Bluetooth® Qualification Testing and Consulting

Undergo Bluetooth® Qualification TEsting to Comply with Regulatory Requirements

The Bluetooth Qualification process promotes interoperability by requiring members to confirm compliance to specifications through testing and documentation. If a company is making available a product that implements Bluetooth technology and/or uses any of the Bluetooth trademarks (including the word “Bluetooth”), it must become a Bluetooth SIG member and complete the Bluetooth Qualification Process.

Our Bluetooth Qualification Testing Capabilities

To sell Bluetooth products in any market, the equipment must comply with federal regulatory requirements. For Bluetooth devices, Bluetooth compliance and Bluetooth qualification certification are also required.

With deep expertise and a vast global network of accredited product safety testing labs, TÜV SÜD can test and consult on Bluetooth products for clients to achieve improved customer satisfaction in the wireless certification industry. We provide Bluetooth SIG industry consultation and testing services including qualification and declaration support. We can also provide Bluetooth® testing services such as RF-PHY, profile conformance, debugging faults and interoperability testing to complement our regulatory compliance services.

Declaration Fees

All members are required to complete the Qualification and Declaration process, which includes payment of the Declaration fee through Bluetooth SIG’s online purchasing system. When payment is processed by the SIG, you will be issued a Declaration ID. The fees outlined in following table are in U.S. dollars (USD). If you have additional questions, please contact us.

FEES*	EXPLANATION	ASSOCIATE MEMBER USD	ADOPTER MEMBER USD
Declaration Fee	A Declaration fee must be paid for any new, changed, used or branded Bluetooth® product.	$4,000	$8,000
GATT-based Profile Client (app)	Applications that support the client role only and implement one or more Bluetooth SIG adopted GATT-based Profiles are qualified as a Profile Subsystem product type.	$100	$100
PROFILE TUNING SUITE (PTS) FEES:
PTS Runtime Cost	The Profile Tuning Suite (PTS) is a software-based black-box testing tool that automates protocol and profile interoperability testing.	Free	Free

*Please refer to https://www.bluetooth.com/develop-with-bluetooth/join/membership-benefits/ for complete price list and details.

Membership Fees

Adopter Membership
Start by becoming an Adopter member. Membership is required to build products that use Bluetooth® technology, and Adopter membership includes the following benefits:

A license to build products using Bluetooth® technology under and in compliance with the Bluetooth Patent/Copyright License Agreement
A license to use the Bluetooth® trademarks on qualified products under and in compliance with the Bluetooth Trademark License Agreement
The ability to network and collaborate with tens of thousands of Bluetooth SIG members in a wide variety of industries—from chip manufacturers to application developers, device makers and service providers
The ability to participate in SIG expert groups, study groups, and sub groups within working groups
Access to tools such as the Profile Tuning Suite (PTS), providing protocol and interoperability testing

Associate Membership
After you join, explore upgrading to Associate membership. This allows your company to save money on qualifying your Bluetooth® products, as well as participate in the Bluetooth® specification development process through working groups and committees.

Bluetooth® Brand Guide & Logos

Bluetooth® Qualification Testing & Consulting The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) owns the Bluetooth® word mark, figure mark and combination mark (collectively, the Bluetooth® trademarks), and protects the Bluetooth® trademarks through the brand enforcement program.

In order for a company to use the trademarks, two things must happen:

a company must be a member of the Bluetooth SIG and
the goods offered must have completed the Bluetooth Qualification Process.

Members should always refer to the Bluetooth® brand guide when using the logos. Should you have any unanswered questions, submit a support request to the Bluetooth SIG brand manager.

Brand Enforcement Program

The Bluetooth® trademarks — including the BLUETOOTH® word mark, the figure mark (the runic “B” and oval design), and the combination mark (Bluetooth® word mark and design) — are owned by the Bluetooth SIG. Only members of the Bluetooth SIG with properly qualified and declared products may display, feature or use any of the trademarks. In order to protect the trademarks, the Bluetooth SIG administers an enforcement program that monitors the market and performs audits to ensure members using the trademarks are doing so in accordance with the Bluetooth® brand guide and in relation to goods and services that have successfully completed the qualification process.

FAQ

Why qualify/declare with Bluetooth SIG?

