Cable Installer Job Description: Duties, Template & Pay (2026)
A cable installer runs, connects and tests the lines that bring internet, TV and phone service into homes and businesses, on poles, in trenches and inside customers’ walls. This page has a cable installer job description template you can copy, what changes for a fiber technician, the duties list, what the work pays and six interview questions.
What a cable installer does
A cable installer puts telecommunications lines where they need to go and makes them work: pulling cable through conduit, stringing it between poles, trenching it underground, splicing and terminating it, connecting the customer, and testing that the signal is right. Some installers spend the day in customers’ homes and businesses; others work outside plant, on poles, in trenches and in vaults.
BLS counts most of this work as telecommunications line installers and repairers (SOC 49-9052). O*NET’s reported titles for the occupation include cable tech, cable TV tech, cable splicer, fiber optic splicer, installation and repair technician, outside plant technician and simply installer. The Occupational Outlook Handbook profiles it inside a wider group it calls telecommunications technicians, alongside telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers (49-2022), who set up and repair equipment at customer sites and central offices. If your installer mostly works inside homes connecting and troubleshooting service, the job sits between the two; this page leads with 49-9052 figures and notes the other where it differs.
O*NET’s task list for line installers starts with splicing cable, inspecting and testing lines to locate faults, maintaining tools and test equipment, and setting up service for customers. Then the physical part: reaching work areas by bucket truck, pole or ladder, or by entering tunnels, trenches and crawl spaces; laying cable in trenches or pulling it through conduit by hand or winch; measuring signal strength; sealing splices; and locating and marking buried cable.
| Working conditions (O*NET, 49-9052) | Share reporting it |
|---|---|
| Outdoors in all weather, every day | 95% |
| Wear protective or safety equipment every day | 90% |
| In a vehicle or enclosed equipment every day | 81% |
| Dealing with the public rated extremely important | 57% |
| Exposed to minor burns, cuts, bites or stings every day | 40% |
| Exposed to high places once a week or more, but not every day | 28% |
The OOH adds that telecommunications equipment and line installers have some of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. Candidates who have done the work know the job is outside, in the truck and sometimes up a pole. Say which of those your job includes and how much climbing there is.
Cable installer duties
- Install, connect and activate internet, TV and phone service at customer premises
- Run and terminate coaxial, copper or fiber drops from the pole, pedestal or building entry to the equipment
- Pull cable through conduit and ducts, string aerial cable and lay underground cable
- Splice and terminate cable, and seal and protect splices
- Test signal levels and line quality with meters and test sets, and troubleshoot faults
- Explain the service and equipment to the customer before leaving
- Complete work orders, photos and job records in the company’s mobile app
- Inspect and maintain the truck, ladders, tools and test equipment
- Follow safety procedures for ladders, poles, bucket trucks, traffic control and confined spaces
Fiber technician job description
A fiber technician is a cable installer who works with optical fiber. The OOH notes that line installers install and repair telecommunications lines and fiber optic cables, and that workers who handle fiber must be able to splice and terminate optical cables. O*NET lists fiber optic splicer as a reported title for the same occupation, so fiber technicians fall under 49-9052 in federal data.
What changes in a fiber posting:
- Splicing and termination. Fusion splicing, mechanical splicing and connectorization. Say whether you need someone who can splice on day one or you will train.
- Testing. OTDR testing, power meters and light sources, and documenting test results. Name the equipment you use.
- Where the work is. Outside plant (aerial and underground), fiber-to-the-home drops, or inside plant and data centers are different jobs. Pick one.
- Certification. Industry certifications, such as those from the Fiber Optic Association, are a plus rather than a requirement unless your customer contract says otherwise.
The OOH also explains why employment in the group is projected to fall: many 5G upgrades and government-funded broadband expansion projects are expected to be completed, and newer technologies such as fiber optic cables need less frequent repair. For an employer, that means a posting should say how long the work lasts: a two-year build contract and a permanent maintenance role recruit different people.
Cable installer job description template
Copy this into your ATS or job board, replace the bracketed fields and delete what does not apply. Swap in the fiber lines if the role is fiber.
