UL, an independent safety science company, has urged organisations in the Middle East to comply with international and regional standards when installing fibre optic products in order to avoid potential accidents
With demand set to grow in a continuously evolving market, UL hosted a workshop in Dubai to discuss how fibre optic testing can help lead to the development of safe and reliable infrastructure. Fibre optic related injuries, death and damage cost the US more than US$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 fibre 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 fibre 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. UL already has opened a testing facility in Saudi Arabia by partnering with Saudi Telecom Company, which offers testing for various products across the “Fibre 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 fibre optic performance testing and verification that helps detect counterfeit products and reduce liabilities.
