A tower technician is responsible for maintaining the performance stability of line towers to provide the best network services for the customers. Tower technicians are often out in the field to conduct repairs and installations for the customers, inspecting the area's condition, and reporting structural inconsistencies and defects. They should have excellent mechanical and electrical knowledge to resolve issues immediately and create resolution manuals to prevent reoccurrence and ensure the safeness and security of line towers.

Tower Technician Responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real tower technician resumes representing typical tasks they are likely to perform in their roles.

  • Manage and make critical decisions in accordance with regulations for access and scheduling for certain private and federal FAA sites.
  • Hang and connect antenna's and TMA's.
  • Install grind rods and cad weld to form grind ring.
  • Complete several CPR and safety courses.
  • Remove old antennas and install new LTE antennas.
  • Get materials together, climb and rig towers.
  • Upgrade, decom, and build cellphone towers.
  • Remove old fill by hand and dispose of.
  • Contain and 1st aid\ cpr certificates up to date.
  • Install tower and client equipment for wireless broadband internet.
  • Assist installing guy wires, grounding, and cad welding.
  • Collect azimuth reading for antennas, micro dish, and orientation.
  • Install and power up equipment for TMA's and antenna's.
  • Trim, plant, and remove trees according to ISA standards.
  • Apply floor decking and work with a variety of power tools.

Tower Technician Skills and Personality Traits

We calculated that 17% of Tower Technicians are proficient in OSHA, CPR, and RF. They’re also known for soft skills such as Color vision, Customer-service skills, and Dexterity.

We break down the percentage of Tower Technicians that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • OSHA, 17%

    Conducted quarterly safety inspections of equipment, including rigging, according to OSHA specifications.

  • CPR, 15%

    Certified in CPR, High-Line Rescue, National Association of Tower Climbers and OHSA-10 Construction.

  • RF, 14%

    Performed installation of antennas, mounts, radios, amplifiers, RF & Fiber jumpers, etc.

  • Hand Tools, 8%

    Use general hand/air or electric hand tools, safety 1st, knowing what it takes to get the job done correctly.

  • Safety Procedures, 5%

    Follow strict safety procedures and guidelines implemented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

  • PIM, 4%

    Operated digital test equipment, including both PIM and Sweep gear for UMTS GSM LTE and AWS cell technologies.

Some of the skills we found on tower technician resumes included "osha," "cpr," and "rf." We have detailed the most important tower technician responsibilities below.

  • The most important skills for a tower technician to have in this position are color vision. In this excerpt that we gathered from a tower technician resume, you'll understand why: "telecom technicians work with color-coded wires, and they need to be able to tell them apart." According to resumes we found, color vision can be used by a tower technician in order to "install hybrids, fiber jumpers, antennas, rru's, color coding, , and bts equipment. "
  • Another commonly found skill for being able to perform tower technician duties is the following: customer-service skills. According to a tower technician resume, "telecom technicians who work in customers’ homes and offices should be friendly and polite." Check out this example of how tower technicians use customer-service skills: "construct and maintain cell phone towers and cell sites dealt directly with clients and customers"
  • Dexterity is also an important skill for tower technicians to have. This example of how tower technicians use this skill comes from a tower technician resume, "telecom technicians’ tasks, such as repairing small devices, connecting components, and using hand tools, require a steady hand and good hand–eye coordination." Read this excerpt from a resume to understand how vital it is to their everyday roles and responsibilities, "access work sites using ladders, scaffolding, aerial lifts, and other equipment. "
  • A tower technician responsibilities sometimes require "mechanical skills." The responsibilities that rely on this skills are shown by this resume excerpt: "telecom technicians must be familiar with the devices they install and repair, with their internal parts, and with the appropriate tools needed to use, install, or fix them" This resume example shows how this skill is used by tower technicians: "operated and cleaned basic hand tools and mechanical equipment. "
  • Another common skill for a tower technician to be able to utilize is "troubleshooting skills." Telecom technicians must be able to troubleshoot and devise solutions to problems that are not immediately apparent. A tower technician demonstrated the need for this skill by putting this on their resume: "performed installations, upgrades, troubleshooting, and landscaping of t-mobile cell sites. "
  • See the full list of tower technician skills.

