Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, also referred to as telecom technicians either install and maintain or disconnect devices that transmit communications signals. Communication signals include Internet routers, telephone lines, and other such equipment. The installers undertake these tasks in homes, offices, and other sites that are in the construction stages. They may also install communications wiring and equipment of communication in these locations.
Technicians utilize various tools to scrutinize equipment and assess problems. They use polarity probes and spectrum analyzers to trace distortions in signals, while hand tools, such as screwdrivers and pliers, are used to repair equipment.
There are different types of installers and repairers, such as central office technicians, home installers and repairers, and headend technicians.
Central office technicians install and maintain routers, fiber-optic cables, switches, and other such equipment at switching centers, which are called central offices. From several Internet, telephone, and cable connections in these centers, data is disseminated, processed, and enhanced. Auto monitoring switches send alerts to technicians concerning equipment failure. They then have to rectify these issues remotely.
Although headend technicians work on similar tasks, their work arrives from distribution centers of cable and television companies, known as headends. They maintain and repair signals for cable networks.
Meanwhile, home installers and repairers establish and fix telecom equipment in homes of clients at their business premises. Their tasks include setting up the phone, cable television, and Internet services.
They resolve problems at homes or offices by finding out if issues exist within buildings. If they are found within the premises, technicians resolve them. In case problems exist outside, technicians refer them to line repairers to fix them.
While some technicians operate installation and repair services within homes, others work in service centers or offices. As they may need to work at heights like roofs and top storeys, they need to climb ladders and poles.
Technicians may, at times, work in severe conditions, as the positions are constricted and uncomfortable. They may need to crouch, stoop or crawl. Technicians also may have to lift heavy contraptions enter cable vaults and manholes to set up, maintain or examine equipment.
They have to work flexible hours and so have to be available round-the-clock. Technicians need to have excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
Job Description
The other tasks that Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers undertake are assembling, replacing or rearranging routing and dialing equipment and scrutinizing and servicing equipment and wiring.
They replace or repair equipment that is defective, damaged, and dysfunctional, besides testing newly installed, repaired, and upgraded equipment to make sure that they are functioning correctly and are conforming to specifications by observing and using test tools.
Telecom technicians tweak or modify equipment to improve their performance, maintain records of upkeep, installations, and repairs. They also show the clients how they use the equipment and its nitty-gritties. The technicians employ several tools to assess equipment and identify problems. The tools they use include pliers and screwdrivers.
Technicians show how the equipment works to users and also mention the dos and don’ts. They inspect circuits and components of faulty telecom equipment to determine why they are misbehaving.
Some telecommunications’ technicians work with PCs, specific hardware, and other diagnostic equipment. People who install lines outdoors and maintain them are referred to as line installers and repairers.
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers include central office technicians. The job that these people do is installing and maintaining equipment, such as routers, switches, fiber-optic cables, and others, at switching hubs, which are known as central offices. These offices transmit, process, and strengthen data from several telephones, cables, and Internet connections. Technicians fix problems remotely after they receive alerts when equipment is not properly functioning from switches.
While some technicians work from distribution centers of cable televisions, a few others install and repair telecom equipment in locations, such as private homes and offices.
Prospects
Although the number of jobs for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers is estimated to fall 8 percent during the period 2016-2026, as wired telecom companies would have fewer customers, employment will remain stable for those specializing in wireless services and mobile services and also for those servicing and upgrading routers and switches.
Educational Qualifications and Other Requirements
Usually, telecommunications technicians must have postsecondary education in telecommunications, electronics, or computer science, but technicians having an associate degree with excellent skills in customer service will have the edge over their counterparts, says the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
They need to have a proper color vision because they have to work with color-coded wires. Technicians must be able to keep their hands and arms steady while working.
They should be conversant with rules and procedures for providing services to clients. Technicians need to be well-versed with switching, control, transmission, broadcasting, and how telecom systems operate.
They should have adequate awareness about electronic equipment, processors, circuit boards, chips. It will help if technicians know computer applications and programming, besides hardware and software.
They would need to know about applications of various mathematical disciplines, such as geometry, calculus, algebra, statistics, etc.
Technicians would also need to know how to drive vehicles and operate mechanized devices or equipment, such as watercraft and forklifts. They should have the knack to detect if any equipment is malfunctioning or is likely to fail soon.
Salary
The average pay for Telecom Equipment Installers and Repairers (sans line installers) in the United States is $48,926 per year. Freelancers can earn up to $19.93 per hour, according to payscale.
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