Job title
[Cable Installer / Fiber Technician / Installation and Repair Technician], [Schedule], [Company name], [Service area]
Summary
[Company name] is hiring a [cable installer / fiber technician] to [install and repair service for residential and business customers / build and splice fiber on our network] across [area]. You drive a company truck, work mostly outdoors, and finish each job with a customer who has working service. [Schedule, including weekends and on-call]. [Pay range, plus per-job or production pay if any].
What you will do
• Install, activate and troubleshoot [internet / TV / phone] service at customer homes and businesses
• Run and terminate [coax / copper / fiber] drops; pull, string and bury cable as needed
• [Fusion splice and terminate fiber; test with OTDR and power meter]
• Test and document signal levels and job details in [app or system]
• Work safely on ladders, [poles / bucket trucks] and in [trenches / crawl spaces]
• Explain service to customers and leave the site clean
What you need
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Valid driver’s license and a driving record that meets [our insurer’s standard]
• Able to lift [weight], climb a [28-foot] ladder and work outdoors in all weather
• Comfortable working in customers’ homes
• [CDL only if the role drives heavy equipment]
Nice to have
• Low-voltage, telecom or electrical experience
• [Fiber splicing experience / FOA or vendor certification]
• [Pole-climbing or bucket-truck experience]
What we offer
• [Pay range] and [production or per-job pay explained with an example week]
• [Company truck, tools, test equipment and phone provided]
• [Paid training length]
• [Benefits and the date they start]
• [Path to splicer, lead tech or supervisor]
How to apply
[A short form. Tell applicants when the next training class starts.]
Requirements: what to ask for, and what to drop
| Requirement | What to know |
|---|---|
| Experience | Train it where you can. The OOH describes on-the-job training lasting from several months to several years, and lists no required work experience for the group. |
| Education | High school diploma. The OOH says employers may prefer a certificate or associate degree; O*NET’s survey for line installers found 78 percent said a diploma is what a new hire needs. |
| Driver’s license | Required almost everywhere, and the OOH notes a commercial driver’s license may be needed for heavy vehicles. Say which trucks the role drives. |
| Climbing | Say whether the job includes pole climbing or only ladders. It is one of the first things experienced candidates check. |
| Certifications | The OOH says manufacturer or employer-provided certification may be helpful. Offer it rather than require it. |
| Own tools | Say what you provide. Contractors that require installers to bring tools or a vehicle should say so up front. |
What cable installers and fiber technicians earn
Telecommunications line installers and repairers had a median wage of $74,330 a year, about $35.73 an hour, in May 2025. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers, earned a median of $63,890. Across the whole telecommunications technicians group, the lowest 10 percent earned less than $44,770 and the highest 10 percent more than $100,730.
| Industry (telecommunications technicians group) | Median annual wage (May 2025) | Share employed |
|---|---|---|
| Telecommunications | $75,680 | 61% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | $61,390 | 4% |
| Specialty trade contractors | $58,360 | 13% |
| Heavy and civil engineering construction | $57,600 | 7% |
| Administrative and support services | $51,430 | 2% |
There were 103,400 telecommunications line installers and repairers in 2025, and BLS projects employment to fall 3 percent to 99,900 by 2035. Equipment installers are projected to fall 3 percent as well, from 143,100 to 138,400. Across the group, BLS still projects about 20,300 openings a year, about 8,000 of them for line installers according to the BLS Employment Projections table, mostly to replace workers who leave.
What it costs to reach a cable installer
Cable and fiber roles fall in the technician / mechanic role family in Boostpoint’s 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark: a median cost per applicant of $13.41 on Meta, a middle 50 percent band of $7.40 to $23.58, a blended $8.35 and a 16 percent apply rate. The skilled trades and field service sector ran an $11.89 median with an 18 percent apply rate. The all-role median is $13.88.
Across the benchmark, the apply experience explains about 70 percent of the variation in cost per applicant. For installers that means a form with the license and climbing questions, not a resume upload. Cost per applicant is not cost per hire.
Cable installer and fiber technician interview questions
1. Walk me through an install from arriving at the house to leaving.
A good answer covers introducing themselves, confirming the order, surveying the route, running and securing the drop neatly, testing, explaining the service and cleaning up. You are listening for order and customer awareness.
