Significant Points
Telecommunications includes voice, video, and Internet communications services.
Despite increasing demand for telecommunications services, employment will decline as productivity increases rapidly.
With rapid technological changes in telecommunications, those with up-to-date technical skills will have the best job opportunities.
Average earnings in telecommunications greatly exceed average earnings throughout private industry.
Nature of the Industry About this section
Goods and services. The telecommunications industry delivers telephone, television, Internet, and other services to customers throughout the United States. Providing the primary means of communication to virtually all businesses, households, and individuals, telecommunications firms supply an essential service to the U.S. economy. In addition to offering traditional services such as wired phone and cable TV, telecommunications companies also offer services such as cellular phone, broadband and mobile Internet, and satellite TV, among others.
Industry organization. The telecommunications industry is divided into four main sectors: wired, wireless, satellite, and other telecommunications establishments. The largest sector of the telecommunications industry continues to be made up of wired telecommunications carriers. Establishments in this sector mainly provide telecommunications services such as such as wired (landline) telephone, digital subscriber line (DSL) Internet, and cable TV and Internet services. These organizations route TV, voice, Internet, data, and other content over a network of wires and cables, and control access to this content. They may own and maintain networks, share networks with other organizations, or lease network capacity from other companies. Establishments in the telecommunications industry, however, do not create the content that is transmitted over their networks, such as TV programs. (Establishments that create television programming are described in the Career Guide sections on the broadcasting and motion picture and video industries). Wired telecommunications also includes direct-to-home satellite television distributors and a variety of other businesses.
Wireless telecommunications carriers provide telephone, Internet, data, and other services to customers through the transmission of signals over networks of radio towers. The signals are transmitted through an antenna directly to customers, who use devices, such as cell phones and mobile computers, to receive, interpret, and send information. A large component of this industry segment consists of companies that provide cellular phone service, which has grown rapidly over the past decade. Another component includes establishments that deliver mobile Internet services to individuals with Internet-enabled cellular phones and computers.
Satellite telecommunications establishments are made up mostly of government and private organizations that transmit a variety of data through satellites, including photos of the earth, messages to and from public safety officials, and a variety of other information. Direct-to-home satellite TV providers, however, are classified with wired telecommunications.
Other sectors in the telecommunications industry include telecommunications resellers, as well as operators of other communication services ranging from radar stations to radio networks used by taxicab companies.
Recent developments. Telecommunications carriers are expanding their data transmission capabilities, known as "bandwidth," by replacing copper wires with fiber optic cables. Fiber optic cable, which transmits light signals along glass strands, permits faster, higher capacity transmissions than traditional copper wire. In some areas, carriers are extending fiber optic cable to residential customers, enabling them to offer cable television, video-on-demand, faster high-speed Internet, and conventional telephone communications over a single line.
Wireless telecommunications carriers are deploying several new technologies to allow faster data transmission and better Internet access in an effort to make them more competitive in a market that includes wired Internet carriers. With faster connection speeds, wireless carriers can transmit music, videos, applications, and other content that can be downloaded and played on cellular phones, giving users mobile access to large amounts of data. In addition, as use of this mobile technology increases, wireless companies continue to develop the next generation of technologies that will allow even faster data transmission.
Working Conditions About this section
Hours. Most workers in the telecommunications industry worked 40 hours per week in 2008, but about 14 percent worked more than 50 hours, on average. Workers in this industry are sometimes required to work overtime, especially during emergencies such as floods or hurricanes when employees may need to report to work with little notice to help restore network connections.
Work environment. Individuals in installation, maintenance, and repair occupations work in a variety of settings, both indoors and outdoors, and in all kinds of weather. Their work involves lifting, climbing, reaching, stooping, crouching, and crawling. They often work in high places, such as rooftops and telephone poles. Their jobs bring them into proximity with electrical wires and circuits, so they must take precautions to avoid shocks. These workers must wear safety equipment when entering manholes, and test for the presence of gas before going underground.
Most telecommunications managers, administrative workers, and professionals work in clean, comfortable offices. Customer service representatives often work in call centers where they answer customer service calls, and may be required to work evening and weekend hours.
Employment About this section
The telecommunications industry provided about 1.0 million wage and salary jobs in 2008. Wired telecommunications carriers accounted for about 666,100 of these jobs in 2008, while 202,700 were in wireless telecommunications carriers.