The Bluetooth Qualification Process promotes interoperability by requiring members to confirm compliance to specifications through testing and documentation. If a company is making available a product that implements Bluetooth® technology and/or uses any of the Bluetooth® trademarks (including the word “Bluetooth®”), it must become a Bluetooth SIG member and complete the Bluetooth Qualification or Declaration Process.
What is the compliance program?
The Bluetooth SIG administers a process for members to demonstrate and declare that the products they build, brand, or otherwise represent as their own, are compliant with the requirements of the Bluetooth® license agreements companies sign when they become a member of the SIG. The two licensing agreements are:
- Bluetooth Patent & Copyright License Agreement – a reciprocal license between each Bluetooth SIG member to the IP that each member owns that is “necessary” for Bluetooth® technology
- Bluetooth Trademark License Agreement – a license between the Bluetooth SIG (owner of the Bluetooth® trademark) and each member authorizing use of the Bluetooth® trademark
Are there any situations where I do not need to qualify my product?

If you are a retailer or supplier who is simply selling or distributing another company’s Bluetooth® product and you are not branding or representing the product as your own, you do not need to qualify the product.
What happens if I don't qualify my product?

If you do not qualify your product, you become subject to enforcement action. Read the updated policy where we outline the escalation schedule. If no corrective actions are taken, your Bluetooth SIG membership could be suspended or revoked.
Who is licensed to use the Bluetooth® trademarks?
When a company applies for membership, they agree to the membership agreements including the Bluetooth Trademark License Agreement. This allows a member company to use the Bluetooth® word mark and logos with fully qualified and listed products. A company planning on selling a Bluetooth® enabled product under their own company/brand name must:
- Be a member to be properly licensed to use the trademarks, word mark or logos
- Properly qualify and/or list their product(s) to comply with the Bluetooth Trademark License Agreement
If a suspected brand violation is found, how should it be reported?

It is in the best interests of all licensees of the Bluetooth® trademarks to work to protect them. To facilitate in this effort, the Bluetooth SIG established a brand enforcement program - where misuse of the Bluetooth® brand can be researched and followed up on.
What is the Qualification Enforcement Program?

The Qualification Enforcement Program protects all Bluetooth SIG members by ensuring Bluetooth® products are properly qualified. The program monitors the market and performs monthly audits to ensure that Bluetooth® products are being sold by member companies that have successfully completed the Bluetooth Qualification Process.

It is important to note that customs officials use the Bluetooth SIG’s Bluetooth Products Database to verify if a product using Bluetooth® technology has completed the Bluetooth Qualification Process. If customs officials are unable to locate a product in the database, customs may seize the product.

The Bluetooth Products Database is also used by distributors and online retailers. If online retailers or Bluetooth SIG is unable to locate a product in the qualification database that product may be removed from the online retailer.

Bluetooth SIG members are a major source of information for this program by reporting violations. If you suspect a product is in violation, you may report that.
How does a member use a Bluetooth Qualification Consultant?

If a member company wishes to engage a Bluetooth Qualification Consultant to provide qualification-related services, the member company will need to engage the consultant directly. Bluetooth Qualification Consultants are not employed by or representatives of Bluetooth SIG. Each member that engages a Bluetooth Qualification Consultant is responsible for establishing the terms of its relationship with the Bluetooth Qualification Consultant, including with respect to payment and scope of services.

Bluetooth Qualification Consultants are independent consultants who have met certain requirements and are permitted to call themselves “Bluetooth Qualification Consultants” when they assist members with submission of their products for qualification. Members may, but are not required to, engage Bluetooth Qualification Consultants to provide qualification-related services.
I keep hearing about qualifying, declaring, or listing my products. What does that mean?

One of the core responsibilities of the Bluetooth SIG is to help member companies ensure their Bluetooth® products properly comply with collectively, the Bluetooth License Agreements. This promotes global product interoperability and reinforces the strength of the Bluetooth® brand to the benefit of all SIG members. The Bluetooth SIG manages this responsibility through the Bluetooth Qualification Process. You must complete this process for any product to which you would like the Bluetooth License Agreements applied. To learn more about how, visit the Qualify Your Product page on the Bluetooth® website.