2. The customer has no signal after you finish. What do you check?
Listen for working from one end to the other: connections and terminations, signal levels at each point, the drop, the tap or terminal, and knowing when to escalate to network.
3. How do you set up a ladder safely against a house or pole?
Specifics are the good answer: angle, footing, tie-off, three points of contact, checking for power lines. Vague answers are a safety risk.
4. (Fiber) How do you know a splice is good?
Look for cleaving and cleaning, fusion splicer loss estimates, and confirming with an OTDR or power meter, then documenting the result.
5. How many jobs a day have you completed, and what slowed you down?
Real numbers and honest bottlenecks (access, drop length, missing equipment) show experience.
6. How do you feel about weather, weekends and on-call?
Ask plainly; this is outdoor work with service commitments.
Hiring across the field? See the lineman, electrician, field service technician, solar installer and electrical technician job descriptions, and installer recruiting for the hiring side.
The job description is not the job ad
The template is the document. The ad has to get someone who was not looking to stop scrolling.
- First line: pay, the truck and the schedule. Title, hourly range, production pay and “company truck” in one line.
- Say “paid training” and how long it is, if you train from scratch.
- Name the work: aerial, underground, in-home. It sorts candidates before they apply.
- Ask the license question in the form, and call back the same day.
More in job ad copywriting.
Frequently asked questions
What does a cable installer do?
A cable installer runs, connects and tests telecommunications lines: pulling cable through conduit, stringing it between poles, burying it, splicing and terminating it, activating service at customer premises, and troubleshooting faults. BLS counts most of this work as telecommunications line installers and repairers (SOC 49-9052).
What are typical cable installer duties?
Installing and activating internet, TV and phone service; running and terminating coax, copper or fiber drops; pulling, stringing and burying cable; splicing and sealing cable; testing signal levels; explaining service to customers; completing job records; and maintaining the truck, ladders and test equipment safely.
What is a fiber technician?
A fiber technician installs, splices, terminates and tests optical fiber cable. Federal data counts fiber technicians inside telecommunications line installers and repairers; O*NET lists fiber optic splicer as a reported title. The OOH notes that workers who handle fiber must be able to splice and terminate optical cables.
How much do cable installers make?
Telecommunications line installers and repairers had a median wage of $74,330 a year, about $35.73 an hour, in May 2025. Telecommunications equipment installers, except line installers, had a $63,890 median. Telecommunications employers paid the highest industry median, $75,680, and specialty trade contractors $58,360.
What qualifications does a cable installer need?
A high school diploma, a valid driver’s license and the ability to climb, lift and work outdoors. The OOH notes employers may prefer a certificate or associate degree, that a CDL may be needed for heavy vehicles, and that manufacturer or employer-provided certification may be helpful. Most training happens on the job.
Is cable installer employment growing?
No. BLS projects telecommunications line installer employment to fall 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, as 5G and broadband build projects finish and fiber needs less frequent repair. The group still has about 20,300 openings a year, mostly to replace people who leave.
What should I ask in a cable installer interview?
Ask them to walk through an install, how they troubleshoot no signal, how they set up a ladder safely, how many jobs a day they have completed, and how they feel about weather and weekends. For fiber roles, ask how they confirm a good splice.
How much does it cost to recruit a cable installer?
On Meta, the technician and mechanic role family in our 2026 benchmark had a median cost per applicant of $13.41, with the middle half of campaigns between $7.40 and $23.58 and a 16 percent apply rate. The skilled trades and field service sector ran an $11.89 median.
Related job descriptions
Hiring cable installers or fiber techs?
The description is the document. Getting it in front of people who are not on a job board, in the service area you actually cover, is the part we do.
Wage, employment, projection, industry and work-environment data for telecommunications line installers and repairers (SOC 49-9052) and the telecommunications technicians group (49-2021, 49-2022, 49-9052): U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, Telecommunications Technicians, last modified 27 August 2026; May 2025 OEWS wages, 2025 employment and 2025–35 projections. Tasks, job titles, hourly median, education and work context: O*NET OnLine 49-9052.00. Occupation-level annual openings: BLS Employment Projections Table 1.2, 2025–35. Read at source 24 September 2026. Cost-per-applicant figures: Boostpoint 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark, 891 managed campaigns and 1,334 campaign-months.