Some of the different telephone technician jobs involve installing utility poles and lines. In others, an employee might be responsible for repairing these items. Some other duties could involve installing or fixing a switchboard at a call center. In certain instances, these workers also perform routine maintenance on broadcasting equipment at a radio or television station.
New construction in a previously undeveloped area may require poles and lines to be placed there. A telephone technician often plays a key role in making sure this equipment is located at the proper sites and installed correctly. He might need to climb poles or dig deep trenches in order to run wires from one spot to the next. This worker is typically required to wear safety equipment, such as a hard hat or goggles, when doing so.
In some cases, a telephone technician might drive a large service truck containing ladders and special tools used to work on telephone equipment. He may also sit in a bucket attached to a long arm on the vehicle that goes up and down, much like an automated ladder. In these instances, another person can hoist his colleague to the necessary height by using levers to move the bucket higher or lower.
Businesses that receive a large volume of telephone calls might need to have a switchboard installed. A telephone technician is usually responsible for setting up this item, as well as running phone lines within the facility. He might also be called on to repair this piece of equipment, should it malfunction during use.
One of the less common telephone technician jobs involves repairing communications equipment for radio and television broadcasters. These professionals might also troubleshoot teletypewriters, which are machines that use telephone lines to send written messages. Such technicians sometimes travel long distances to perform this type of work.
Some requirements for telephone technician jobs include taking courses in communications. People in these jobs should also be familiar with the types of equipment most often used. Good mechanical ability, along with willingness to work in a variety of conditions, is also helpful. Knowing how to read blueprints could also be useful to a technician in performing his daily activities.
There may be a smaller number of telephone technician jobs available in the next decade. This is due, in part, to expanding technology in the field of communications, coupled with increasing public dependence on the Internet and cell phones. Even so, those who perform this work can often be rewarded with a generous salary and benefits package.
