Career summary

Details for Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers


Description

String and repair telephone and television cable, including fiber optics and other equipment for transmitting messages or television programming.

Tasks

  • Travel to customers' premises to install, maintain, or repair audio and visual electronic reception equipment or accessories.
  • Inspect or test lines or cables, recording and analyzing test results, to assess transmission characteristics and locate faults or malfunctions.
  • Splice cables, using hand tools, epoxy, or mechanical equipment.
  • Measure signal strength at utility poles, using electronic test equipment.
  • Set up service for customers, installing, connecting, testing, or adjusting equipment.
  • Place insulation over conductors or seal splices with moisture-proof covering.
  • Access specific areas to string lines or install terminal boxes, auxiliary equipment, or appliances, using bucket trucks, or by climbing poles or ladders, or entering tunnels, trenches, or crawl spaces.
  • String cables between structures and lines from poles, towers, or trenches and pull lines to proper tension.
  • Install equipment such as amplifiers or repeaters to maintain the strength of communications transmissions.
  • Lay underground cable directly in trenches or string it through conduits running through trenches.
  • Clean or maintain tools or test equipment.
  • Explain cable service to subscribers after installation and collect any installation fees that are due.
  • Compute impedance of wires from poles to houses to determine additional resistance needed for reducing signals to desired levels.
  • Use a variety of construction equipment to complete installations, such as digger derricks, trenchers, or cable plows.
  • Dig trenches for underground wires or cables.
  • Dig holes for power poles, using power augers or shovels, set poles in place with cranes, and hoist poles upright, using winches.
  • Fill and tamp holes, using cement, earth, and tamping devices.
  • Participate in the construction or removal of telecommunication towers or associated support structures.
  • Pull up cable by hand from large reels mounted on trucks.
  • Pull cable through ducts by hand or with winches.

Interests

  • Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Education, training, experience

  • Education - These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
  • Training - Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
  • Experience - Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.

Knowledge

  • Customer and Personal Service -Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Telecommunications -Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Skills

None found.

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