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General & Pre Certification
Issues during Certification
Problem Reporting
After Certification
Answers
General & Pre Certification:
- What are the advantages of Certification?
WAP certification is widely accepted and recognised by network operators
round the world. There have been numerous bids over the last year for which
WAP Certification is a requirement. To compete with the major suppliers whose
products are certified you may wish to consult your intended customers to
ascertain their needs. Given the low cost of certification after you have
built a product that meets the specifications and passes the tests, we believe
the return on investment is substantial. Back to top
For our new WAP 2.0 program we are extending certification to browsers.
They need to be certified in a specific hardware and software environment
which will be published on the register. Any product that subsequently incorporates
the browser would need to certify again - hopefully easily. As before, we
will continue to certify WAP Clients. Back to top
- How do I certify my
phone?
WAP Certification involves self-testing your phone with at least three of
the gateways in the REFPOOL using the conformance test suite on our server. We
give you a testing account with pre-set test sessions which are parameterized
according to your ICS. When you have submitted your final test runs,
we check the results. Back to top
- I want to certify a phone
which is based on a model previously certified by The Open Group. Is
the procedure the same even though the software hasn't changed?
If you confirm that the new phone is based on a previously certified
model and that the WAP software is unchanged, no further testing is required.
This would be considered as a clone of the original. Because it is a separate
product, we require a new ICS to be submitted with the new name. In this
instance the fee would be $1000. Back to top
- Does WAP certification
certify that a phone client (browser) works in a non-English language mode
(for example, Chinese)?
A deliverable containing Japanese localization (Shift_JIS) is included in
VSWAP. We have been asked to consider other languages, such as Portuguese,
Hebrew and Chinese. Back to top
- What is required of
the software version that the certification is started with? Does it
have to be commercially available, or is a R&D version sufficient? How
does the version need to be identified?
Certification may take place at any stage of the product's life cycle. Each
commercial release needs to be tested with at least one test session.
The software version of the product should be clearly identifiable. If the
R&D name and version is very different from the commercial release then
we have to be assured that it is indeed a maintenance release. Please communicate
with the WAP Certification Authority regarding any uncertainties. We will
respond to you regarding the scope of testing if, for any reason, the situation
is not clear.
Please refer to the WAP Conformance Process and Policy here. Back to top
- How long does it take
to test and become certified?
Timescales for setting up Non-disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and preparations
for formal testing depend on each situation, so it is not possible for us
to provide an estimate. From the time we receive your test results, the normal
timeframe is up to 4 working days for certification to be confirmed. This
assumes there are no queries or issues. Back to top
- How many tests are
involved in WAP 2.0 Certification?
For a WAP client the number of tests will depend on the features supported
as declared in the ICS. However there are a total of 2353 tests in VSWAP. Back to top
- How long does it take
to do test runs?
This is difficult to estimate. The application auto tests will run without
intervention but the manual tests take a long time - possibly three days
or more. Again it depends what your phone supports.
The 90 day test account allows for the normal time we see customers testing
when we give them a REFSET and test campaign which is 4 - 6 weeks plus any
fixing of problems. If Problem Reports (PRs) are raised then there is often
extra time needed for these to be processed.
Some customers use our Development
Test Suite Subscription Service.You will know more about how closely
your product conforms to the specification.
If your phone is similar to or incorporates part of a certified phone then
you may complete sooner than the average of 6 weeks. Back to top
- How long do I have to
test my product?
Once you are issued with a test account, you are given 90 days in which
to complete certification testing. Back to top
- Who do we contact for
Certification information?
Please contact the Help Desk Back to top
Issues during Certification:
- How can we get the Certification
Agreement and the ICS?
To access and submit an ICS and a WAP Certification Agreement, please use
the 'Apply' link from our WAP Certification home page.
You are able to download the ICS Editor after agreeing to the software license. The
Editor will not execute until you have received a license key from us. Please
contact us for the key.
The Certification Agreement may be viewed from the ICS Editor. When you
have completed the ICS and it validates successfully, press the 'submit'
button. The system will let you print the ICS and will also (automatically)
include the Certification Agreement. The ICS part will be represented as
Appendix A and Appendix B of the document. Please sign and date the signature
page, and then fax the Agreement to WAP Certification Authority Administration. The
ICS Editor automatically routes your ICS to the Certification Authority'
s system when you press the 'submit' button.
