← UK Occupations
🇬🇧 UKSOC 5242· Skilled Metal, Electrical and Electronic Trades

Telecoms and related network installers and repairers

Telecoms and related network installers and repairers install, maintain and repair public and private telephone systems and maintain, test and repair telecoms cables.

Cable jointerCustomer service engineer (telecoms)Installation engineer (telecoms)Network officer (telecoms)Telecom engineerTelephone engineer
£39,652
median salary
£34,139 – £43,612
45,400
currently employed
79,944
projected 2035
Declining
9 tasks scored3 AI Assists6 Human-Led

Task Bundle Breakdown

How AI interacts with this occupation's task bundle

33%
67%
0%
AI automates
33%
AI assists
67%
Human-led

Task-by-Task Breakdown

Every task scored individually — sorted highest to lowest AI exposure

56

uses testing equipment to locate defective components of circuitry and makes any necessary repairs

AI Assists

AI-powered diagnostic tools and network monitoring software (e.g. Cisco AI Network Analytics) can help identify fault patterns and suggest likely defective components, but physical repair remains human-led.

56

locates and repairs faults to lines and ancillary equipment

AI Assists

AI-powered network management platforms (e.g. Nokia AVA, Ericsson AI) can predict and pinpoint line faults remotely, helping technicians prioritise and locate issues faster before physical repair.

44

tests installation and makes any further necessary adjustments

AI Assists

AI-assisted network testing platforms can automate signal analysis and flag anomalies, reducing manual checking time, but a technician must interpret results and make physical adjustments.

33

connects cables and tests for any defects

Human-Led

Physically connecting cables is manual work, though AI-driven testing systems can automate defect detection once cables are connected, reducing diagnostic time.

22

installs telephones, switchboards and coin operated phone boxes

Human-Led

Installing physical hardware like telephones and switchboards is manual work, though AI-powered configuration tools can assist with programming switchboard settings remotely.

22

erects and maintains mobile telecoms infrastructure

Human-Led

Erecting and maintaining mobile telecoms infrastructure is predominantly physical fieldwork, though AI tools can assist with site surveys, predictive maintenance scheduling, and signal optimisation planning.

11

installs internal cabling and wiring for telephone systems and networks and fits and wires junction and distribution boxes

Human-Led

Installing physical cabling and wiring requires hands-on dexterity and spatial judgment that AI cannot replicate; AI might assist with wiring diagrams or documentation.

11

fixes connecting wires from underground and aerial lines to premises and connects cable terminals to inside wiring

Human-Led

Physically connecting wires from underground and aerial lines to premises is a hands-on task requiring on-site presence and manual dexterity beyond current AI or robotics capabilities.

11

assists with the erection of wooden poles or steel towers to carry overhead lines

Human-Led

Erecting wooden poles or steel towers is heavy physical infrastructure work with no meaningful AI automation; AI could assist with site planning or safety documentation.

ROI Calculator

Telecoms and related network installers and repairers

6.2hrs
saved per week
300hrs
per year ≈ 8 weeks
£6,609
salary-equivalent capacity freed per year

This is not a pay rise — it's 300 hours of productive capacity that AI could return to you, valued at your current rate.

£13,217
value at risk — 33% of role exposed to AI

The portion of your current salary tied to tasks AI can automate or augment. Not a prediction of job loss — a signal of where your role is changing fastest.

How is this calculated?▾

Task weights — each task is weighted by its O*NET frequency rating. Where frequency data is absent, equal weighting is applied.

AI time reduction — tasks scored as "AI Automates" assume 80% time saving; "AI Assists" assumes 40%; "Human-Led" assumes 5%.

Salary equivalent — annual hours saved × (salary ÷ 1,800 working hours/year).

Value at risk — salary × share of role time in AI-automate or AI-assist tasks.

Figures are indicative estimates for planning purposes, not guarantees of productivity gain or job loss risk.