GCF and PTCRB — what they certify and why

GCF and PTCRB

GCF (Global Certification Forum, gcf.org) is the dominant cellular conformance certification scheme in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia. PTCRB (PCS Type Certification Review Board, ptcrb.com) is the equivalent in North America. Both are industry-driven (not government regulators) and exist to ensure cellular devices interoperate correctly with operator networks. The certification process: a device is tested against 3GPP conformance test specifications (TS 36.523 for LTE conformance, TS 38.523 for NR conformance, TS 31.121 for SIM conformance, etc.) at accredited test labs. The lab issues…