We will countersign the Agreement and return a copy to you. The signed fax
from you is regarded as the formal notification and we will then start selecting
the REFSET and preparing Test Campaign. If there will be any delay
due to limitations of the REFPOOL we will notify you immediately. Back to top
- I've downloaded the ICS
Editor from your web site, but it doesn't work.
You need the Java Runtime Environment in order to use the ICS Editor. This
is available as a free download at
Back to top
- Where do I send the
WAP Certification Agreement when we have signed it?
WAP Certification Authority Administration
The Open Group
Thames Tower, 37-45 Station Road,
Reading, Berks RG1 1LX,
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 0118 950 8311
Fax: +44 0118 950 0110 (UK)
Fax: +1 415 276 3760 (USA)
E-Fax: +1 415 276 3760 Back to top
Issues during Certification:
- How long will it take
to receive the REFSET after faxing the ICS to you?
It is our policyto issue the REFSET within 4 days of receiving the signed
WAP Agreement Back to top
- I want to access VSWAP
for WAP certification testing, how do I open an account? Which site
should I go to?
We can provide you with access to VSWAP when you have submitted an Implementation
Conformance Statement (ICS) for the product and sent us a signed WAP Certification
Agreement. This assumes you are ready to test your product. Certification
customers are given 90 days access to the Test Suite on receipt of the signed
Agreement. Access occurs when your REFSET and test account is issued. Back to top
- I have several test sessions. How
do I delete some of them if I want to?
Enter the test session Management menu in the ICS Editor. Select the Manage
option next to the test session to be deleted. This takes you to a "Manage
test session" page - select "Delete the test session". Back to top
- The product fails one
or more of the tests in the test campaign. What happens now?
Please check the Problem Report Database first, which can be accessed from
the test suite web pages. If your fail results are covered by agreed
test suite deficiencies (TSD's) or agreed interpretations for the version
of the test suite used, then certification may be able to proceed.
If you have submitted your test results for certification and you
have unresolved fail results, your certification fee covers two attempts
to certify. Back to top
- We have a user ID and
a password for logging into the VSWAP Test Suite site. We can create
a test session, but we are not able to run those test cases as our WML Encoder
expects a WML file as input. We want to know how to get WML files from
the methods defined in the Test Suite.
First, please check the Quick Start guide, available from the top-level
page of every test suite. The test suite does not contain any WML files:
instead, it contains Meta files that are converted to WML and streamed out
to the device at the time the content is requested. Back to top
- We have encountered some
problems with the VSWAP Test Suites. What do we do?
If you believe there is a bug in the test suite, or the Certification system,
or a specification, please raise a Problem Report at http://www.opengroup.org:8000/wap2/publicpr/PRSearch giving
enough detail for the problem to be reproduced. This will enable any fault
with the test suite and the particular version to be dealt with satisfactorily
If you are having difficulty running tests or operating the test suite,
please email vswap-help Back to top
- We are using VSWAP and
some of the tests are failing or hanging. Can you help?
While we do provide support for the test suite, we are unable to provide
help in debugging products. If you think something is wrong with the test
suite please provide sufficient information for us to determine what the
problem is. For example, specific syntax or logic error in the content, or
a protocol trace. Back to top
- We started certification
testing for a product and while testing was taking place, we found there
are product problems requiring some bug-fixing modifications. Do we
have to rerun all the test sessions in the campaign, or just one test session,
or the cases affected by the fixes in all the sessions?
For certification we need clear runs of the test suite as described when
we issued your REFSET and test campaign requirements. If your product requires
bug fixing during the test cycle, the fixes should be made and the product
re-tested from the beginning if you want to certify the latest release of
your product.
After certification, if more product changes are required, the directions
in 5.1 of the WAP Conformance Process and Certification Policy apply. This
describes the scope of re-testing already-certified products. Back to top
- I have tried accessing
versions of VSWAP which I used to be able to use. I cannot do this
anymore, why is this?
Access to the certification releases of VSWAP is restricted to certification
customers. We provide test suite accounts to customers on receipt of their
formal application for WAP Certification. This is why you cannot set up and
access an account as before.
For pre-certification testing, an alternative is the online or download
development WAP test suites Back to top
- What must I do if I
have a problem in the "automatic ICS entry" web pages?
