Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
Install, set up, rearrange, or remove switching, distribution, routing, and dialing equipment used in central offices or headends. Service or repair telephone, cable television, Internet, and other communications equipment on customers' property. May install communications equipment or communications wiring in buildings.
From people doing the work
Day-to-day involves a lot of hands-on work, whether it's pulling cables, terminating connections, or troubleshooting complex network issues. You're constantly learning new technologies and adapting to different client environments, which keeps things interesting but also demanding. It's satisfying to see a system come online and know you made it happen.
Drawn from BICSI, Reddit r/HomeNetworking, Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), Fiber Optic Association (FOA)
Attribution: Composite
Composite · Synthesised from BICSI, Reddit r/HomeNetworking, Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA)
A day in the life of Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
- People interaction
- Extensive
- Team vs solo
- 75% Team / 25% Solo
- Client facing
- Frequent
- Impact visibility
- Moderate
- Travel
- Frequent
- Schedule flexibility
- Flexible
- Remote work
- On-site Only
- Typical work hours
- 40-50
- Stress level
- Moderate
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers salary, education and outlook at a glance
- Median salary
- $62,630
- Entry-level
- $44,000
- Senior
- $94,000
- Growth by 2033
- -4.2%
- Demand
- Declining
- Freelance potential
- Moderate
- Salary growth potential
- 114%
- Typical student debt
- Moderate
Skills you need as Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
Hard skills
- Telecommunications
- Troubleshooting
- Computer aided design CAD software
Soft skills
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Social Perceptiveness
- Critical Thinking
Technical complexity: Moderate
Tools of the trade
Core tools
- Multimeter (Hardware): Used for testing electrical circuits and diagnosing issues in telecommunications equipment.
- Fiber Optic Splicer (Hardware): Essential for joining fiber optic cables with precision to ensure signal integrity.
- Cable Tester (Hardware): Used to verify the connectivity and integrity of various types of telecommunications cables.
- Hand tools (screwdrivers, pliers) (Hardware): Fundamental for basic assembly, disassembly, and maintenance of equipment.
Commonly used
- Laptop with diagnostic software (Hardware): Required for running specialized diagnostic and configuration software for network devices.
- Network Analyzer (Hardware): Used for monitoring network traffic and troubleshooting performance issues in telecommunications systems.
How to become Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
- Minimum education
- High School Diploma
- Licensing
- Varies by State
- Years to mid-career
- 4-7
- Years to senior
- 10-15
- Career switching
- Moderate
Where this career leads
How people arrive here
- Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers: Often, individuals start by installing and repairing outside plant telecommunications lines before moving into more complex equipment roles.
- Electrical and Electronics Installers and Repairers, Transportation Equipment: Experience with electrical and electronic systems in transportation can provide a foundation for understanding telecommunications equipment.
- Broadcast Technicians: Skills in maintaining and repairing broadcasting equipment are transferable to telecommunications equipment maintenance.
Where you can go from here
- Computer Network Support Specialists: With experience in telecommunications equipment, one can transition to supporting and troubleshooting computer networks.
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer: Advanced understanding of telecommunications equipment can lead to roles in designing and developing electronic systems.
- Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers: Specializing in specific types of telecommunications infrastructure like cellular towers is a natural progression.
- Field Service Engineer: Leveraging equipment repair and installation skills to provide on-site technical support for a wider range of products.
Typical progression
- Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers
- Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
- Computer Network Support Specialists
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
- or Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers job outlook and future demand
- Automation probability
- Low-Moderate
- AI disruption risk
- Low
- Demand trend
- Declining
Job satisfaction as Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
- Overall satisfaction
- 6.8/10
- Meaning
- 6.5/10
- Work-life balance
- 6/10
- Prestige
- 5.5/10
- Social perception
- Moderate
Where practitioners gather
Professional organisations
- BICSI: A global professional association supporting the information and communications technology (ICT) community with education and standards.
- Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE): A professional organization dedicated to advancing the careers of cable telecommunications professionals through training and certification.
- Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA): Develops standards for information and communication technologies, providing guidance for telecommunications equipment and services.
- Fiber Optic Association (FOA): An international professional society that promotes fiber optics through education, certification, and standards development.
Reddit communities
- Reddit r/HomeNetworking: An online community for enthusiasts and professionals to discuss and troubleshoot home network setups and related telecommunications topics.