Is this UL hologram authentic? How can you tell?

NeverDie

NeverDie

Senior Member
Just received Monoprice cat6 cable from Amazon.  I looked at the hologram on the box, and, lo, it doesn't match the design for UL Hologram's that I've seen elsewhere:  http://www.cccassoc.org/blog/ul-holographic-label-authenticator/  It also doesn't appear to have the color shifting ink that's referenced in that link, and it doesn't have the "burst" design that's in the link.
 
Also, the box packaging doesn't match what's shown on the monprice or amazon websites, though maybe those images are dated: http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-1000-Feet-500MHz-Ethernet-108105/dp/B008I8AF88/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1400541696&sr=8-2&keywords=monoprice+green+cat6 
 
I did try calling UL, and the lady who answered the call was basically useless at answering the question.  Incredibly, even if the hologram were sitting right in front of her, she wouldn't have been able to tell me whether it was authentic or not.  According to her, the information on the hologram is insufficient for her to lookup the product it is supposed to reference.
 
It's not academic.  It's known that a very similar cable was counterfeited last year and which utilized the same UL number (E329415):  http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ul-warns-of-potentially-hazardous-communications-cable-189177111.html
 
Can anyone here look at the holograms on known good boxes of cat wire to see if this hologram is plausible?
 

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You can't be sure...ever.

Unfortunately the Chinese are the best at making knockoffs of everything, from UL stickers to devices and even cable. There has been many issues with cabling not being copper (actually CCS) and the jackets not meeting the UL ratings for flame propogation or the cables even meeting the performance standards. Anyone can counterfeit the Hologram, though it may require some more expensive methods to do such.
 
Usually if you're buying an unbranded cable from a foreign location at a cheaper than trade price for an equivalent reputable manufacturer....I don't know how many other red flags there could be. It may perform, it may not, but in the overall scheme, the price of a box of Cat cable from say.....CCS, Genesis/Honeywell or others are all around the commodity price...ask yourself how this cable can be X cheaper and be the same product with same characteristics and be a 1:1 substitute.
 
Not being a debbie downer, but the Chinese are well known for counterfieiting UL listed breakers, switches, panels, electronics, and just about almost anything else you can think of. Part of the reason that I'd avoid a lot of the products from there except cheap (disposable) electronics....and hoping they met the minimum UL as far as quality goes (do a search on Apple's charger, there was a big article about a side by side with an apple product and a Chinese knockoff).
 
NeverDie said:
Just received Monoprice cat6 cable from Amazon.  
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EDIT: I was mistaken in my read of the URL link - this is indeed sold by Amazon.  My comments below do apply to Marketplace items, just not this one.
 
Just in case it isn't obvious, you did not receive this from Amazon (at least not from the link you posted), you received it from the Amazon Marketplace.
 
While I do not mean to imply Amazon never sells counterfit products, it is not very likely as they have a huge reputation to protect.
 
The Amazon Marketplace is completely different -- the people you are dealing can be complete unknowns; it's a lot like buying something from one of those guys selling fish out of a pickup on the side of the road.  Or from Craigslist or Ebay.  Counterfits abound, and that Grouper wouldn't pass a DNA test either.
 
There are legitimate people on the Marketplace as well, but a lot of people think that Amazon does something to vet those stores.  Not. At least not up front.  They will take action based on enough negative feedback, but there is virtually zero upfront validation of the business, and completely zero validation that their products are legit.
 
I haven't seen a hologram label that looks like yours.  The holograms on the boxes of cable that I have have the sunburst clearly visible.  I don't see the color shifting ink on my labels, but from reading the description on the CCCA web site, I came away with the impression that you need an authenticator card to see that.
 
If it turns out that the label is indeed counterfeit, then I'll be disappointed in Monoprice.  I've had good experience with them in the past on other products.  But I guess if Home Depot can be a victim of the counterfeiters, I shouldn't be surprised that it could happen to Monoprice.
 
Do you plan to call Monoprice to ask them about the fact that this box matches the description in the UL counterfeit alert? 
 
I came across this response from Monoprice (dated Feb 2013) about the alert.  If the counterfeit inventory was quarantined, I wonder where the box you received is from.  They also say that they have a new process to verify the UL certificates on their products.
 
Linwood said:
Just in case it isn't obvious, you did not receive this from Amazon (at least not from the link you posted), you received it from the Amazon Marketplace.
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Not sure why you say he didn't receive it from Amazon.  The web page I get to when I follow NeverDie's link says "Ships from and sold by Amazon."   It is Monoprice brand cable, but it sure sounds like Amazon is stocking it in their warehouse.
 
RAL said:
Not sure why you say he didn't receive it from Amazon.  The web page I get to when I follow NeverDie's link says "Ships from and sold by Amazon."   It is Monoprice brand cable, but it sure sounds like Amazon is stocking it in their warehouse.
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Exactly.  I ordered it from Amazon on Saturday using regular Prime shipping, and I received it today.
 
I never considered Amazon to be a conduit exclusively for junk merchandise.  I have bought a lot of stuff through amazon, and I don't think I've ever encountered this type of problem before.  
 
Also, when I recently posted a query http://cocoontech.com/forums/topic/26534-do-i-need-special-ethernet-cable-for-running-through-a-hot-attic/ about whether I needed anything special for cabling, no one mentioned the need to buy only certain domestic brands.  Indeed, Monoprice was the only brand name mentioned there, and no one said anything negative then about Monoprice.  I don't know why the brand issue would only now be coming to light in this thread (and not the other) if, as now seems to be the case, it is such an important consideration.
 