If you are certain that the logic in the ICS entry page validation disagrees
with the Class Conformance Requirements or the SCRs, you should check the
Problem Reporting System at http://www.opengroup.org:8000/wap2/publicpr/PRSearch and
select Certification System Deficiency (CSD), if the problem is not covered,
then please submit a problem report. CSDs are processed as fast as
possible so certification may proceed. Back to top
Problem Reporting:
- What must I check before referencing
a Problem Report?
Please check that the status of the Problem Report is either a test suite
deficiency (TSD) or an interpretation (INT). REJ means it was not agreed
and therefore the PR may not be referenced. Please also check that
the PR applies to the certification release of the test suite which you are
using. TSDs are test suite specific. Back to top
- Where can I find
out what has happened to the Problem Report I sent in a week ago?
When you send in a Problem Report, it is assigned a "WAP PR" serial
number, which is sent to the email address you provided within the confidential
part of the report. You can track the progress of your report by finding
its status in the summary report at http://www.opengroup.org:8000/wap2/publicpr/PRListPRs?action=all Back to top
After Certification:
- Why should I sign the The Open
Group Certification Mark License Agreement?
If you wish to use the WAP Certification Mark in connection with your product
you must agree the license terms. As the certificate uses this logo, we can
only send you a certificate if you have signed the License Agreement.
Signing is via a web page and we give you the url, together with the access
details for your WTR, when certification is complete. Back to top
- How do we extend certification
to cover maintenance releases?
If the WAP software of the new version of the phone is unchanged and any
fix is to another part of the phone, please email the details to wapadmin.
We will update the register and ICS / WTR free of charge with the new release
number.
If there are bug fixes to the WAP software then we apply the rules of the
WAP Conformance Process and Certification Policy (see Section 5). This involves
one test session. For WAP2.0 certification, the cost of 4 maintenance releases
are included in the intial fee. Back to top
- The WAP Conformance Process
and Certification Policy refers to "a material change to WAP related
software" in the section on maintenance releases and OEM products. What
exactly does this mean?
A material change to WAP related software is one that may affect its conformance
to applicable WAP specifications, or which may affect the results of testing
with any WAP approved test suite.
This includes, but is not limited to: -
-
changes that may impact the behaviour of currently supported mandatory
and optional features of the specification
-
additions to or removal of support for optional features
-
changes that may have an indirect impact on the behaviour of a test
-
changes in the underlying hardware or software components that may affect
the behaviour of the WAP related software
For example, changes to the screen size may impact the behaviour of currently
supported mandatory and optional features of the specification or have an
indirect impact on the behaviour of a test and would thus be considered material
changes.
Changes to softare representing functionality entirely outside the scope
of the current WAP specifications, AND which are entirely de-coupled from
WAP related software, do not constitute a material change under this definition.
An example might be software responsible for ring tone options.
While this answer provides guidance on what may constitute a material change,
it is the responsibility of the supplier of a WAP certified product to determine
whether or not a change to the product is material to WAP conformance and
certification.
The CA will give advice and guidance on the interpretation of this policy
based on information provided by the supplier. Back to top
- What can you tell me about renewal
of WAP certification?
You will be notified about 60 days before your annual renewal date. You
may be required to submit one test run in support of renewal. This
is decided on a case by case basis. We consider the version of the
test suite originally used to certify together with any other information
we have about the product which may lead us to want reassurance regarding
conformance. We issue an updated certificate on renewal.
The fees are at: http://www.opengroup.org/wap/cert/wap-fees.html Back to top
The REFPOOL
- Can I sign Non-Disclosure Agreements with Reference Pool members prior to submitting an ICS?">Can
I sign Non-Disclosure Agreements with Reference Pool members prior to submitting
an ICS?
The WAP Certification Authority is not able to disclose REFPOOL members
information prior to issuing the REFSET, as neither the Certification Policy
nor the REFPOOL NDA allow us to provide this information in advance. As soon
as we have notified you of the REFSET, we recommend you t have NDAs
signed quickly. Back to top
- My products have been selected
for more than one REFSET. Can I limit the availability to one interoperability
partner at a time?
