Broadband Technician Jobs: Salary and Career Facts

What Is a Broadband Technician?

Broadband technicians install and repair telephone and broadband service lines for businesses and homes, typically offering services at all hours of the day. They will travel directly to their clients in order to perform their work, servicing and installing broadband connections and making accurate and thorough records of what they do and use during the course of their jobs. These professionals may work for a variety of employers, such as telecommunication companies or electronic service centers, and typically have to perform duties outside in different weather conditions.

What Does a Broadband Technician Job Involve?

As a broadband technician, you will be responsible for installing, disconnecting, and repairing telephone and broadband services for businesses or individual clients. You might find work within a telecommunication company or an electronic service center. As a professional broadband technician, you will often be required to travel to a client's office or home in order to install services or complete a repair job. As an entry-level technician, you may be required to work unusual hours, as most telecommunications installers and repairers must be available 24 hours a day.

What Education Will I Need?

Different companies will have different educational requirements for broadband technicians. Some companies will only require you to have a high school diploma or GED as well as some professional experience in the field. Other companies will prefer some postsecondary education, such as an associate's degree in electronics, computer science or telecommunications.

Some schools offer certificate programs that are specifically designed for aspiring broadband technicians. Certificate programs in broadband technology will introduce you to concepts of networking, operating systems, cabling technology, and more.

Will I Need Certification?

You will not be required to have certification in order to work as a broadcast technician. However, certification is encouraged in the industry, as it can keep you updated on the latest technologies and advancements in the field. It can also give you an edge when you are applying for a new job or a promotion.

The Society of Cable and Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE) offers certification in the industry, as does the Telecommunications Industry Association. To gain the designation of Broadband Communications Technician (BCT) from SCTE, you will be required to complete examinations covering topics such as transportation systems, distribution systems, terminal devices, video and audio signals, and signal processing centers.

What Will My Salary Be Like?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, telecommunications installers and repairers, including broadband technicians, held 232,900 jobs in the country in 2018 (www.bls.gov). The median annual salary in the field in that year was $56,100. The highest-paying industries included scientific researchers, electrical power, and rail transportation.

What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?

Line installers and repairers provide a similar service to broadband technicians, constructing and repairing large outdoor power and telecommunications lines. These professionals must have a high school diploma. Broadcast and sound technicians set up and operate audio and video recording and broadcasting equipment for television, radio, and more, adjusting signal strength to keep the integrity of broadcast signals and manipulate sounds and voices recorded, respectively. Sound technicians typically need some form of certificate or nondegree award to find work, while broadcast technicians are generally expected to have at least an associate's degree.