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In most tech contexts, the word ‘bug’ is not a good thing, but a small East Coast startup by the name of Bug Labs is changing the whole connotation of the word, having just teamed up with AT&T to help developers eliminate the notable barriers to innovating in hardware.

What Bug Labs offers is an award-winning open hardware development platform to help developers kickstart their projects to produce innovative new electronic devices quickly and cheaply, from open source hardware designs and software, to partnerships in areas like supply chain and manufacturing.

On Tuesday, founder and CEO of Bug Labs, Peter Semmelhack said he was “excited” to announce his firm had partnered with AT&T to help developers integrate 3G GSM wireless connectivity “into whatever electronic device they can dream up with the BUG platform.”

That puts a network ready 3G wireless module plug-and-play electronic tool kit into developers’ hands.

What that essentially means is that whatever BUG-based device a developer builds, it will be able to run, FCC and AT&T certified, on the AT&T 3G network immediately – no further testing required. And that means a speedier, more cost-efficient path to commercial launch. Pretty neat stuff.

AT&T has made the BUG platform accessible through AT&T Emerging Devices for developers to collect, share and control the data coming from networked BUGs using the new BUGswarm web application, which is helpfully integrated with the AT&T Control Center.

The Bug/AT&T Connection Kit also apparently includes AT&T SIM cards, data capacity for testing, access to AT&T Control Center and best practice guidelines.

Glenn Lurie, president of emerging devices, resale and partnerships, AT&T said the move will give developers “the ability to test and trial their products in the sandbox while they are in the nascent stages of development,” adding “we’re eliminating the certification barriers that have kept some developers from jumping into the game.”

Lurie says he hopes the move will encourage product developers “to bring the next generation of new and exciting products to market as soon as possible.”

“We’re inspiring developers around the world to tap into their creativity,” said Semmelhack, going on to say that by using Bug’s open product development program, product developers could “build, deploy, produce and certify wireless devices at a practical, faster rate.”

Semmelhack said US carriers were “becoming increasingly motivated and interested” when it came to finding new ways to innovate and bring new wireless devices to market, “preferably on their networks.”

“If you combine [the carriers’] motivations with our mission, wonderful things start to happen,” he continued.

Semmelhack also explained that the 3G GSM network AT&T brought to the table was hugely beneficial, with perhaps the most important factor being the technology’s international footprint.  “Build and program a device in the US and deploy it in Europe without changing a thing. That’s cool,” he said.

AT&T isn’t the only carrier interested though, with Verizon having already announced a “strategic relationship” with Bug back in mid-September.

“The bigger story of major US carriers aligning behind a scrappy open source startup from Soho is
coming together!” Bug’s business development manager Ed Borden told Unplugged. Indeed, it certainly seems that way.

To find out more about Bug, you can visit the firm’s website here and/or watch the video below: