Telecommunications Technicians

Telecommunications technicians, also known as telecom technicians, install and maintain telecommunications infrastructure. They set up and fix different types of devices or equipment that carry communications signals, such as internet routers and fiber optic lines.

Duties

Telecommunications technicians typically do the following:

• Install telecommunications lines or equipment
• Operate, maintain, or repair damaged or malfunctioning telecommunications lines or equipment
• Test telecommunications lines or devices to ensure that they work properly
• Keep records of maintenance, repairs, and installations
• Explain the use and maintenance of equipment to customers

Telecommunications technicians construct and maintain the infrastructure that transmits information electronically, often across great distances. They install and repair telecommunications lines and fiber optic cables. They also set up and maintain equipment that carries communications signals.

The specific tasks of telecom technicians vary with their specialization and where they work. The following are examples of types of telecommunications technicians:

Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers install, repair, or maintain radio transmitting, broadcasting, and receiving equipment and two-way radio communications systems. These systems are used in cellular telecommunications, mobile broadband, and radio equipment in service and emergency vehicles. Radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers may test and analyze network coverage and troubleshoot solutions during network outages.

Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers set up and maintain various types of devices or equipment that carry communications signals, such as telephone lines and internet routers. Central office technicians set up and maintain switches, fiber optic cables, and other equipment at switching hubs, called central offices. These hubs send, process, and amplify data from thousands of telephone, internet, and cable connections. Central office technicians receive alerts about equipment malfunctions from automonitoring switches and are able to correct the problems remotely. Technicians who work at distribution centers for cable and television companies may be called headend technicians. Headends are control centers in which technicians monitor signals for local cable networks. Residential and business installers and repairers set up and repair telecommunications equipment, such as modems for internet and cable television services, in customers’ homes and businesses. They also may need to install aerial and underground wiring.

Telecommunications line installers and repairers install and maintain the cables used by network communications companies. Depending on the service provided—local and long-distance telephone, cable television, or internet—telecommunications companies use fiber optic and other types of cables. Telecommunications line installers and repairers use specialized tools to test and troubleshoot cables and networking equipment. Those who work with fiber optic cables must be able to splice and terminate optical cables.

Telecommunications technicians held about 268,500 jobs in 2024. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up telecommunications technicians was distributed as follows:

The largest employers of telecommunications technicians were as follows:

Some telecom technicians provide installation and repair services indoors, such as in homes, businesses, or central offices. Others work outdoors to install telecommunications cables and equipment.

Telecom technicians’ work may require them to climb onto rooftops; into attics; and up ladders, telephone poles, and telecommunications towers. They occasionally work in cramped spaces and in awkward positions, including stooping, crouching, or crawling. Other times they must reach high or lift and move heavy equipment and parts.

Injuries and Illnesses

The work of telecom technicians can be dangerous. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers and telecommunications line installers and repairers have some of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Common injuries include falls and strains.

To reduce the risk of injury, workers wear hardhats and harnesses when working on ladders or on elevated equipment. To prevent electrical shock, technicians may switch off power to equipment that is under repair.

Work Schedules

Most telecom technicians work full time. Telecom technicians may be required to work night or weekend shifts to maintain or upgrade telecommunications equipment. Some are on call around the clock in case of emergency.

Telecommunications technicians typically need at least a high school diploma or equivalent to enter the occupation. Employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a certificate or associate’s degree. These workers also receive on-the-job training.

The median annual wage for telecommunications technicians was $64,310 in May 2024.

Overall employment of telecommunications technicians is projected to grow 3 percent from 2024 to 2034, decline.

About 23,200 openings for telecommunications technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.