Jobs in the telecommunications industry require delivering data, voice, video, and graphics to consumers.  Wireline telephones were once the primary means for communication.  Today, those in the telecommunications industry also work with wireless communication services, satellite dishes, and cable programming.  

The largest area within the telecommunications field is in wired telecommunication.  This field provides telephone services through wires and cables that connect the central office to the customer’s premise.  At the central office, a switching center is used to determine the best route for the content to be transmitted through.  In the past, the “content” being transmitted was the voice over a telephone.  Today, this can also include video, graphic, and electronic data being shared over the Internet.

One in four occupations with the telecommunications field are in the area of maintenance, installation, and repair.  Telecommunication repairers and installers is the single largest area in the field.  The field also includes telephone operators and other forms of communication equipment operators.