Index
Intro
Telecommunications line and cable workers install, repair and maintain telecommunication lines and cables. They are employed by cable television companies and by telephone and other telecommunications services.
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Main Duties
Telecommunications line and cable workers perform some or all of the following duties:
- Install, remove, maintain and repair aerial and underground telephone and other telecommunication transmission and distribution lines, cables and associated hardware
- Install (but do not repair or maintain) cable television lines and cables
- Splice and repair various types and sizes of telephone and other telecommunication cables including single line, coaxial and fibre optic
- Inspect and test telecommunication transmission lines and cables for transmission characteristics and to locate faults
- Analyze and record test results
- Climb and work aloft on poles, ladders or other support structures or work in confined spaces such as trenches, tunnels and crawl spaces
- Communicate with other workers to co-ordinate the preparation and completion of work assignments
- Assist in the erection and removal of telecommunication poles, towers and associated support structures
- May operate excavation machinery and other heavy equipment.
Employment Requirements
- Completion of secondary school is required.
- Completion of a four-year telecommunications line and cable apprenticeship program
or
A combination of over three years work experience in the trade and some industry- related or other specialized courses
or
Completion of a two-year college program in electronics is usually required. - Trade certification for communications electrician (construction craft) is available, but voluntary, in Alberta, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
All Titles
- apprentice lineman/woman – telecommunicationsapprentice lineman – telecommunications, apprentice linewoman – telecommunications
- cable installer – telecommunications
- cable repair technician – telecommunications
- cable repairer – telecommunicationscable repairman – telecommunications, cable repairwoman – telecommunications
- cable repairer, telecommunicationscable repairman, telecommunications, cable repairwoman, telecommunications, telecommunication cable repairman, telecommunication cable repairwoman
- cable splicer, telecommunications
- cable tester – telecommunications
- communication line technician
- communication technician – construction
- communications electrician – construction craft
- construction technician – cable television
- construction technician – telecommunications
- fibre optic cable splicer
- journeyman/woman lineman/woman – telecommunicationsjourneyman lineman – telecommunications, journeywoman linewoman – telecommunications
- line inspector – telecommunications
- line installer – telecommunications
- line installer-repairer – telecommunicationsline installer-repairman – telecommunications, line installer-repairwoman – telecommunications
- line repairer – telecommunicationsline repairman – telecommunications, line repairwoman – telecommunications
- line technician, telecommunications
- lineman/woman, telecommunicationslineman, telecommunications, linewoman, telecommunications
- lineman-technician/linewoman-technician – telecommunicationslineman-technician – telecommunications, linewoman-technician – telecommunications
- lineworker-technician – telecommunications
- repair lineman/woman – telecommunicationsrepair lineman – telecommunications, repair linewoman – telecommunications
- rigger – telecommunications
- section lineman/woman – telecommunicationssection lineman – telecommunications, section linewoman – telecommunications
- service tracer – telecommunications
- signal tracer – telecommunications
- splicer – telecommunications
- splicer technician – telecommunications
- splicer technician – telephone
- technician, communication lines
- technician, telephone line
- telecommunication cable installer
- telecommunication cable repairer
- telecommunication line construction technician
- telecommunication line technician
- telecommunications line installer
- telecontrol technologist
- telephone cable splicer
- telephone line and cableman/womantelephone line and cableman, telephone line and cablewoman
- telephone line technician
- toll line inspector – telecommunications
- toll line repairman/woman – telecommunicationstoll line repairman – telecommunications, toll line repairwoman – telecommunications
- toll lineman/woman – telecommunicationstoll lineman – telecommunications, toll linewoman – telecommunications
- tracer – telecommunications
- underground cable splicer – telecommunications
- wire splicer – telecommunications
Exclusions
- Cable television service and maintenance technicians (7247)
- Electrical power line and cable workers (7244)
- Supervisors of telecommunications line and cable workers (See 7202 Contractors and supervisors, electrical trades and telecommunications occupations)
- Telecommunications installation and repair workers (7246)