About This Career

Installs, sets up, rearranges, or removes switching, distribution, routing, and dialing equipment used in central offices or headends. Services or repairs telephone, cable television, Internet, and other communications equipment on customers' property. May install communications equipment or communications wiring in buildings.

This career is part of the Arts, Audio-Video Technology and Communications cluster Telecommunications pathway.

A person in this career:

• Demonstrates equipment to customers and explains its use, responding to any inquiries or complaints.
• Tests circuits and components of malfunctioning telecommunications equipment to isolate sources of malfunctions, using test meters, circuit diagrams, polarity probes, and other hand tools.
• Tests repaired, newly installed, or updated equipment to ensure that it functions properly and conforms to specifications, using test equipment and observation.
• Climbs poles and ladders, uses truck-mounted booms, and enters areas such as manholes and cable vaults to install, maintain, or inspect equipment.
• Assembles and installs communication equipment such as data and telephone communication lines, wiring, switching equipment, wiring frames, power apparatus, computer systems, and networks.
• Runs wires between components and to outside cable systems, connecting them to wires from telephone poles or underground cable accesses.
• Tests connections to ensure that power supplies are adequate and that communications links function.
• Notes differences in wire and cable colors so that work can be performed correctly.
• Inspects equipment on a regular basis to ensure proper functioning.
• Collaborates with other workers to locate and correct malfunctions.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Requires getting into awkward positions
• Lighting is either extremely bright or inadequate
• Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Exposed to hazardous equipment such as saws, machinery, or vehicular traffic more than once a month
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
• Work in this occupation requires being outside most of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Picking out a particular sound in the presence of other sounds
• Maintaining a body position that prevents falling when in an unstable position
• Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
• Moving the arms, legs and torso together when the whole body is in motion
• Judging how far away an object is, or which of several objects is closer or farther away
• Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching
• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
• Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying objects
• Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

• Regular working hours and limited travel