While a single text or phone call may flow through miles of fiber, at the endpoints of this communication is an invisible river of data flowing to its digital destination. Guiding and managing this almost-neurological flow of information are the skilled hands of network technicians.
Simply put, network technicians work with the brain of the broadband network, while broadband technicians tend to the physical bone structure critically supporting that network — be it in fiber optics or in wireless forms like cell towers.
Typical core responsibilities of working as a technician on broadband networks include installing, repairing and updating different computer network systems. This means configuring and managing devices like routers, switches and firewalls of different client organizations’ networks.
Similarly to the broadband technicians working on equipment, network technicians must often troubleshoot, diagnose and resolve connectivity issues for different organizations and provide technical support to clients, other IT workers and end users.
Considering how much our society now relies on broadband, these technicians are crucial linchpins in keeping the world connected.
Education, certifications and training, oh my!
One in six network engineers do not have a college degree as reported by research from Zippia. So, while a majority may have some postsecondary education — often in computer science, IT or computer information systems — it is not completely necessary to get into the field.
One alternative route of gaining introductory knowledge and skills can be certification programs geared towards the job. Some common options include:
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CompTIA: The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a valuable vendor-neutral starting point for learning the foundational skills needed by network technicians. The CompTIA Network+ Certification training offers self-paced online learning, interactive labs and more.
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Cisco: This technology company offers five levels of well-recognized certifications for various levels of expertise. A solid entry-level consideration is the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) program. It covers fundamental networking concepts like routing, switching, security and basic troubleshooting.
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Juniper Networks: Like Cisco, this networking company offers a long line of experience-tailored certifications recognized by employers. Its entry-level offering is called the Juniper Networks Certified Associate (JNCIA) program.
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Palo Alto Networks: Should you be interested in focusing more on network security as a specialty, the Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator (PCNSA) program can be suitable for newcomers eager to learn about and potentially work with Palo Alto’s security portfolio.
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EC-Council: Another more vendor-neutral certification aimed towards network security and defense is the EC-Council Certified Network Defender (CND) program.
While these are a few well-known certification routes that could open doors to entry-level positions, it’s important to note that not all paths to a career in this field require formal certifications.
Equally as valuable is the pursuit of practical experience that can be gained through hands-on projects, internships and training offered on the job from different employers. And gluing education and training opportunities together with self-guided learning and online resources will give you an even better head start.
At the end of the day, taking off in this field will come from a dynamic combination of hands-on experience, classroom learning and “networking” with people (especially since the job oftentimes requires customer service skills in tending to different clients’ networks).
Network technicians: how they’re paid, what they say
While the average yearly pay for being a network technician in the United States reported by Glassdoor is $64,972 per year, larger companies like Google, Cisco, Microsoft and more are frequently offering six-figure wages. Cisco, for instance, has a median total pay of $124,000 for the role.
The wage may vary from state to state, but its average pay is continuing to rise year over year, and that isn’t likely to change with the growing demand for broadband deployment and maintenance.
Network technician Marcus Chambers, who has worked fully remote since 2020, told us that one of his favorite aspects of the job has been getting to work with networks from the "inside out" and keep learning about new technologies.
“If you want to get into a job where you can just put your brain on cruise control and let it ride, you might want to look somewhere else,” said Chambers. “If you like technology, get into this. If you're a person who embraces change and advancement, this is where you want to be.”
Numerous network technicians have also left reviews on Indeed, painting various day-in-the-life and birds-eye pictures of the profession.
One worker with over 35 years of experience at AT&T cited great overall benefits and pay and loved getting to work in a union shop. Yet they added that the company “has too many layers” and doesn’t always do a good job working with employee input despite soliciting feedback.
“[It] takes 2-4 years to get to top pay in most non-management positions and decent opportunities for advancement, and [they have] a good record for providing opportunities for POC [people of color] and women,” they added.
Another veteran of 30 years in the field said, “All companies have their issues. This one is no exception but at the end of the day, the pay is great, the benefits are good, and there is always work.” Different departments have different experiences, they noted, writing, “If they want to micromanage me, at least I get a good wage for it.” While the technician expressed that they had considered leaving the telco, they changed their mind in comparing compensation with other employers. “I’m sticking around,” they concluded.
Another technician described the typical day at the company as “answering calls from customers or technicians, testing 911 or T1 circuits, working with outside vendors [and] closing trouble tickets.” They also mentioned loving the family-oriented culture of the company and that co-workers helped one another.
Similarly, a different AT&T network tech said, “The beautiful people I work with make it [a] wonderful place to work.”
Over at Lumen (formerly known as CenturyLink), a former worker explained, “I have had an excellent set of peers. I have enjoyed my job for 18 years, climbing ladders, fixing copper lines, using a boom and enjoyed interacting with customers.” They listed competent management as a pro; yet interestingly, they countered that a con was that in 18 years, they had 12 different managers.
A network maintenance technician working with Comcast in Virginia wrote the role had great pay, great benefits and a good atmosphere of people. They noted being asked to be on call as the most difficult aspect of the work.
Another Comcast technician contrastingly voiced that the pay was not as competitive as they would have liked, but the benefits and atmosphere were the balancing pros. “The workplace culture was positive and inclusive, fostering a collaborative environment where teamwork and open communication were encouraged. This created a conducive atmosphere for creativity and innovation, leading to improved productivity.”