UL XTR Program
UL purchased the rights and intellectual property for UL XTRTM channels testing from Anixter Inc. in March 2003. The original levels program was created as a means of evaluating, categorizing and establishing standards of performance for cable and cabling systems used within an enterprise network. It is the very basis upon which the industry's category system (Cat5e, Cat6, etc.) is founded and performance standards are based.
The UL XTR (expanded performance) program measures network cable performance using live data and evaluates the cabling system's capability to minimize bit errors. The program is the most accurate measurement of data throughput and enterprise network bandwidth currently available in the industry. All UL XTR certification testing for existing and prospective UL XTR partners is performed at UL's Melville, N.Y. division. Anixter will continue to market and support UL XTR as the cornerstone of its marketing and purchasing strategy.
The process for becoming UL XTR certified is straightforward:
- Submit appropriate samples to UL for evaluation
- Samples are investigated for compliance with UL XTR specifications
- Upon approval, test results and a follow-up procedure are issued to the client
- Solution partners are identified in UL's Electrical Construction Equipment Directory as well as UL's Verified Cabling Products Directory
- Client receives a certificate of conformity and authorization to use the UL verified UL XTR Mark for marketing and specification purposes
These are described in more detail below.
Sample submittal requirements
These materials are required by UL to evaluate each solution:
- A single, 1,000-foot reel of cable (if both riser and plenum solutions are being submitted, then 1,000 feet of each type must be provided)
- Fifteen each short, medium and long patch cords
- Ten work-area jacks in each solution
- Three patch panels in each solution
- Three 110 consolidation point/transition point connectors in each solution
Sample investigation
The UL XTR program is administered under UL's performance verification program for wire and cable. UL XTR works on the premise that compatible components do not always mean an efficient solution; a network system might work, but not as well as it might. UL XTR-verified components are matched, which means all components in the cabling solution were designed with the others in mind.
UL XTR requires testing of the solution's horizontal cable, patch cords and connecting hardware, as well as passive channel, active channel and expanded active channel testing for compliance with the UL XTR specification. Once the investigation is successfully completed, a Follow-Up Service procedure documents the construction of the solution submitted for evaluation. The test results are then provided to the solution partners.
Follow-Up Service procedure
Each solution partner will receive a Follow-Up Service procedure identifying them as applicant, manufacturer, or listee (the party appearing in UL's published records). The Follow-Up Service procedure identifies each solution in a separate descriptive section. This allows UL to document the various partnerships (and solution constructions) in effect for each participating partner under one UL procedure.
Unlike typical UL certification programs, coverage under the UL XTR program is not manufacturer- or location-dependent. There is no factory Follow-Up Service component. The program assumes that the UL verified solution is UL XTR-compliant, regardless of where the components are produced.
Ongoing compliance with UL XTR requirements is maintained through marketplace sampling. Once per quarter, UL will purchase the solution components from the marketplace, assemble the channel, and verify it for compliance. A follow-up report will be provided to the solution partners.
Publication of certification
Solution partners will be identified in UL's Electrical Construction Equipment Directory, under the new category, "UL XTR Structured Cabling Program" (VZZL). Certifications will also appear on UL's wire and cable Web site, and in UL's Verified Cabling Products Directory.
Use of the UL performance verification Mark
Since UL XTR cabling solutions are field-assembled cabling and connectivity products, the UL verification Mark is not directly applied to the cabling solutions. Instead, the complete verification Mark (illustrated below) may appear on a bill of lading, a bulk shipment certificate, or on UL's certificate or conformity assessment.
The verification Mark may also be used in print advertising, Web-based advertising, and specification sheets. In such instances, the Mark must be reproduced in its entirety and clearly associated with the solution investigated by UL. Solution partners are authorized to use the UL verification Mark. The Follow-Up Service procedure will contain a verification Mark data page, which illustrates the Mark. The primary solution partner must submit verification Mark artwork to their supporting UL Label Center for review and assignment of a control number. A list of UL label centers can be found here.
UL XTR program
Solution name and part number
Control number
Note: The control number is a permanent, four-character alphanumeric code assigned to the subscriber by UL.
