72204 – Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers
Lead statement
Telecommunications line and cable installers and repairers install, repair and maintain telecommunication lines and cables, cable television transmission and distribution systems and associated hardware. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Main duties
- 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 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.
- 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.
Example job titles
apprentice lineman/woman - telecommunications · cable installer - telecommunications · cable repair technician - telecommunications · telecommunication cable repairer · telecommunications cable splicer · cable tester - telecommunications · construction technician - cable television · communication technician - construction · communication line technician · construction technician - telecommunications · fibre optic cable splicer · line installer - telecommunications · telecommunications line installer · journeyman/woman lineman/woman - telecommunications · line inspector - telecommunications · repair lineman/woman - telecommunications · line repairer - telecommunications · telecommunication line technician · telecommunication line construction technician · rigger - telecommunications · section lineman/woman - telecommunications · service tracer - telecommunications · splicer - telecommunications · splicer technician - telecommunications · splicer technician - telephone · telephone line technician · telephone cable splicer · telephone line and cableman/woman · toll line inspector - telecommunications · toll line repairman/woman - telecommunications · toll lineman/woman - telecommunications · signal tracer - telecommunications · tracer - telecommunications · underground cable splicer - telecommunications · cable repairer - telecommunications · telecommunications lineman/woman · telecommunication cable installer · communications electrician - construction craft · telecontrol technologist · structured cabling technician
Wages (per hour)
| Province / territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $23.00 | $36.00 | $43.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $23.41 | $33.48 | $37.88 |
| Nova Scotia | $20.00 | $32.00 | $43.59 |
| New Brunswick | $20.00 | $32.00 | $43.51 |
| Quebec | $24.13 | $33.87 | $44.44 |
| Ontario | $23.00 | $36.00 | $38.00 |
| Manitoba | $22.50 | $28.00 | $41.67 |
| Saskatchewan | $22.00 | $30.00 | $40.90 |
| Alberta | $23.00 | $38.00 | $55.00 |
| British Columbia | $27.97 | $39.32 | $45.41 |
Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.
Occupation details: ESDC OaSIS 2025, based on NOC 2021.