PISCATAWAY, NJ--(Marketwire - Nov 2, 2011) - The IEEE Conformity Assessment Program (ICAP), advancing and accelerating market adoption of conforming products, and Iometrix, the networking industry's preeminent testing authority, today announced the launch of the Pilot Phase of the IEEE 1588™-2008 Certification Program. Leading IEEE 1588-2008 solution providers including equipment and component manufacturers are invited to participate. The certification program has been developed to assure the conformance of IEEE 1588-2008 implementations in telecommunications environments with a focus on the requirements for synchronization in high growth packet-based mobile backhaul networks.
"With this announcement, IEEE 1588-2008 vendors can now take the first step in verifying their solutions against standards-based certification procedures," commented Lloyd Green, Marketing Director, ICAP. "Certification will provide the assurance to mobile operators that IEEE 1588-2008 certified products have been validated and approved against stringent conformance criteria, easing deployment interoperability and functionality concerns."
"The IEEE Conformity Assessment Program has reached a significant milestone in the adoption of the IEEE 1588-2008 certification program for the delivery of synchronization over packet networks," commented Michael Howard, principal carrier networking analyst at Infonetics Research. "The Pilot Phase participants can benefit from the comprehensive Test Suite, since it provides an independent assurance to the market that their products strictly adhere to the IEEE 1588-2008, specifically the ITU-T G.8265.1 Telecom Profile."
The IEEE 1588 Conformity Alliance -- an IEEE Conformity Assessment Program -- was launched to promote and certify IEEE 1588-2008 implementations. To ensure the development of a comprehensive IEEE 1588-2008 certification Test Suite, a Committee of Experts was formed in early 2011 with notable global service providers, standards developers and industry leaders in the field of timing and synchronization.
Spearheading the development of the IEEE 1588-2008 Conformity Test Suite for Frequency Synchronization in Telecommunications Networks is Iometrix -- the IEEE 1588 Conformity Alliance authorized certification test lab -- which brings deep-seated technical expertise developing and supporting standard-based testing and certification programs. Iometrix worked in close collaboration with the Committee of Experts in the development of the Test Suite, which comprises more than 650 test cases covering IEEE 1588-2008 and the specific requirements for frequency distribution in telecommunications networks recently adopted by the ITU-T in G.8265.1. The Pilot Phase is the precursor to the official launch of the certification program targeted for the first quarter of 2012.
"We are excited about reaching this important milestone as part of the IEEE 1588-2008 Conformity Alliance program with ICAP," said Bob Mandeville, Founder and President of Iometrix. "The launch of the Pilot Phase represents the culmination of a great deal of diligence and hard work by members of the Committee of Experts."
Interested companies who would like to receive further information on participation in the IEEE 1588-2008 Alliance certification program should contact Lloyd Green, ICAP Marketing Director or visit http://www.ieee-isto.org/icap-program. Technical enquiries may be addressed to Iometrix at certification@iometrix.com.
About Iometrix
Iometrix is the networking industry's preeminent testing authority globally recognized as the official certification test lab of the BBF (Broadband Forum), the MEF (Metro Ethernet Forum) and ICAP (IEEE Conformity Assessment Program). Iometrix, headquartered in San Francisco, California with operations around the globe, provides its standards-based certification tests to a broad spectrum of telecom service providers and equipment manufacturers building next generation packet networks and solutions. Iometrix is also committed to advancing telecommunications testing standards as editor of numerous test specifications in several leading standards bodies including the BBF, IETF, IEEE, and MEF.
About The IEEE Conformity Assessment Program
The IEEE Conformity Assessment Program (ICAP) -- a joint initiative of the IEEE Standards Association (IEEE-SA) and IEEE Industry Standards and Technology Organization (IEEE-ISTO) -- provides programs and industry support that help bridge those standards development activities with the conformity assessment activities that accelerate market acceptance and enablement of new products and technologies. The foundation of ICAP activities is based on industry best practices, internationally accepted quality systems and use of proven test tools. Fostering the market acceptance, adoption and implementation of standardized technologies; ICAP spans the spectrum of today's smart grid, information and communications technologies. To find out more about ICAP, visit http://www.ieee-isto.org/icap-program.