Learning Journey
Field Technician
The Field Technician role is the entry into the telecommunications industry. This level introduces technicians to the varying concepts that will be expanded upon as they grow their knowledge and career.
Fundamental
These courses will explain the foundational principles, knowledge, and application of broadband technology and its importance. The courses in this section will assist in-field service employees in learning about several aspects of fundamental telecommunications subjects. No prerequisites are necessary.
Broadband Premises Installation (BPI) Safety
The Broadband Premises Installation – Safety course provides the safety best practices for a broadband professional. The learner is introduced to safety subjects such as personal protective equipment (PPE), working with and on ladders, and operating a company vehicle. In addition, the learner will learn about job site safety, environmental, and weather-related dangers. (estimated duration: 4 hours)
BPI – Safety is one of several courses that prepares you for SCTE's BPI certification.
Broadband Premises Installation (BPI) Customer Service
The Broadband Premises Installation – Customer Service course provides the customer service best practices for a broadband professional. The learner is introduced to subjects including maintaining the company image through professionalism, time management, and managing stress. The course also covers partnering with the customer and working in challenging situations. (estimated duration: 2 hours)
BPI – Customer Service is one of several courses that prepares you for SCTE's BPI certification.
Broadband Premises Installation (BPI) Fundamentals
The Broadband Premises Installation – Fundamentals course provides a broadband technician with the knowledge needed to perform a multi-service installation. The learner will learn about the required tools, equipment, skills, and procedures needed to connect a customer via an aerial or underground drop. They will learn about the importance of bonding and grounding, running cables in a home and how to connect the latest data, video, and voice equipment to maximize the customer experience. (estimated duration: 12 hours)
BPI – Fundamentals is one of several courses that prepares you for SCTE's BPI certification.
Broadband Premises Troubleshooting (BPT)
The Broadband Premises Troubleshooting course covers the knowledge required to maintain, troubleshoot, and install triple-play services (video, voice, and data) for cable telecommunications customers. Course topics include delivering a positive customer service, RF theory, troubleshooting, test equipment, common measurements, and service restoration related to industry-wide standards and practices. (estimated duration: 12 hours)
Broadband Premises Troubleshooting is one of several courses that prepares you for SCTE's BPT certification.
Broadband Fiber Installation (BFI)
This interactive course is designed to provide learners with the benefits of working with fiber to the premises (FTTP)/FTTx networks to service cable customers. Learners will be able describe the types of passive optical networks (PON) used by cable operators and differentiate these networks from an HFC and Fiber Deep access network. (estimated duration: 16 hours)
Broadband Fiber Installation also prepares you for SCTE's BFI certification.
Electrical Fundamentals
The Electrical Fundamentals course offers learners a general understanding of the key elements, concepts and terminology used around electrical components in a telecommunication network. Learners will practice electrical safety, recognize electrical math and operate tools used to assess electrical health in the network. (estimated duration: 12 hours)
Understanding Network Technology (UNT)
Understanding Network Technology is the ultimate introductory course designed to provide participants with the fundamentals of networking. The course covers the concepts for LAN and WAN networks, their architecture and network components. In addition to learning the core concepts, participants will learn the purpose of protocols, networking addressing and overview of digital media. (estimated duration: 8 hours)
Understanding Internet of Things (IoT)
The Introduction to Internet of things (IoT) course provides an overview of the concepts and challenges of the transformational digital economy when people, process, data and things connect. The course introduces the concept of a network foundation connecting billions of things and trillions of gigabytes of data to enhance decision making and interactions. (estimated duration: 20 hours)
Advanced
These courses explain the advanced principles of broadband technology and its importance. The advanced courses are recommended for in-field technicians that have a fundamental knowledge of the broadband network.
Learners are advised to complete the foundational courses or are knowledgeable in areas such as but not limited to Understanding Network Technology, Broadband Premises Installation Fundamentals, Safety, and Customer Service, and Broadband Premises Troubleshooting.
Broadband Wireless Specialist (BWS) Curriculum
The Broadband Wireless Specialist (BWS) Curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of wireless networks in homes and small businesses. Learners will gain an understanding of wireless, Wi-Fi standards, Wi-Fi network devices, planning and implementation, security, RF basics, antenna theory, installation, and Wi-Fi troubleshooting. (estimated duration: 23 hours)
The Broadband Wireless Specialist Curriculum also prepares you for SCTE's BWS certification.
DOCSIS® 3.1 Installation
The DOCSIS® 3.1 Installation interactive course is designed for broadband installation professionals who need to better understand the elements and implementations of the DOCSIS 3.1 specification, as well as the differences and uniqueness from previous specifications of DOCSIS. (estimated duration: 16 hours)
RF System Theory
This interactive course is designed to ensure learners record proper RF signal levels and verify RF quality within the various upstream and downstream portions of the cable network. Learners will be able distinguish between key attributes, assignments and the technologies that use RF. (estimated duration: 12 hours)
Return Path
The Return Path course focuses on design, set-up and troubleshooting of the reverse system in cable networks. Topics discussed include signaling and transmission, return path components, differences between the downstream and upstream, troubleshooting, balancing the return path, long loop automatic level control (ALC), return path signaling and return path optimization. (estimated duration: 24 hours)
Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON)
The Ethernet passive opticalnetwork or EPON course provides essential knowledge of using an Ethernet passivearchitecture to deliver a fiber to the home or fiber to the x (FTTH/FTTx)system, along with cable services such as video, voice and data. Learners will be able to identify thebenefits, features, and components, along with differentiating the technologyfrom a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) access network used by many operators today. (estimated duration: 4 hours)
Mobility Essentials
Learners will gain an understanding of the characteristics of mobile networks from both a business and a technical perspective. Learners will be able to compare and contrast the features and architectures of 4G, LTE, and 5G mobile networks. In addition, learners will be able to explain how technologies such as small cells, macro cells, mobile backhaul, and mobile front haul are critical in a modern wireless network. (estimated duration: 24 hours)
Expert
The courses in this section are intended to provide veteran in-field service employees with more advanced techniques and skills regarding broadband services, along with the theories associated with them. The expert-level courses are recommended for in-field technicians who have a comprehensive knowledge of the broadband network. These courses explain the expert principles of broadband technology and its importance.
Learners are advised to complete foundational and advanced coursework such as but not limited to Broadband Wireless Specialist, Return Path, and DOCSIS 3.1 Installation and/or have extensive experience.
Digital Telecommunication Network Fundamentals
Digital Telecommunication Network Fundamentals course is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of digital video fundamentals and digital troubleshooting recommended practices. Learners will gain an understanding of digital video, switched digital video (SDV), digital media theory, signal modulation, signal demodulation and signal processing, bandwidth constraints and management; digital carrier measurements, and Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) video technology. (estimated duration: 16 hours)
Voice over IP Specialist
This course provides a comprehensive study of the key elements of voice over IP, or “VoIP”. The focus of this course is to provide an understanding of how VoIP and the components of VoIP for two-wire equivalent cable telephony services. Key areas covered in the training will be circuit switched voice, Internet Protocol (IP), IP multimedia subsystem, session initiated protocol (SIP), PacketCable, peering and troubleshooting voice networks. (estimated duration: 10 hours)
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