Bangalore, Aug 11 (IANS): Global software major Wipro Technologies has been recognised as India's first Bluetooth qualification test facility by the Bluetooth trade association, the IT bellwether said late Tuesday.

Bluetooth is an open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances (using short length radio waves) from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks (PANs) with high levels of security.

The recognition makes Wipro competent to perform Bluetooth qualification conformance or compliance tests, the company said in a statement here.

"We will test products submitted by members of the Bluetooth special interest group at our test lab in the electronics city campus. The tests will also include Bluetooth protocol conformance," said Wipro vice-president C.P. Gangadharaiah.

Bluetooth qualification is the certification process required for any product using Bluetooth wireless technology and a pre-condition of the intellectual property (IP) license for Bluetooth technology.

"India is known for its strong software expert pool. Many profiles and protocol stacks of Bluetooth-enabled products were developed in India. This market is influential in the Bluetooth original equipment manufacturer (OEM) automotive market and in the Bluetooth mobile advertising," Bluetooth chief technology officer Andy Glass said in the statement.

Bluetooth technology has expanded beyond headset and mobile phone applications to high-growth market segments, including health and fitness and gaming.

"Gaming is the second largest application in terms of Bluetooth shipments. About 1,000 new Bluetooth enabled product designs were evolved and over 3,000 Bluetooth enabled products were tested and qualified in 2009," Glass added.