Telecommunications Line Installers
Overview
Telecommunications line installers install and repair the cables and equipment that keep our phones, internet, and TV services running smoothly. You'll work with cutting-edge fiber optic technology, lay underground cables, set up aerial lines across rivers and lakes, and operate specialized equipment to install towers and poles. This hands-on career combines technical problem-solving with outdoor work, often involving travel to different job sites and direct interaction with customers. Strong mechanical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work at heights are essential for success in this field.
Did you know?
This occupation requires extensive safety training and physical fitness due to working with high-voltage electrical systems, climbing poles, and working in various weather conditions.
At a Glance
Median Wage
$69,652.16 Avg/yr
Growth
Stable
Top Skill
Technology Design
Key Responsibilities
- String cables between structures and lines from poles, towers, or trenches, and pull lines to proper tension.
- Inspect or test lines or cables, recording and analyzing test results, to assess transmission characteristics and locate faults or malfunctions.
- Fill and tamp holes, using cement, earth, and tamping devices.
- Pull up cable by hand from large reels mounted on trucks.
- Pull cable through ducts by hand or with winches.
- Use a variety of construction equipment to complete installations, such as digger derricks, trenchers, or cable plows.
- Place insulation over conductors, or seal splices with moisture-proof covering.
- Dig trenches for underground wires or cables.
- Lay underground cable directly in trenches, or string it through conduits running through trenches.
- Explain cable service to subscribers after installation, and collect any installation fees due.
- Dig holes for power poles, using power augers or shovels, set poles in place with cranes, and hoist poles upright, using winches.
- Clean or maintain tools or test equipment.
- Install equipment such as amplifiers or repeaters to maintain the strength of communications transmissions.
- Compute impedance of wires from poles to houses to determine additional resistance needed for reducing signals to desired levels.
- Travel to customers' premises to install, maintain, or repair audio and visual electronic reception equipment or accessories.
- Measure signal strength at utility poles, using electronic test equipment.
- Splice cables, using hand tools, epoxy, or mechanical equipment.
- Set up service for customers, installing, connecting, testing, or adjusting equipment.
- Access specific areas to string lines, or install terminal boxes, auxiliary equipment, or appliances, using bucket trucks, climbing poles or ladders, or entering tunnels, trenches, or crawl spaces.
Career Considerations
Physical Demands and Safety Training
This occupation requires extensive safety training and physical fitness due to working with high-voltage electrical systems, climbing poles, and working in various weather conditions.
Technological Evolution
Continuous learning is essential as the telecommunications industry rapidly evolves from traditional copper lines to fiber optic networks and 5G technology.
Job Market Stability
Employment prospects remain stable in the US due to ongoing infrastructure upgrades and the critical need for reliable telecommunications services.