The LoRa Alliance, the global association of companies backing the open LoRaWAN standard for the internet of things (IoT) low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs), has significantly enhanced the LoRaWAN Certification Test Tool (LCTT) functionality with the addition of new testing capabilities. This expands the self-testing that end-device manufacturers can perform to validate end-device performance before seeking formal certification from a LoRa Alliance Authorized Test House (ATH). The ability to self-test significantly accelerates the certification process while offering much greater return on investment (ROI) savings.
“A strong certification program is a must for any global standard to be successful,” said Donna Moore, CEO, and chairwoman of the LoRa Alliance. “The LoRa Alliance continuously enhances its certification program to ensure certification testing tools are robust while also minimizing the time and cost required to certify. RFPs and tenders for IoT deployments are increasingly requiring LoRaWAN certification. These enhancements to the LCTT make it easier than ever for end-device manufacturers to validate reliability and interoperability, thereby accelerating deployment effectiveness and enabling massive scale.”
New testing capabilities incorporated into the LCTT include:
- LoRaWAN Layer 2 (L2) - v1.0.2 and v1.0.4 Specifications, including:
- Class A, B, and C
- Long Range Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (LR-FHSS)
- Back-off retransmission
- Certification by similarity
- Regional Parameters V1.02 and 1.03
- OTAA/ABP
- Adaptive Data Rate
- Transmit Power Control
- Confirmed/Unconfirmed Frame Tests
- Receive Window Tests
- Cryptography Tests
- Add/Modify Channel Tests
- Retransmission of Confirmed Frames
Benefits of using the LCTT include:
- An accelerated certification process: manufacturers debug and finalize their end-devices prior to starting the formal certification process
- Significant cost savings— time, labor, and money—to manufacturers who do not need to build their own test tools
- Assurance to customers that certified end-devices are reliable within their networks, where channel plans are supported, or when roaming
- Future-proofing of end-devices through demonstrated interoperability
- Ability to quickly meet expectations of LoRaWAN network operators, who require certification when deploying rapid and large-scale solutions
- End-device testing is currently supported in most countries worldwide and continues to grow
- 17 test houses worldwide support LoRaWAN certification testing
LoRa Alliance members’ certified products will be listed in the alliance’s LoRaWAN Showcase. The Showcase is the official listing of LoRaWAN CertifiedCM devices and provides manufacturers global product visibility to grow their businesses. Each member receives one free LCTT license with their membership and may purchase additional ones.
Click here to learn more about LoRaWAN certification and how to obtain an LCTT license.
