UL urges regional businesses to use tested fiber optic products

Global independent safety science company UL has encouraged organisations in the Middle East to comply with international and regional standards when installing fiber optic products in order to avoid any potential accidents.

The usage of fiber optics has increased rapidly around the world and is commonly used for carrying information over long distances and high-performance data networking such as televisions, internet and telephones.

With demand set to grow in a continuously evolving market, UL hosted a workshop in Dubai to discuss how fiber optic testing can help lead to the development of a safe and reliable infrastructure. Fiber optic related injuries, death and damage costs the US over $1 trillion annually, underscoring the need for robust product testing in the region.

To address this, UL’s Sameer Abdul Salam, business head, Wire and Cable division, and Clifford Jones, staff engineer, UL’s Wire and Cable Division, conducted the workshop titled ‘Building reliable FTTX infrastructure through testing and compliance’.

Jones delivered a detailed presentation that highlighted the transition of fiber optic including optical connectors and cables.

Salam told the attendees how UL has helped evaluate more than 70 different wire cable product categories to national and international standards in regions around the world.

Jones said, “Given that the Middle East is growing rapidly, with new businesses being set up, we realise that fiber optics is widely used across the region, and even more so due to the demands of the digital and internet age.

“Having put our skills and knowledge together for more than two decades in other parts of the world, we are determined to help utility companies build an extensive infrastructure that is tested and compliant.”

Jones added, “UL already has opened a testing facility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by partnering with Saudi Telecom Company, which offers testing for various products across the “Fiber to the Home” ecosystem. Now closer to home in the UAE, we are looking to build a new testing laboratory in Abu Dhabi.”

UL provides fiber optic performance testing and verification that helps detect counterfeit products and reduce liabilities.

Hamid Syed, VP and GM in the Middle East for UL, said, “From the first day UL was founded, we have made significant steps in promoting public safety and performance. Our workshop in Dubai provided interesting insight for industry professional, focusing on how UL is supporting the drive to enhance product quality and the importance of having reliable and tested products.

“Opportunities like these are very valuable, and with representatives from DEWA, du and Etisalat in attendance, it shows that leading organisations in the UAE are willing to take action when it comes to safety.”