Telecommunications jobs are found in almost every part of the country, but most employees work in cities that have large concentrations of industrial and business establishments.
Occupations in the Industry About this section
Although the telecommunications industry employs workers in many different occupations, 52 percent of all workers are employed in either installation, maintenance, and repair occupations or office and administrative support occupations (table 1).
Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations. Telecommunications craft workers install, repair, and maintain telephone equipment, cables and access lines, and telecommunications systems. These workers can be grouped by the type of work they perform. Line installers and repairers, often referred to as outside plant personnel, connect central offices to customers' buildings. They install poles and terminals, and lay wires and cables that lead to a consumer's premises. Some may install lines or equipment inside a customer's business or residence. They use power-driven equipment to dig holes and set telephone poles. Line installers climb the poles or work in truck-mounted buckets, also known as "aerial work platforms," and attach the cables using various handtools. After line installers place cables on poles or towers or in underground conduits and trenches, they complete the line connections. Some line installers, called cable splicers, specialize in splicing together two telecommunication lines.
Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers, install, repair, and maintain the array of increasingly complex and sophisticated communications equipment. Their work includes setting up, rearranging, and removing the complex switching and routing equipment used in central offices. They may also solve network-related problems.
Some telecommunications equipment installers are referred to as station installers and repairers or telecommunications service technicians. They install, service, and repair telephone systems and other communications equipment on customers' property. When customers first purchase a service, move to another home or office, or request new types of service, these workers install the necessary equipment and wiring. They also connect telephone, Internet, and TV equipment to outside service wires, sometimes climbing poles or ladders to make these connections.
Cable installers travel to customers' premises to set up pay television service so that customers can receive programming. Cable service installers connect a customer's television set to the cable serving the entire neighborhood. Wireless and satellite service installers attach antennas or satellite dishes to the sides of customers' houses. These devices must be positioned to provide clear lines of sight to satellite locations. Installers check the strength and clarity of the television signal before completing the installation. They also may need to explain to the subscriber how certain television services operate. As these services expand to include additional features, it is increasingly important that installers have an understanding of the basic service technology and computer software and be able to communicate that knowledge to customers.
Office and administrative support occupations. Telephone operators make telephone connections, assist customers with specialized services such as reverse-charge calls, and provide telephone numbers. They also may provide emergency assistance.
Customer service representatives help customers understand the new and varied types of services offered by telecommunications providers. They answer customer questions and respond to complaints. Customer service representatives spend a considerable amount of time on the phone, but some may respond to inquiries by email, traditional mail, or in person. Some customer service representatives also are expected to sell services and may work on a commission basis. Other administrative support workers include financial, information, and records clerks; secretaries and administrative assistants; and first-line supervisors/managers of office and administrative support workers. These workers keep service records, compile and send bills to customers, and prepare statistical and other company reports, among other duties.
Professional and related occupations. Nineteen percent of the industry's employees are professional and related workers. (Many additional workers in these occupations are employed at the headquarters or research facilities of telecommunications companies, establishments that are classified in other industries.) Engineers plan cable routes, equipment installations, the expansion of existing structures, and solve other engineering problems. Some engineers also engage in research and development of new equipment. Many specialize in telecommunications design or voice, video, or data communications systems, and integrate communications equipment with computer networks. Others research, design, and develop gas lasers and related equipment needed to send messages through fiber optic cables. They study the limitations and uses of lasers and fiber optics; find new applications for them; and oversee the building, testing, and operations of the new applications. They work closely with clients who may not understand sophisticated communications systems, and design systems that meet their customers' needs.
Computer software engineers and network systems and data communications analysts design, develop, test, and debug computer software programs and computer networks. These include computer-assisted engineering programs for schematic cabling projects; modeling programs for cellular and satellite systems; and programs for telephone options, such as voice mail, email, and call waiting. Telecommunications specialists coordinate the installation of these systems and may provide follow-up maintenance and training.
Sales and related occupations. Seventeen percent of the industry's employees are in sales and related occupations. These workers, such as sales representatives and retail salespersons, are responsible for selling telecommunications and related services to businesses and residential customers. In addition, the industry employs a number of telemarketers, who attempt to acquire new customers over the phone
