The Global Certification Forum (GCF) leads the global ecosystem powering interoperable devices, networks, and services, enabling reliable and secure wireless communications worldwide.
The GCF’s and TCCA's Mission Critical Services Workstream (MCSWS) has been actively developing a testing scheme for MCS Product Certification, that will check functional interoperability of MCX Clients and Devices against various commercial MCX Network Servers over live 4G and 5G private networks.
While MCX Conformance Testing ensures compliance to the 3GPP industry standards, Interoperability testing ensures real world implementations that are conforming to the standards, can additionally demonstrate seamless connectivity, functionality and communication across multiple vendors’ systems. Interoperability testing as part of MCS Product Certification will provide additional layer of confidence to the Mission Critical Communications Operators who are looking to procure certified systems for their commercial offering.
To enable Interoperability Testing in the MCS Certification Programme, GCF has been working with Interoperability Test facilities with Interoperability Test Facilities from Ericsson and RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden), working separately with MCX client and server providers Frequentis and Eviden in Proof of Concept Trials, using the latest GSMA TS.11 Device Field and Lab Test Guidelines Annex N, which captures MCX specific test cases. Trial completion is targeted for end of February 2026, with preliminary results indicating a successful execution, and output of the trial will be used to specify the Interoperability Test Processes, refine the test specification, submit any changes necessary to the standards, and to in general setup GCF to operationalise the programme. The results can also be used by the MCX Client and UE vendors as part of their certification declaration. It is expected that MCS Interoperability testing as part of the certification programme will be available in early Q2/2026.
Future phases of Interoperability testing will include additional functionalities such as capabilities such as new MCS 3GPP releases, PCRF integration, Location Services, eMBMS, and connectivity to MCS Control Rooms and Interworking Functions (IWF).
Following successful activation of this initial phase of Interoperability Testing as part of MCS Certification, it is expected that AstaZero test infrastructure at RISE and Ericsson’s Device and Network Test Lab will be officially recognised as an IOP-RTO and offer testing services to the industry. All product manufacturers looking to certify their MCS implementation will be required to successfully pass both Conformance and Interoperability Testing to get GCF MCS Certified.
For more information on MCS Interoperability Test programme, please contact [email protected].