Basingstoke, UK, June 1, 2012 - Today, the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) has accredited UL (Underwriters Laboratories), a world leader in advancing safety science, as a Bluetooth 4.0 testing laboratory to test and certify products equipped with the latest Bluetooth wireless technology standard.

As the sole national accreditation body recognized by the United Kingdom to assess, against internationally agreed standards, organizations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services, UKAS's accreditation allows UL to provide manufacturers of Bluetooth products complete Bluetooth testing needs  and help gain access to their target markets. With Bluetooth testing and certification facilities in both the UK and Japan, this expansion of UL's capabilities allows for coverage across all Bluetooth standards, including requirements for Bluetooth Profile, RF, Protocol and Interoperability testing. It also permits UL to help customers obtain required Bluetooth® smart and smart ready logos for the relevant standards of Bluetooth wireless technology being integrated into their devices.

"I'm delighted that we've achieved this accreditation, which allows us to cover all aspects of Bluetooth testing and qualification and provide our customers with a one-stop solution to all their Bluetooth market access needs," said Stephen Kirk, UL's Vice President and General Manager of Verification Services. "As a global services company we are devoted to helping customers get safer products to market faster and we look forward to continuing to leverage our existing regulatory capabilities and testing/certification expertise in ways that facilitate trade and innovation for manufacturers."

The latest in the line of Bluetooth wireless technology standards, Bluetooth 4.0 offers lower power consumption, which will greatly increase the number of devices that can implement Bluetooth technology. Manufacturers implementing Bluetooth wireless technology into a device commonly have their products assessed and approved by a laboratory of Special Interest Group (SIG), of which UL was accredited as in 2002, before it is sold under the Bluetooth trademark to validate compliance with Bluetooth regulations.

UL's accreditation as a Bluetooth 4.0 testing laboratory, following its recent investment in testing equipment to offer conformance and certification for LTE, the latest cellular technology, is yet another example of UL adapting to meet the needs of a constantly changing market place.