How to become a telecommunications line and cable installer or repairer
Official title: Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers
Also called: Telephone cable splicer, Fibre optic cable splicer, Telephone line technician, Cable television installer, Rigger - telecommunications, Tracer - telecommunications, Splicer - telecommunications, Communication line technician, Telecommunication cable repairer, Telecommunications cable splicer, Telecommunications lineman/woman, Cable tester - telecommunications
Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers install, repair and maintain telecommunication lines and cables, cable television transmission and distribution systems and associated hardware. They are employed by cable television, telephone and other telecommunications service companies. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main tasks
- Install, remove, maintain and repair aerial and underground telephone, coaxial and fibre optic cable television, and other telecommunication transmission and distribution lines, cables and associated hardware
- Splice and repair various types and sizes of telephone and other telecommunication cables including single line, coaxial and fibre optic
- Repair or replace faulty cables, power supplies, amplifiers and other associated transmission and distribution equipment
- Inspect, monitor, test and adjust telecommunication transmission lines and cables and distribution systems
- 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 coordinate the preparation and completion of work assignments
- Assist in the erection and removal of telecommunication poles, towers and associated support structures
How to become one
Completion of secondary school is required. For telecommunication line and cable installers and repairers, 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. For cable television maintenance technicians, completion of a college program in electronics or a combination of college, correspondence or industry courses related to electronics and electrical systems and on-the-job training or completion of a four-year cable television technician apprenticeship program is required. Trade certification for network cabling specialists is available, but voluntary, in Ontario.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship: Apprenticeship. For telecommunication line and cable installers and repairers, 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. For cable television maintenance technicians, completion of a college program in electronics or a combination of college, correspondence or industry courses related to electronics and electrical systems and on-the-job training or completion of a four-year cable television technician apprenticeship program is required. Apprenticeships are run by each province and territory.
Pay · Outlook
- Median pay: $70,200 a year The middle half earn $54,600 to $74,100.
- About 10,100 people worked in this job in 2023, and about 10,600 are projected by 2033. (+5%)
- Projected labour market to 2033: balance.
Related jobs
- Electricians (except industrial and power system)
- Industrial electricians
- Power system electricians
- Electrical power line and cable workers
- Telecommunications equipment installation and cable television service technicians
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Questions people ask
How do I become a telecommunications line and cable installer or repairer?
Completion of secondary school is required. For telecommunication line and cable installers and repairers, 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. For cable television maintenance technicians, completion of a college program in electronics or a combination of college, correspondence or industry courses related to electronics and electrical systems and on-the-job training or completion of a four-year cable television technician apprenticeship program is required. Trade certification for network cabling specialists is available, but voluntary, in Ontario.
How much does a telecommunications line and cable installer or repairer earn in Canada?
Median full-time pay is $70,200 a year (Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank)). The middle half earn $54,600 to $74,100.
Is a telecommunications line and cable installer or repairer a growing career in Canada?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5% by 2033, from about 10,100 to about 10,600 people (Employment and Social Development Canada).
Do you need a degree to become a telecommunications line and cable installer or repairer?
Usually not. Only 9% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Apprenticeship.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Census 2021: employment by occupation, gender and education (98-10-0449) (2021 Census), Statistics Canada Open Licence, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Statistics Canada: National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 (Version 1.0), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada: Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) (2024 to 2033), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank): Wages by occupation (2025 (revised 2025-11-19)), Open Government Licence - Canada, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03