There are miles of both voice and data cabling San Antonio snaking through our offices. They play an instrumental role in IT, which holds the entire organization together. But do you know that counterfeit cables have flooded the market and whenever you buy cabling, there is a high chance that they might be counterfeit?
Apart from the performance-related issues from counterfeit cables, there is also the risk to both humans and property. Fake wires have been known to fail fire-resistance tests. Besides, the inferior quality cables are not only highly flammable, but they emit considerably more smoke as compared to approved cables.
While attempting to cut down on costs, cabling counterfeiters use copper-coated aluminum rather than annealed copper. This leads to inferior network performance and wreck havoc to equipment. These risks are just the tip of the iceberg concerning counterfeit cabling. So, how do you spot counterfeit data cabling San Antonio?
- Always be on the lookout for Structured Cabling Solutions that has grammatical errors or poor printing. Also, ensure that the marks, logos, and packaging of the cabling are of superior quality. In most cases, excellent printing and packaging are the hallmarks of a genuine cable manufacturer.
- If the cabling is legitimate, the ETL marks should be accompanied by the manufacturer’s control numbers, which must check out. The best way to do this is by looking for a specific set of data cabling San Antonio test results straight from the manufacturer or an organization such as Intertek.
- Nowadays, most manufacturers have been helping combat counterfeiting by requiring all cabling to have a holographic mark. Such marks include easily identifiable color backgrounds, micro-printing, and color-shifting ink. Not many counterfeiters have the resources, equipment, or the time to incorporate all these features in the cabling. Always be wary of cabling that is bland and without any special distinguishing features.
- If worst comes to worst and the counterfeiters work around the hologram and other safety marks, to be on the safe side, you can always use a hologram authenticator. The authenticator is held above the hologram to ensure its authenticity.
- One of the simplest tricks of ensuring that you get genuine cables is by using a reputable cabling company certified by a recognized cable manufacturer. You cannot afford to underestimate the importance of a renowned voice and data cabling services provider when searching for services. Finally, always trust your gut feeling when buying cabling. If the price seems way too cheap, the chances are that the product is a fake.