Can I buy a pre-certified Zigbee module so I can skip the Zigbee certification process?

The short answer is unfortunately no, but for good reason. Zigbee Certification is different than RF regulatory requirements such as those from the FCC or IC (though RapidConnect modules are pre-certified to meet RF regulatory requirements from the FCC and other jurisdictions.)

However, it is not possible for any module provider to provide hardware that has been "pre-certified" against the Zigbee specifications. The Zigbee certification process verifies that the complete product performs as expected; the module is just one of the components being used in the complete product.

Here is an example:

Zigbee Routers and End Devices are required to support a feature called Identify, which enables other devices on the network to prompt a specific device to blink an LED or emit a sound. This helps the user find the physical device corresponding to the node they are interacting with on the network. The RapidConnect firmware supports the Identify Cluster, automatically generating Identify Start and Identify Stop serial commands to notify the Host MCU in your device when it should be blinking its LED or making a noise. Your developers must include the code to take the appropriate action and actually blink the physical light when these serial commands are received. That's not something any module can assure, and any given product may implement this differently in their industrial design. Zigbee certification testing ensures that your device as a whole, meets these functional requirements.

You may see products (including our own) advertised as a "Zigbee Compliant Platform". This is a type of certification authorized by the Zigbee Alliance, to indicate that a particular development platform such as a Zigbee radio chip or module, complies with the Zigbee standard at whatever level is appropriate. That is, you can confidently use it to build a Zigbee device on top of. But you must still certify your final device as a whole.

RapidConnect hardware, firmware, and tools are designed to simplify Zigbee development enable you to develop a Zigbee Certifiable product. In addition to our product features, MMB's experience in Zigbee requirements and certification enable us to work with you during your design process to ensure that your product will meet the requirements of certification.

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