7246 – Telecommunications installation and repair workers

Telecommunications installation and repair workers install, test, maintain and repair telephones, telephone switching equipment and telecommunications equipment related to transmission and processing of voice, video signals and other data over a variety of media including fibre optics, microwave, radio and satellite. They are employed by telephone and other telecommunications transmission services establishments.

Profile

Index of titles

Example titles

• Apprentice communication electrician – switching
• Apprentice electrician – telecommunications equipment
• Apprentice telephone switchman/woman
• Branch exchange repairer – telecommunications
• Business telephone equipment installer and repairer
• Business telephone equipment maintainer
• Cable station tester – telecommunications
• Cellular phone installer
• Cellular telephone installer
• Cellular telephone technician
• Central office equipment inspector – telecommunications
• Central office equipment installer – telecommunications
• Central office equipment maintainer – telecommunications
• Central office equipment repairer – telecommunications
• Central office frame servicer – telecommunications
• Central office repairer – telecommunications
• Central office technician – telecommunications
• Central office tester – telecommunications
• Charging equipment attendant – telecommunications
• Combination man/woman – telecommunications
• Communication electrician – network craft
• Communication electrician apprentice – network craft
• Communication systems technician
• Communications electrician – telecommunications
• Complaint service technician – telecommunications
• Districtman/woman – telecommunications
• Electronic communications technician
• Equipment installer and repairer – telecommunications
• Exchange installer and repairer – telecommunications
• Exchange tester
• Exchange tester – telecommunications
• Facilities man/woman – telecommunications
• Facilities wirer – telecommunications
• Facsimile equipment installer
• Frame wirer – telephone
• Frameman/woman – telecommunications
• Installation and repair technician – telecommunications
• Installer – telecommunications
• Mobile radio installer
• Mobile radio installer – telecommunications
• Mobile radio technician – telecommunications
• Mobile radiotelephone installer
• Private branch exchange (PBX) and private automatic branch exchange (PABX) inspector – telecommunications
• Private branch exchange (PBX) and private automatic branch exchange (PABX) installer – telecommunications
• Private branch exchange (PBX) and private automatic branch exchange (PABX) installer and repairer – telecommunications
• Private branch exchange (PBX) and private automatic branch exchange (PABX) repairer – telecommunications
• Private branch exchange (PBX) inspector – telecommunications
• Private branch exchange (PBX) installer
• Private branch exchange (PBX) installer – telecommunications
• Private branch exchange (PBX) repairer – telecommunications
• Racker – telecommunications
• Radiotelephone installer and repairer
• Regulator and tester – telecommunications
• Relay adjuster – telecommunications
• Relay tester – telecommunications
• Repairer – telecommunications
• Repeater installer – telecommunications
• Repeater tester and adjuster – telecommunications
• Rural telephone maintainer
• Satellite receiver installer
• Satellite receiving equipment installer
• Service centre technician – telecommunications
• Service inspector – telecommunications
• Shop repairer – telecommunications
• Special services technician – telecommunications
• Switch network installer and repairer
• Switch network installer and repairer – telecommunications
• Switched communication electrician
• Switched network repairer
• Switched networks installer
• Switchman/woman – telecommunications
• Telecommunication equipment tester and regulator
• Telecommunication line tester
• Telecommunications equipment electrician
• Telecommunications equipment inspector
• Telecommunications equipment installer
• Telecommunications equipment technician
• Telecommunications service tester
• Telecommunications technician
• Telephone and teleprinter installer-repairer
• Telephone central office distribution frame maintainer
• Telephone central office repairer – telecommunications
• Telephone communication electrician
• Telephone communication technician
• Telephone equipment installer and repairer
• Telephone equipment tester
• Telephone exchange distribution frame maintainer
• Telephone exchange repairer – telecommunications
• Telephone exchange tester
• Telephone facilities evaluator
• Telephone installer
• Telephone line and station installer
• Telephone relay tester
• Telephone repairer
• Telephone servicer
• Telephone shop repairer
• Telephone station installer
• Telephone station repairer
• Telephone switchboard installer and repairer
• Telephone switchman/woman
• Telephone system relay adjuster
• Telephone technician
• Telephone technician – telecommunications
• Telephone tester
• Telephone toll central office tester
• Telephone traffic inspector
• Teleprinter installer
• Teleprinter installer – telecommunications
• Teleprinter repairer
• Teletype installer – telecommunications
• Teletype repairer – telecommunications
• Teletypewriter (TTY) installer
• Teletypewriter (TTY) installer – telecommunications
• Teletypewriter (TTY) repairer
• Terminal and repeater tester
• Terminal and repeater tester – telecommunications
• Test desk operator – telecommunications
• Toll communication electrician
• Toll equipment man/woman – telecommunications
• Toll switchman/woman – telecommunications
• Toll telephone exchange tester
• Transmission tester – telecommunications
• Wireman/woman – telecommunications
• Wirer – telecommunications

Main duties

This group performs some or all of the following duties:

Telephone installers and repairers

• Install, arrange, remove and maintain telephone equipment, wiring and associated hardware
• Test installed telephone systems to locate transmission faults
• Repair or replace defective and damaged telephones, wire and associated equipment.

Switch network installers and repairers

• Install electromechanical, analog and digital trunking systems, circuits and equipment in telecommunications central offices and switching centres
• Inspect and test trunking systems, circuits and equipment
• Analyze test results and adjust, change or repair switching system, network, associated equipment and software.

Telecommunications service testers

• Operate computerized testing systems to conduct service tests on customer lines and equipment
• Determine the nature, cause and location of service trouble
• Dispatch appropriate repair personnel
• Complete test reports and maintain test and service records
• May assist repair personnel to test lines, circuits and systems, isolate and clear cable faults and verify records.

Telecommunications equipment technicians

• Install, remove and maintain various telecommunications equipment and related systems such as telex and facsimile machines, teletypewriters, mobile radios, cellular telephones, pagers and other telecommunications equipment
• Configure operating systems and install software for access to the Internet
• Inspect and test operation of telecommunications equipment
• Diagnose and locate equipment faults, and adjust, replace or repair telecommunications equipment.

Employment requirements

• Completion of secondary school is required.
• Telephone and switch network installers and repairers require completion of an apprenticeship program ranging from three to four years or a combination of over three years work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry related courses.
• Telecommunications equipment technicians usually require completion of a college electrical and electronics program and several months of on-the-job training or completion of a three- or four-year apprenticeship training program.
• Trade certification for communication technicians is available, but voluntary, in Nova Scotia, Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
• Experience as an installer and repairer (telephone and switch network) is usually required for service testers.

Exclusions

• Electronic service technicians (household and business equipment) (2242)
• Supervisors of telecommunication installation and repair workers (in 7202 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations)
• Telecommunications line and cable workers (7245)