13 September 2002

ETSI Now Delivering MHP Test Suite As Part Of MHP Conformance Process

Geneva, 13th September 2002 – DVB and ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) are proud to announce that the MHP (Multimedia Home Platform) conformance process is now underway. ETSI is now shipping the MHP Test Suite to MHP implementers. Once an organisation has successfully completed the testing procedure and informed ETSI, it may apply to the DVB Project Office to use the MHP logo on set-top-boxes and other consumer equipment complying with the standard.

In its role as custodian of the MHP specification and Test Suite, ETSI will also ensure that organisations are appraised of developments in the area of the MHP Test Suite.

DVB Chairman, Theo Peek remarked, “ETSI’s custodial role is vital to the success of MHP. Its involvement ensures the efficient and neutral distribution of the MHP Test Suite while at the same time furthering the dissemination of the MHP message. I am pleased that a growing number of companies contributing to the MHP Test Suite are now offering royalty-free licenses for conformance testing.”

Errki Liikanen, Member of the European Commission responsible for Enterprise and Information Society, said, “I share the enthusiasm for a broad European, indeed world-wide, market in interoperable MHP consumer equipment designed for a wealth of new applications and services. For this reason, the conformance testing regime described in these arrangements… is a significant contribution to ensuring the rapid implementation and take-up of MHP. I am grateful that ETSI has agreed to serve as the custodian for the regime.”

Karl-Heinz Rosenbrock, Director-General of ETSI, commented, “ETSI is proud to perform this important role. Taking on this task extends the excellent co-operation that already exists between DVB and ETSI, through which ETSI manages and publishes the DVB standards and serves as Custodian of the DVB algorithms.

Procedure for obtaining the MHP Mark
MHP is a registered trademark of the DVB Project. The MHP logo indicates that the equipment to which it is affixed conforms to the MHP specification; its implementation has passed the MHP conformance-testing regime; and it is interoperable with other MHP equipment. Each implementer must first complete the conformance testing prior to applying to use the MHP mark.

The procedure is as follows:

1. Download the MHP specification and references from either the ETSI or the MHP website.
   Request the MHP Test Suite from ETSI. Contact: Ms. Gina Ebenezersson (Gina.Ebenezersson@etsi.fr).
   
2. Complete the appropriate licensing documentation associated with the Test Suite and pay an administrative fee to ETSI.
   
3. Possibly obtain some elements of source code and test harnesses at this point also under license but with no extra charge.
   
4. Run the tests contained on the MHP Test Suite CD-ROM on the candidate MHP implementation.
   
5. Once completed, deliver a Certificate of Completion of conformance testing to ETSI.
   
6. In parallel, and as an option, deliver to the DVB Project Office two signed copies of the MHP Mark License Agreement. Contact: Ms. Eva Melamed (melamed@dvb.org).
   
7. Pay a maintenance fee to the DVB Project for MHP Mark. This entitles the implementer to use the MHP Mark.
   
8. At this point, there are various options for use of IPRs associated with Java™ technology essential to the implementation of the MHP specification:
   
   1. deliver to ETSI a “short-form patent license”;
      
   2. enter into broader licensing arrangements with MHP technology providers;
      
   3. sign no license, on the basis that the implementer takes the view that it has implemented the MHP specification “on a clean room basis”.