Links & Resources
Listed below are organisations, magazines and web-based resources that can be a useful source of information and news. For suppliers of products click here
Fibre-optics Industry Association
The Fibre-optics Industry Association (FIA) aims to promote the use of optical fibre and standards of professionalism within industry. The FIA is active in the international standards arena, and has been instrumental in the development of many new standards on behalf of members. The FIA has approved installer schemes to assure levels of professionalism, and a new Qualification Scheme, aimed at providing more prestigious qualifications and recognition to individuals.
Lucid a corporate member of the FIA, and FIA approved training provider, and our technical director John Colton has, since December 2002, been a council member and director of the FIA, with training and qualifications as a special area of responsibility.
FIA website: www.FIA-online.co.uk
Photonics Cluster
The Photonics Cluster (previously Midlands Photonics Cluster or MPC) was created to offer a focal point for photonics companies and academic institutions in the Midlands.
The Photonics Cluster is based at Aston Science park
Lucid is a founder member of the Midlands Photonics Cluster, with the added honour of membership number 1. We were specially invited to participate, in spite of being based in Cumbria, since the MPC is the photonics cluster nearest to us.
MPC website: www.photonicscluster-uk.org
National Physical Laboratory (NPL)
NPL is the UK's national standards laboratory, responsible for national measurement standards & calibration issues. NPL also runs the UK Fibre-Optic Technology Network (FOToN) club.
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p>NPL Website homepage: www.npl.co.uk
NPL Website, photonics section: www.npl.co.uk/photonics/
FOToN
The Fibre-Optic Technology Network (FOToN) is a club open to anybody, in industry and academia, with a professional interest in fibre optic measurement technology, calibration and standards. FOToN UK is administered by NPL, and has been chaired by Lucid's Dr. Neil Haigh since 1991.
FOToN UK: www.npl.co.uk/photonics/clubs/
FOToN Europe: www.fotonweb.org
Connectel
Connectel is a one-stop Telecoms website. Resources include news headlines, diary of events, technical information, an extensive collection of telecoms related links, a careers section job adverts, a messageboard with the option of expert advice (by Lucid amongst others) and much more.
Connectel: www.Connectel.co.uk
Fibre Systems
Or to give its full name now, Fibre Systems Europe in association with Lightwave Europe, a European fibre optics magazine published by the Institute of Physics. Deals with all sorts of fibre optics technology and telecoms stories, it is a high quality magazine and probably the best focussed magazine for fibre optics.
Also has a related optical resource parts of Opto and Laser Europe:
Network Cabling News (NCN)
Network Cabling News is a glossy magazine dealing with the latest issues in networking. More datacoms than telecoms focussed, it is a useful way to keep up to date with the latest datacoms products that are often launched in this magazine.
www.network-cabling-news.co.uk
Networking +
A larger, almost newspaper style, magazine with the latest networking news and features. At one time this was the magazine for job seekers and recuiters in the networking industry, but in recent years the focus of the magazine has moved more towards other industry issues.
EuroPhotonics
This is a European magazine dealing with all kinds of photonic components. Has some useful technical articles, but probably more for the researcher or expert, and not really of any interest to the average network installer.
International Telecommunications
This is an international magazine dealing as much with telecomss market issues as technology and protocol issues.
Photonics Spectra
A large magazine dealing with optics, electro-optics and fibre optics.