Signature - Q1, 2008 - (Page 12) Perspectives | Illustration by Arthur Mount | Q1 ’08 To BQE or Not To BQE An interview with Steve Flooks With the introduction of the Bluetooth Qualification Program Reference Document (PRD) 2.0 came the ability for members of the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. to self-qualify products. We spoke with Steve Flooks, a Bluetooth Qualification Expert (BQE) and chairman of the Bluetooth Technical Advisory Board (BTAB), about what a BQE does and why members can still benefit from working with one while self-qualifying products. Tell us a little about what you do. In my “day job” I work for RFI Global Services Ltd., which specializes in approvals and certification work for a range of wireless and communications technologies. I started looking into Bluetooth technology in 2000, and RFI was recognized as a Bluetooth Qualification Test Facility (BQTF) in 2002. I am now a BQE, one of 37 worldwide. I have also been active in the Bluetooth Test Initiative (BTI) supporting the test specification and Test Specification Errata (TSE) reviews. What role does a BQE play in the qualification process? State of the Art What’s the past, present and future of Bluetooth technology? The man who gave the technology its name reflects on its early promise, recovery from tough tech times and future momentum. It’s a path on which interoperability is vital; a Bluetooth Qualification Expert explains how BQEs help members navigate that path to proper product development. The BQE is an expert in both the qualification process and in Bluetooth technology itself, so key roles are to approve a member’s qualification project and ensure that they have sufficiently demonstrated compliance. To qualify, developers take a set of specifications and define a product’s capabilities according to the Bluetooth SIG’s interoperability requirements. The BQE can assist the member in deciding what features they should be supporting and which ones are mandatory or optional. To identify the required qualification tests, the member uses an online tool called the Test Plan Generator (TPG). The BQE can support the member through the TPG process. So members who self-qualify don’t need a BQE? Well, it is still highly recommended that you get that trusted third party to confirm that your technology meets the standard. Working with a BQE can help you avoid an expensive and time-consuming random audit. (For more information on the Qualification Enforcement Program see page 30.) It is also important to note that a BQE will typically be linked to a Bluetooth Qualification Test Facility (BQTF). We can help members get products tested and approved through a BQTF, which can ultimately save time and money. What is the most common qualification error members make? Not engaging the services of a BQE or BQTF at an early stage in the product development cycle. Many of the problems can be identified very early on with some simple testing in areas where there are known problems. The BQE or BQTF can advise on what should be assessed first. How can members get more information? Visit Bluetooth.org, click on “Technical Resources,” select “Qualification” and click on “Recognition Process.” Steve Flooks is a BQE, Radio Performance Service Leader, chairman of the BTAB and a member of the BTI. He is based in Basingstoke, U.K. Flooks spoke with Gary Flood, who writes about the enterprise IT and communications market for publications such as Computing, Information Week and CIO magazine. 12 | SIGnature | Bluetooth.org http://Bluetooth.org http://Bluetooth.org
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