Alliance communications regarding certification

Historically, companies were required to be a member of the LoRa Alliance to certify their devices. The organization still encourages companies to become members of the LoRa Alliance, as the cost to certify is lower and there are many more benefits for member companies.

LoRa Alliance, lora-alliance.org

About the Author

David Maliniak | Executive Editor, Microwaves & RF

I am Executive Editor of Microwaves & RF, an all-digital publication that broadly covers all aspects of wireless communications. More particularly, we're keeping a close eye on technologies in the consumer-oriented 5G, 6G, IoT, M2M, and V2X markets, in which much of the wireless market's growth will occur in this decade and beyond. I work with a great team of editors to provide engineers, developers, and technical managers with interesting and useful articles and videos on a regular basis. Check out our free newsletters to see the latest content.

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In his long career in the B2B electronics-industry media, David Maliniak has held editorial roles as both generalist and specialist. As Components Editor and, later, as Editor in Chief of EE Product News, David gained breadth of experience in covering the industry at large. In serving as EDA/Test and Measurement Technology Editor at Electronic Design, he developed deep insight into those complex areas of technology. Most recently, David worked in technical marketing communications at Teledyne LeCroy, leaving to rejoin the EOEM B2B publishing world in January 2020. David earned a B.A. in journalism at New York University.