Introduction to PABX Technician
A PABX Technician manages a private automatic branch exchange (PABX) within an organization. A PABX is an automatic telephone switching system, which technicians are responsible for installing and maintaining. In addition to installing and maintaining phone systems, technicians responsibilities also include access control, security, and equipment at the premises of an organization. They must provide their seniors with accurate information about installations and service calls. A PABX technician needs to be able to work independently and as part of a team to successfully carry out their responsibilities.
Technicians must have excellent communication skills and be able to develop good relationships with both colleagues and customers. They should have a range of technical skills relating to the configuration, maintenance, and management of PABX and related equipment.
Job Description & Responsibilities
PABX technicians have a number of responsibilities, including the installation and management of PABX. They maintain the supporting and additional equipment required for PABX, which includes hardware construction and testing. PABX technicians are also responsible for IVR Systems for telephone billing, installing, configuring and maintaining the system to keep it running optimally. Other products and systems that PABX technicians are likely to oversee include Voice over IP (VoIP) Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) systems, ECN product, and MAN3000 Systems.
PABX technician responsibilities also include fiber optic cabling, splicing testing and maintaining inter/intra-network cabling between the main distribution frame (MDF) and the transmission media equipment. They are in charge of the planning and laying of CAT5 FTP/STP for data and voice communication network, as well as infrastructure cabling via underground/trunking/conduit channel using fiber optic. Technicians also maintain the cable plant and provide related documentation, make use of diffusion splicer and fiber connections and arrange and maintain fiber optic patch cables.
A PABX technician monitors existing lines and extensions for faults so that any problems can be corrected as soon as possible.
Educational Qualifications & Certifications
To become a PABX technician and build a successful career, technicians should have finished high school and have a knowledge of computer science, electronics, and telecommunications. Qualifications that demonstrate skills and knowledge in these areas will be appreciated by employers or freelance clients. PABX technicians should also have experience in customer service, preferably telephone-based, and they should be computer-literate. They should know about office applications and understand computer networking. A certification such as CCNA, CompTIA's A+ or Network+ or BICSE is often required for PABX technicians.
Skills & Job Outlook
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted that job opportunities for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers will decline by eight percent between 2016 and 2026. However, the need for wireless and mobile services is continuing to grow, and PABX technicians can still discover a range of opportunities. In particular, those holding an associate degree will be in high demand, and candidates with a strong customer service background will also find that they can open up more opportunities.
Salary
PABX technicians can earn an average of $47,298 per year in the US or around $23 per hour as a freelancer, according to ZipRecruiter. Some PABX technicians earn as much as $29 per hour, but average wages across the US range between $21 and $26.
Advantages of Being a Freelance PABX Technician
The advantages of being a freelance PABX technician include more opportunities for work. Acting as a freelance technician allows PABX technicians to be more flexible and look for work where it's most available. More and more organizations have begun to outsource their technical telecommunications support, benefiting from lower costs, which allows them to concentrate their budget on their core business functions. This creates more opportunities for freelance PABX technicians.
How Field Engineer Can Help
Field Engineer helps freelance PABX technicians to discover worldwide opportunities for work. There are jobs and engineers from more than 180 countries using the platform, giving technicians the chance to seek out employers. Fieldengineer.com helps freelance PABX technicians discover employers looking for candidates with the right skills sets who have specific projects available and need qualified professionals to carry out the work. Field Engineer is an easy, user-friendly platform to start using.
It takes just a few minutes to sign up and start looking for jobs, with hundreds of employers who have already hired freelancers and listed their requirements on the site. Sign up with Field Engineer today, and you can soon start discovering all of the job opportunities that are available to skilled PABX technicians on our global platform.
