Further to du's announcement earlier this year on becoming the first company in the Middle East to become a Field Test Qualified Operator (FTQO), of the Global Certification Forum (GCF), du today announced that it is become the first company in the MENA region to host GCF Agreement Group meetings.  du will welcome delegates to GCF's CAG#41 (Conformance and Interoperability Agreement Group) and the FTAG#38 (Filed Trial Agreement Group) meetings between 27-30 January 2015.

The GCF (Global Certification Forum) maintains and operates a certification scheme for new mobile devices such as handsets, smartphones, tablets, dongles, MiFis, and routers. GCF Certification give operators confidence in the interworking of newly introduced mobile devices - especially at this time where technology and market growth are developing so quickly. GCF is recognized globally as the industry standard for mobile device certification.

Saleem AlBlooshi, Executive Vice President, Network Development and Operations, du, said: "This is a matter of great national pride and marks an important strategic achievement. Hosting the GCF CAG and FTAG meetings in the UAE will further encourage leading device manufactures to conduct GCF Field Trials on our network as part of the GCF certification process. This will also provide valuable insights into the interoperability of new terminals on our network to assure seamless user experience. The hosting of CAG and FTAG meetings adds further impetus to the initiative of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in establishing the UAE as a global leader in all aspects and as an innovator in technology in the Middle East region."

For the first time, the GCF CAG and FTAG meetings will be hosted in MENA region. This is a great milestone for both UAE and du as this reflects the trust in the capabilities of the UAE and du to host such big global Telecommunication events. The CAG and FTAG meetings will host delegates from across the global industry including terminal and chipset vendors, tier 1 operators, test houses and other stakeholders.

CAG is responsible for agreeing on new Conformance and Interoperability Certification Criteria, based on test cases defined by telecommunications standards bodies for new technologies and functionalities. FTAG is responsible for agreeing on testing to be undertaken during the Field Trial component of the GCF Certification process. The selection of Dubai to host these important meetings reflects his highness' vision to convert Dubai into a smart city.  

Close cooperation with GCF, allows new mobile devices, including those that may be offered on the local open market, to be end-to-end tested against du's state-of-the-art HSPA+/LTE network. Certification helps to maintain the quality of experience regardless of the sales channel of the device.   

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