Cambridge College of Arts Technolgy

Littleport Village College

At IoTAS, I’m responsible for global operations, including the Head Office in Cambridge (UK), the office and test facility in Sydney (Australia) and test centres in Japan and Europe. 

I’m also responsible for all partnership relationships across Asia, Latin America and North America. 

IoTAS provide 3GPP (2G / 3G / 4G / 5G / CAT-M1 / NB-IoT) with bespoke field-testing solutions to suit the needs of our customers, from GCF field testing to global launch testing in specific geographic locations around the world. 

As 5G SA rolls out across the Globe, IoTAS are actively supporting Network Operators and Device Vendors to improve the quality and roll out those initial products and services.

IOT & Approval Solutions Ltd

Operations Director - Global

Responsible for setting up the Design Validation Department within a start up company, requiring the recruitment of staff, purchase of test equipment and implementing procedures for testing leading edge GSM / GPRS terminals and 3G test equipment. 

Managed the testing of 2G / 2.5G terminals and 3G test equipment’s to ensure compliance to Mandatory requirements.  The testing of the devices covers all aspects, EMC- Electromagnetic Compatibility, Safety (CE / UL), RF-Spectrum Usage, Protocol, SAR-Specific Absorption Rate (Europe / US) and Audio. 

Managed the testing to the GCF-General Certification Forum requirements including RF, field-testing and Protocol.  This requires the functionality of the product to be clearly understood by compiling.
PICS List - Protocol Implementation Conformance Statements.

Obtained terminal and test equipment approvals to the R&TTE Directive (by compiling a Technical Construction File allowing CE Marking and Declarations of Conformity to be generated), Network Approvals, FCC - Federal Communications Commission Approval, China Regulatory Approval and numerous other countries approvals.

Responsible for Field Testing terminal equipment’s to ensure the correct functionality on real life unclean commercial networks (MO, MT, low signal, high signal, roaming, dynamic etc).   Testing covers the end to end performance of the equipment and proves software quality and product reliability. Implemented full procedures for testing and recording of results and the repeatability of testing. Also responsible for Inter-Operability Testing - IOT, ensuring products work on all infrastructure vendor’s equipment

UbiNetics

Design Validation Manager

Managed Type Approval, EMC and Safety Approvals on 900 / 1800 and 1900 GSM Base Stations to Global Markets.  Chairman for Global Type Approval Council, consisting of Teams from Finland, Sweden and United States in order to implement improve team working and co-ordination of resource.  Traveled to Taiwan and Italy to resolve approval issues and successfully obtain Type Approval

Nokia Networks

Group Leader Type Approvals

Set up Regulatory / Customer Approval Test Department, including recruiting staff, purchasing test equipment and implementing procedures. Traveled into China recently to meet with Regulatory Authorities to solve RF Sensitivity problem which was delaying Type Approval process. 

Managed Product System Testing Department, responsible for formulating testing required to ensure full technical evaluation of Paging Receivers (FLEX and POCSAG) to Product Specification.

Evaluated results obtained from Product System Testing carried out to International Standards for RF, Mechanical and Environmental requirements through out design and production process.  As the Design Authority responsible for ensuring compliance with Product Specification, liaison with internal departments to correct non compliance’s was required.

Successfully leading Customer Product Approval process of Paging Receivers to Major Consumer Network Operators.  Developed and maintained strategic technical relationships in Europe and United States. Instrumental in building relationships from 1995 - 1998 with major Network Operators in UK which have led to sales in 1998 of £10.89 Million.

Personally developed Product Customer Approval Process with Major Consumer Network Operators.  Started involving the Customers earlier in Product Development which allowed them to start their Approval process earlier.  This also ensured that at end of the Development cycle product met requirements of Customer and reduced time for Product to get to market.

Ensured that Products delivered to Customers in production quantities are of standard agreed in Product Customer Approval Process and fully comply with Customers requirements.

Successfully managed Product Support Department, ensuring Customer issues were addressed in a timely and professional manner.  Ensured that required Support for Production Sites in Cambridge, Singapore and Mexico were available to keep Production delays to a minimum.

Philips Consumer Communication, Paging

Product Support and Approvals Manager

Maintained up to date knowledge of international and customer specific test and Type Approval requirements for pagers.

Liaised with other Philips Consumer Communication locations and external test house in order to be aware of facilities offered and preferred method of working.

Worked closely with Development and Supply Center in order to agree with customers realistic production specifications that would apply to customer’s orders.

Ensured that on site external customer quality acceptance testing to individual customer requirements were carried out effectively.

Obtained Type Approval in Europe, Far East and United States on Private Mobile Radio Receivers and Transmitters.

Kevin Spalding