The Bluetooth Qualification Process was introduced by the Bluetooth SIG to ensure that the products comply with

• Bluetooth Patent & Copyright License Agreement
• Bluetooth Trademark License Agreement
• Bluetooth Specifications

Products that are compliant to the Bluetooth Specification will ensure product interoperability 

=> ALL Bluetooth devices should work with each other

Completing the Bluetooth Qualification process
allows the members to make use of the
Bluetooth Trademark, Name and Logos.

Bluetooth® Qualification Consultants are independent consultants and are not employed by the Bluetooth SIG. Every BQC has to meet certain requirements by passing a yearly exam which gives them the permission to call themselves “Bluetooth Qualification Consultant”.

BQCs are helping you to with the following qualification steps

• Support on Membership Application
• Consultancy for Qualification Strategy
• Project Setup in Launch Studio
• Consistency Check
• Test Plan Generation
• Testing Services (in-house or in BQTF)
• Test Declaration
• Compliance Folder Review
• Product Listings
• Final Review and Listing

YES, ALL Bluetooth Products must go through the Bluetooth Qualification Process

Bluetooth Qualification

• cannot be inherit from a chipset/module or stack supplier, each product must complete their own qualification under the manufacturer's account
• must be completed before the product is entering the market
  

What happen if I do not qualify my product?

all Bluetooth products are subject to the Bluetooth Enforcement program and customs authorities are checking the Bluetooth SIG Listing database and may block the import of products, if they are not listed.

You do not need to qualify your Bluetooth product, only if you are a retailer or supplier selling the Bluetooth product under the original brand (and not under your own brand or trademark)

The Enforcement Program is the market surveillance of the Bluetooth SIG.

The global market will be monitored by the Bluetooth SIG and companies selling Bluetooth products without existing Qualification become subject to enforcement actions.

Qualification Enforcement | Bluetooth® Technology Website

There are different Bluetooth Product Types available for integration into your product. 

• Component
• Controller Subsystem
• Host Subsystem
• Profile Subsystem
• End Product

Bluetooth Component can be a

• Chipset
• Module
• Host stack
• Profile stack
• Single layer (e.g. RF or Link layer)
  

Advantage:

Test evidence can be inherited for 3 years (from the time of the assessment date) when used in a new qualification as End Product or Subsystem. Layers containing a Deprecated or Withdrawn Specification Version can be removed when integrating.

Disadvantage:

New qualification "with required testing" has to be made and all profile interoperability tests shall be repeated

Controller Subsystem

• RF, BB, LMP, HCI
• RF-PHY, LL, 4.0HC

Host Subsystem

• GAP, L2CAP, SDP
• GAP, GATT, ATT, L2CAP, SM
• Profiles are optional to be support

Profile Subsystem

• Any profiles

Advantage:

Can be combined with other subsystems or End Product to make Qualification with no required testing (which is only a new Declaration and Product Listing)

Disadvantage:

if they are used in a new qualification (combined with a component), the test evidence cannot be inherited and must be completely re-assed according to latest qualification requirements. Layers containing a Withdrawn Specification Version cannot be removed when integrating. These subsystem cannot be used anymore for integration.

• Mandatory to support all Controller and Host layers
• Profiles are optional to be supported

Advantage:

Qualification with no required testing is required (which is only a new Declaration and Product Listing)

Disadvantage:

if they are used in a new qualification (combined with a component), the test evidence cannot be inherited and must be completely re-assed according to latest qualification requirements. Layers containing a Withdrawn Specification Version cannot be removed when integrating. Those end products cannot be used anymore for integration.

The compliance folder shall contain the documentation demonstrating that the product meets the Bluetooth Qualfication Requirements

Each member has to create a compliance folder and need to store it for a minimum of one year after the product ceases to be offered for sale or distribution. It must be presentable at the request of the Bluetooth SIG

It contains the following:

• Product Information
• Testing Information
• Design Information
• Declarations

When an expedited Errata is applicable to a device according to its ICS settings, it must demonstrate compliance and provide test evidence for the affected test cases of this expedited Errata.

The list expedited Errata and affected test cases can be found in the latest TCRL

Errata 10734 - Pairing Updates

• Affects HCI, LL, LMP and SM
• Included in Specification v5.1 and higher
• Mandatory to support for v4.2 and v5.0
  
  

Errata 11838 - Encryption Key Size Updates

• Affects HCI, LMP and GAP
• Included in Specification v5.2 and higher
• Mandatory to support for v4.2, v5.0, v5.1

Test Evidence shall be provided by the chipset/stack supplier