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    What Equipment Installers Do

    A cable installer installs and maintains telecommunication systems and equipment such as telephone lines, cable television, or internet services at homes or commercial areas. In some companies, a cable installer may also handle complaints and concerns, conduct inspections, troubleshoot problems, and fix or replace components when necessary. Their job often requires them to climb up poles or even towers to attach or repair wires, and there are times when they may perform adjustments or even disconnections. They may also assist clients by answering inquiries, providing instructions, or referring them to other services when necessary.

    In this section, we take a look at the annual salaries of other professions. Take equipment installer for example. On average, the equipment installers annual salary is $460 lower than what tower technicians make on average every year.

    While their salaries may differ, one common ground between tower technicians and equipment installers are a few of the skills required in each craft. In both careers, employees bring forth skills like hand tools, test equipment, and cell sites.

    These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. A tower technician responsibility is more likely to require skills like "osha," "cpr," "rf," and "safety procedures." Whereas a equipment installer requires skills like "plumbing," "hvac," "electrical equipment," and "fiber optic." Just by understanding these different skills you can see how different these careers are.

    Equipment installers really shine in the telecommunication industry with an average salary of $44,418. Whereas tower technicians tend to make the most money in the construction industry with an average salary of $39,462.

    On average, equipment installers reach similar levels of education than tower technicians. Equipment installers are 0.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

    What Are The Duties Of a Systems Installer?

    Tower Climbers are professionals who are responsible for performing comprehensive installations, inspections, and maintenance on cell towers, self-supporting towers, and other tower transmitter systems. These climbers are required to complete tower safety courses so that they can climb communication towers to assist crews in repairing and inspecting communication boxes. They must operate heavy equipment to prepare sites for the construction and erection of communication towers. Tower Climbers should also guarantee the safety of their crews during extreme weather conditions by following company policies and procedures.

    Now we're going to look at the systems installer profession. On average, systems installers earn a $2,124 higher salary than tower technicians a year.

    Not everything about these jobs is different. Take their skills, for example. Tower technicians and systems installers both include similar skills like "rf," "test equipment," and "auxiliary equipment" on their resumes.

    While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, several resumes showed us that tower technician responsibilities requires skills like "osha," "cpr," "hand tools," and "safety procedures." But a systems installer might use skills, such as, "hvac," "telephone systems," "fire alarms," and "alarm systems."

    On average, systems installers earn a higher salary than tower technicians. There are industries that support higher salaries in each profession respectively. Interestingly enough, systems installers earn the most pay in the telecommunication industry with an average salary of $52,453. Whereas, tower technicians have higher paychecks in the construction industry where they earn an average of $39,462.

    When it comes to the differences in education between the two professions, systems installers tend to reach similar levels of education than tower technicians. In fact, they're 2.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    How a Cable Installer Compares

    The third profession we take a look at is cable installer. On an average scale, these workers bring in higher salaries than tower technicians. In fact, they make a $4,110 higher salary per year.

    By looking over several tower technicians and cable installers resumes, we found that both roles utilize similar skills, such as "ladders," "broadband," and "telecommunications equipment." But beyond that the careers look very different.

    There are many key differences between these two careers as shown by resumes from each profession. Some of those differences include the skills required to complete responsibilities within each role. As an example of this, a tower technician is likely to be skilled in "osha," "cpr," "rf," and "hand tools," while a typical cable installer is skilled in "tv," "trouble calls," "cable lines," and "cat5."

    Cable installers make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $43,049. Whereas tower technicians are paid the highest salary in the construction industry with the average being $39,462.

    Cable installers are known to earn similar educational levels when compared to tower technicians. Additionally, they're 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

    Description Of a Tower Climber

    Now, we'll look at tower climbers, who generally average a higher pay when compared to tower technicians annual salary. In fact, the difference is about $3,777 per year.

    While both tower technicians and tower climbers complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like osha, cpr, and rf, the two careers also vary in other skills.

    Each job requires different skills like "hand tools," "safety procedures," "field training," and "construction equipment," which might show up on a tower technician resume. Whereas tower climber might include skills like "fiber optic," "dot," "rig," and "radio equipment."

    In general, tower climbers make a higher salary in the telecommunication industry with an average of $46,623. The highest tower technician annual salary stems from the construction industry.

    In general, tower climbers reach similar levels of education when compared to tower technicians resumes. Tower climbers are 0.2% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.3% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.