RAL said:
Do you plan to call Monoprice to ask them about the fact that this box matches the description in the UL counterfeit alert? 
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I did contact Monoprice, and they offered to authenticate the hologram if I emailed them the image, which I did prior to making the OP.  I haven't yet heard back from Monoprice.
 
I also emailed it to [email protected], which is the email address the UL representative gave me to email it to after I pressed her to talk to someone at UL who actually knew something.  Haven't heard back from UL yet regarding the images either.
 
I'm frankly surprised and dismayed how hard it is to authenticate a UL hologram.  If UL was at all serious about this, they would have devised a better system.  Obvious things, like putting the UL Number in the Hologram, rather than putting some other unrelated numbers or strings in the hologram that no one (even those working in UL support) seems to know what they mean.  
 
Not until yesterday or today did I learn that counterfeiting of datacom cabling is such a big problem.  In fact, it's downright bone chilling how much of the cable being sold is counterfeit.  According to http://discountlowvoltage.blogspot.com/2009/06/performance-safety-issues-found-in.html:
 
"The Communications Cable & Connectivity Association (CCCA) commissioned an independent lab to test nine randomly chosen samples of Category cable, all carrying the UL or ETL mark. They released the findings in a recent press release that cited the following results:
- 9 out of 9 failed to meet all minimum physical requirements for communications cable (per TIA 568-B.2 spec)
- 4 out of 9 failed to meet all minimum electrical test requirements for communications cable (per TIA 568-B.2)
- 8 out of 9 failed to meet the minimum flame/smoke safety requirements specified by the National Electrical Code (specifications UL 1666 and NFPA 262)
- 4 out of 5 CMR (riser) rated cables failed the UL 1666 flame test. The failing cables burned the entire length of the test chamber. The worst cable burned beyond the maximum length allowed in 45 seconds, and reached a temp of 2000 degrees F.
- 4 out of 4 CMP (plenum) rated cables failed the NFPA 262 plenum test. The samples showed peak smoke levels at least 3 times higher than maximum allowable levels. The worst performing cable had disastrous results.
- Peak smoke levels were >4x higher than maximum allowable levels
- Average smoke levels were >5x higher than maximum allowable levels
- Flame spread reached maximum length of the chamber within 6 minutes"
 
Yeah here have been purchasing network hardware from Monoprice directly now for some 2 years. 
 
That said though I have purchased cat6 patch cables, speaker cable, keystone stuff but no bulk 1000 feet box o network cables. 
 
RAL said:
Not sure why you say he didn't receive it from Amazon.  The web page I get to when I follow NeverDie's link says "Ships from and sold by Amazon."   It is Monoprice brand cable, but it sure sounds like Amazon is stocking it in their warehouse.
Click to expand...
 
My mistake.  I read the "by Monoprice" mistakenly as sold by them, the link indeed goes to a real Amazon item.  I edited my post above to clarify.
 
Still waiting on Monoprice and UL.  Does anyone else have a recent box of cable that they can check the hologram on?  It's likely that the current hologram is at least slightly updated from the 2008 hologram to account for UL's conversion from a C-corp into an LLC.  Whether they went further with it or not is another question.  It's strange that UL doesn't show the current hologram on their website.
 
Independent of c-corp or LLC, however, one subtle difference I do notice is that the 2008 version spells number as "NO." whereas the printing on the hologram in question spells it "No."
 
Just a little break in the brevity.....old news...
 
Woman sues cabling installer for negligence after tripping over work-area cords
August 28, 2013
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The Union Leader, a local newspaper to us here at the offices of Cabling Installation & Maintenance in southern New Hampshire, recently reported that a personal-injury lawsuit has been filed against Hewlett Packard after a worker in a bank in which Hewlett Packard installed computers and cabling became entangled in the mess of cords in her workstation and was injured.
The Union Leader’s Jason Schreiber explains that according to the lawsuit, plaintiff Linda Iacozzi sustained injuries in August 2010 that “were the result of how a Hewlett-Packard employee installed the computer equipment” at her place of work, a Bank of America location. “’The manner in which the computers were installed at individual work stations, including Ms. Iacozzi’s, created a jumble of cords and wires hanging below the work station,’ the suit said.” Further, Schreiber reports, the suit explains that the plaintiff’s leg became entangled in the wires and cords, and she tripped. “The suit said she was seriously injured in the fall and … was treated for a ‘serious’ fracture and an elbow injury.
“The suit claims she was ‘permanently injured,’” he further reports, adding that the lawsuit “accuses Hewlett Packard of negligence for failing to ‘install the required cords, wires and cables in a reasonable manner.’”


 
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2013/08/hp-negligence-lawsuit.html
 
and a bit of more entertainment....
 
Essential Cabling Skills....
 
http://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/slideshow/2013/10/13-essential-cabling-skills.html
 
Perhaps you can take the box down to a local cable supply house and try to check the hologram against one of their boxes or even see if they will certify it for you with a tester. 
 
Personally, I don't worry about authenticity for my personal use.  The most important thing for me is if it tests out.   The reality is unless you are going to run the cable at or above it's limits of length or bandwidth it will generally work without errors regardless of it's authenticity.  I even ran some old draft cat5 because I had it on hand.  But that's just me, I get you want to get what you paid for.
 
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