Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers
O*NET title: Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers
Also called: Telecommunications Equipment Installers
Install, set up, rearrange, or remove switching, distribution, routing, and dialing equipment used in central offices or headends. Service or repair telephone, cable television, Internet, and other communications equipment on customers' property. May install communications equipment or communications wiring in buildings.
Also called: Break Fix Technician (Break Fix Tech), Broadband Installer, Broadband Specialist, Broadband Technician (Broadband Tech), Cable TV Installer (Cable Television Installer), Cable TV Line Technician (Cable Television Line Technician)
Median pay
$63,890
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$44,240 – $96,730
People employed
140,920
Holland code
RCI
Realistic · Conventional · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 2.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
- 3.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Work outdoors in all weather
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers salary in every state →
What telecommunications equipment installers and repairers do
- 01Note differences in wire and cable colors so that work can be performed correctly.
- 02Test circuits and components of malfunctioning telecommunications equipment to isolate sources of malfunctions, using test meters, circuit diagrams, polarity probes, and other hand tools.
- 03Drive crew trucks to and from work areas.
- 04Assemble and install communication equipment such as data and telephone communication lines, wiring, switching equipment, wiring frames, power apparatus, computer systems, and networks.
- 05Run wires between components and to outside cable systems, connecting them to wires from telephone poles or underground cable accesses.
- 06Inspect equipment on a regular basis to ensure proper functioning.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Monitoring
- Speaking
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Telecommunications
- Computers and Electronics
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from telecommunications equipment installers and repairers
- Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers90% · +16%
- Elevator and Escalator Installers and Repairers79% · +72%
- Signal and Track Switch Repairers79% · +45%
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers77% · −5%
- Broadcast Technicians77% · −7%
Change into telecommunications equipment installers and repairers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers85% · $74,330
- Broadcast Technicians77% · $59,570
- Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers77% · $61,010
- Photonics Technicians76% · $78,350
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics75% · $50,620
Majors that lead here
- Communications Systems Installation and Repair Technology/Technician
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.