There is a growing demand in markets such as industrial and consumer sectors for low-power, lower-cost 5G devices. In recognition of this, 3GPP Release 17 introduced 5G RedCap, which unlocks the advanced features and spectral efficiency of 5G NR for devices that do not require the full high-speed data capabilities of the standard. Potential applications include industrial sensors, surveillance, and wearables.
The 5G RedCap certification is expected to be active by mid-2023, complementing the 5G NR areas that are already active within the GCF certification.
By combining laboratory conformance and interoperability testing with field trials across multiple commercial networks, GCF certification verifies the interoperability of wireless devices with various network elements, vendor infrastructures, and other services. GCF certifies hundreds of different device models each year.