You must make your product available to each REFSET partner within 15 days
of the applicant's initial contact. You may restrict access within those
fifteen days. If it is necessary to provide more than one product in order
to meet this obligation, then you must make multiple products available. Back to top
- How long do I have to make
my REFPOOL product available when it is chosen in a REFSET?
You must make your REFPOOL product available for testing as part of the
REFSET within 15 days of the applicant's initial contact, and must keep it
available for the balance of the 90 day period following notification by
the CA. This is according to the guidelines in the REFPOOL Agreement. The
CA will inform you when a REFSET obligation expires. We suggest you
also agree with the Applicant the expected duration of a test to limit the
amount of time for which you need to make your REFSET product available. Back to top
- What happens if my REFPOOL
product becomes unavailable for testing?
If possible you should substitute an alternative. If you then have no products
in the REFPOOL your REFPOOL Agreement will automatically be terminated. There
is no mechanism to instantly abdicate your obligations under the REFPOOL
agreement as any pre-existing REFSET obligations continue until complete. Back to top
- I have terminated my REFPOOL
agreement. Are my obligations ended?
If your product has already been included in a REFSET prior to you giving
notice of termination, your obligations with respect to that REFSET survive,
but your product will not be selected for any subsequent REFSETS. Your obligations
for holding information confidential survive the termination of the REFPOOL
agreement. See Section 4 of the agreement. Back to top
- I need to set up special arrangements
in order to facilitate testing with a particular Applicant. Can I decline
the test?
No. If reasonably possible you must meet an applicant's requirements for
testing but may charge the applicant for the provision of these additional
services. Back to top
- I need to set up special
arrangements in order to facilitate testing with a particular Applicant.
Can I charge the Applicant for the costs?
In principle, yes, though you should avoid making charges wherever possible.
Everything that is required for the REFPOOL device to work according to its
own ICS is at the provider company's expense. As an example, it would not
be reasonable for you to charge the Applicant for overtime paid to your staff
to work at weekends if it is your choice that they should do so. On the other
hand, it may be reasonable to do so if it was at the Applicant's request.
You may make charges for providing access to your REFPOOL implementation
beyond what is reasonably required. For example, if the Applicant insists
that the testing must take place at a remote and insecure location it may
be reasonable to charge for an engineer to accompany the implementation to
the remote site. Back to top
- I only want to make my REFPOOL
product available in my home office. Is this OK?
It would be against the spirit of the REFPOOL agreement to restrict access
unreasonably. For example, if the device is marketed freely, it would be
unreasonable to restrict access to your office. In the case where the product
is a pre-production or special implementation and confidential, a Non-Disclosure
Agreement with the REFPOOL partners should suffice to protect your rights.
In the case that the gateway product can only operate in conjunction with
a special test bed or other environmental (e.g. bearer) restriction, such
a restriction would be reasonable provided that you offer the alternative
of shipping the product to REFSET sites with appropriate accompanying engineering
and other support at the REFSET partners cost. It is difficult to see how
such a restriction could apply to Clients (phones).
It is reasonable to ask gateway applicants to go and buy a phone (and to
send the phone to the REFSET member for flashing with correct software if
needed). Back to top
- The product I wish to enter
into the REFPOOL is pre production and I don't want it publicized. What can
I do to ensure it is kept confidential?
The presence of a product in the REFPOOL is confidential. A Non-Disclosure
Agreement with the REFPOOL partners should suffice to protect your interests. Back to top
- Can I reuse the results of
testing in a REFSET for certification?
Each test campaign is unique to the REFSET; tests may not be used without
the express agreement of The Open Group together with both parties in the
test. Back to top
- My product supports several
bearers but the bearer under test is only available in my local country.
What are the implications of making the product available to an Applicant
in another country?
In the case of a REFSET gateway accessible over IP, the handset applicant
is responsible for connectivity between the handset and the internet. In
the case of a REFSET gateway supporting another type of bearer that is required
for a test campaign but which is not accessible from the handset applicants
site, it is reasonable to require the applicant to send the handset to the
gateway supplier's site for testing. It is the Applicant's choice whether
or not to send engineering staff with the handset to perform testing. In
the case of a REFSET handset, the gateway applicant is responsible for connectivity
to the bearers required in the test campaign. It is always reasonable for
a gateway applicant to require a REFSET handset to be supplied at their location
when the bearer is not accessible through IP.
Back to top
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