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How exposed to AI is a Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installer?

Of the 40 tasks O*NET lists for telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers, 4 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 27 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Broadband TechnicianCentral Office TechnicianCombination TechnicianCustomer Service Technician (CST)Field TechnicianInstall and Repair TechnicianInstallerOutside Plant TechnicianService TechnicianTelecommunications Technician
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
40
tasks rated for this occupation
17%
hold a degree, from a survey of 22
173k
people do this job in the US
3 of 50
least protected in installation and repair

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

4
  • Demonstrate equipment to customers and explain its use, responding to any inquiries or complaints
  • Maintain computer and manual records pertaining to facilities and equipment
  • Analyze test readings, computer printouts, and trouble reports to determine equipment repair needs and required repair methods
  • Designate cables available for use

Only with software built on top

9
  • Note differences in wire and cable colors so that work can be performed correctly
  • Perform database verifications, using computers
  • Refer to manufacturers' manuals to obtain maintenance instructions pertaining to specific malfunctions
  • Program computerized switches and switchboards to provide requested features
  • Enter codes needed to correct electronic switching system programming
  • Install updated software and programs that maintain existing software or provide requested features, such as time-correlated call routing
  • Determine viability of sites through observation, and discuss site locations and construction requirements with customers
  • Provide input into the design and manufacturing of new equipment
  • Address special issues or situations, such as illegal or unauthorized use of equipment, or cases of electrical or acoustic shock

Cannot be sped up

27
  • Test circuits and components of malfunctioning telecommunications equipment to isolate sources of malfunctions, using test meters, circuit diagrams, polarity probes, and other hand tools
  • Test repaired, newly installed, or updated equipment to ensure that it functions properly and conforms to specifications, using test equipment and observation
  • Climb poles and ladders, use truck-mounted booms, and enter areas such as manholes and cable vaults to install, maintain, or inspect equipment
  • Assemble and install communication equipment such as data and telephone communication lines, wiring, switching equipment, wiring frames, power apparatus, computer systems, and networks
  • Run wires between components and to outside cable systems, connecting them to wires from telephone poles or underground cable accesses
  • Test connections to ensure that power supplies are adequate and that communications links function
  • Inspect equipment on a regular basis to ensure proper functioning
  • Collaborate with other workers to locate and correct malfunctions
  • Remove loose wires and other debris after work is completed
  • Repair or replace faulty equipment, such as defective and damaged telephones, wires, switching system components, and associated equipment
  • Communicate with bases, using telephones or two-way radios to receive instructions or technical advice, or to report equipment status
  • Remove and remake connections to change circuit layouts, following work orders or diagrams
  • Clean and maintain tools, test equipment, and motor vehicles
  • Request support from technical service centers when on-site procedures fail to solve installation or maintenance problems
  • Adjust or modify equipment to enhance equipment performance or to respond to customer requests
  • Remove and replace plug-in circuit equipment
  • Dig holes or trenches as necessary for equipment installation and access
  • Review manufacturer's instructions, manuals, technical specifications, building permits, and ordinances to determine communication equipment requirements and procedures
  • Drive crew trucks to and from work areas
  • Route and connect cables and lines to switches, switchboard equipment, and distributing frames, using wire-wrap guns or soldering irons to connect wires to terminals
  • Diagnose and correct problems from remote locations, using special switchboards to find the sources of problems
  • Examine telephone transmission facilities to determine requirements for new or additional telephone services
  • Measure distances from landmarks to identify exact installation sites for equipment
  • Perform routine maintenance on equipment, including adjusting and lubricating components and painting worn or exposed areas
  • Install telephone station equipment, such as intercommunication systems, transmitters, receivers, relays, and ringers, and related apparatus, such as coin collectors, telephone booths, and switching-key equipment
  • Clean switches and replace contact points, using vacuum hoses, solvents, and hand tools
  • Place intercept circuits on terminals to handle vacant lines in central office installations
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.