Why is it necessary to declare/qualify with Bluetooth® SIG?
The qualification of Bluetooth products promotes interoperability. It requires companies to confirm that their products comply with Bluetooth specifications with documentation and testing. If a business makes a product that uses Bluetooth trademarks or technology (including using the word itself), it has to become a member of Bluetooth SIG and complete the Declaration or Qualification Process.
What is Bluetooth® compliance?
Members must demonstrate that the products they’ve built, branded or represented as theirs comply with Bluetooth license requirements are per Bluetooth SIG. When companies become members of the SIG, they will sign to say they are compliant with two Bluetooth licensing agreements. These are:
- The Bluetooth Trademark License Agreement – this is a license between the member authorizing the use of Bluetooth trademarks and the Bluetooth SIG (who is the Bluetooth trademark owner).
- The Bluetooth Patent & Copyright License Agreement – this is a reciprocal license between the member of the Bluetooth SIG to the IP owned by the member that is needed for Bluetooth technology.
Is Qualification always necessary?
If you are a supplier or retailer who distributes or sells another brand’s Bluetooth product and you are not representing it as your own or re-branding it, then you don’t need to get Bluetooth qualification.
What will happen if my product isn’t qualified?
If a company doesn’t qualify their Bluetooth product, they will be subjected to enforcement action. There is an escalation schedule and if the company fails to act, their Bluetooth SIG membership may be revoked or suspended.
Who can use the Bluetooth® trademarks?
When a business applies to become a member, it must agree to the Bluetooth SIG membership agreements. This includes the Bluetooth Trademark License Agreement. As a member, this means the company can use the Bluetooth logos and words with their products – as long as they’re listed and fully qualified.
When a company plans to sell a Bluetooth product under a brand or company name, they must:
- Properly list or qualify their product or products for Bluetooth Trademark License Agreement compliance.
- Be a member so they can properly use the Wordmark, logos and trademarks of Bluetooth
If someone suspects there to be a brand violation, how can they report it?
The Bluetooth SIG has an established brand enforcement program. Here, people can research and follow up misuse of the Bluetooth brand. It’s in everyone’s best interests to protect the Bluetooth trademarks.
What is Bluetooth® SIG’s Qualification Enforcement Program?
This program is tasked with protecting all of Bluetooth SIG’s members by making sure all Bluetooth products are adequately qualified. The enforcement program monitors the Bluetooth market and carries out audits on a monthly basis. This ensures that the products being sold have been properly qualified.
It should be noted that customs officials all use Bluetooth SIG’s Products Database to check if a product that uses Bluetooth technology has gone through the qualification process. If they can’t locate a Bluetooth product in this database, they may seize it.
Online retailers and distributors also use the Bluetooth Products Database. If Bluetooth SIG or online retailers can’t locate a Bluetooth product in the database then the product might be removed from the retailer.
Members of Bluetooth SIG are a huge source of information as they often report violations. If you suspect a product violates the rules, you can report it.
How do you use a Bluetooth® qualification consultant?
If a company wants to use a Bluetooth qualification consultant, they need to find the consultant directly as these are not representatives of employees of the Bluetooth SIG. iCertifi can act as a Bluetooth qualification consultant to ease you through the process of getting your Bluetooth product certified.
What does it mean to qualify, declare and list your products?
Bluetooth SIG has many core responsibilities. One of these is to make sure that members’ products comply with the collective Bluetooth License Agreements. This means that all Bluetooth products around the globe are interoperable. It also means that the Bluetooth brand is strengthened. Listing your products means they appear in the Bluetooth SIG product database so that anyone who needs to know, can confirm that your product is qualified and complies with all of the Bluetooth SIG License Agreements.
Do companies have to display their Declaration ID or QDID on their packaging, products and documentations?
No, there are no marking requirements.
Can you always use the same Declaration ID?
No. You will need a new Declaration ID each time that you list a new product/combination of subsystems based on another company’s design, when you qualify a new design or when re-branding a product design that you’ve already qualified.