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Telecoms and related network installers and repairers

analysing test data to diagnose malfunctions in systems, maintaining field-based mobile mast apparatus and mobile network systems and replacing defective equipment, components or wiring in telecom networks. If that's your week, this page is about your job.

The honest answer

AI changes the edges of this job, not the middle: installing cables for the UK's superfast fibre telecoms network is work software can't reach.

Your move: what you can actually do about this ↓

What shifts is analysing test data to diagnose malfunctions in systems: the paper around the work, not the work.

Your week, as this page understands it

Telecoms and related network installers and repairers install, maintain and repair public and private telephone systems and maintain, test and repair telecoms cables. The job title says “telecoms”, “related network installers” or “repairers”: officially one job, several names. The real job is the part underneath: installing cables for the UK's superfast fibre telecoms network. That is the thing someone has to be right about.

The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But telecoms and related network installers and repairers is not one task. It is 31 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is installing cables for the UK's superfast fibre telecoms network, and the ledger below shows exactly why.

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI
9%
changing shape
12%
staying human
78%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

Whole-job exposure score 19 out of 100 (16–25 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, across 31 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.

How we know this

What is measured: Every published task statement for telecoms and related network installers and repairers is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

Your job, task by task

These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.

Shifting to AI

3 tasks

Tasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.

  • Analysing test data to diagnose malfunctions in systems

    This is reading one thing and writing another: test data in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.

    importance 90 · 5242/00
    Source: “Analyse test data to diagnose malfunctions in systems.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (68–82 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.

    The rating behind it: Reading test data to work out what has failed is pattern analysis over numbers, which software does well.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Fixing faults using remote software

    This is reading one thing and writing another: faults in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.

    importance 75 · 5242/00
    Source: “Fix faults using remote software.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (68–82 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.

    The rating behind it: Fixing a fault through remote software is exactly the kind of work that can be automated.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Responding to enquiries about new equipment

    This is reading one thing and writing another: enquiries in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.

    importance 70 · 5242/00
    Source: “Respond to enquiries about new equipment.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 79 out of 100 (72–86 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.

    The rating behind it: Answering questions about equipment draws on manuals and specifications software reads well.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Changing shape

4 tasks

Tasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.

  • Designing telecommunications equipment to improve network performance

    The software now makes the first pass at telecommunications equipment, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.

    importance 85 · 5242/00
    Source: “Design telecommunications equipment to improve network performance.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 50 out of 100 (43–57 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.

    The rating behind it: Network design is desk work software assists with, though real deployments depend on local conditions.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Identifying required repair methods based on analysis

    The software now makes the first pass at required repair methods, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.

    importance 80 · 5242/00
    Source: “Identify required repair methods based on analysis.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 56 out of 100 (49–63 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.

    The rating behind it: Choosing a repair method from test results follows documented practice that software can work through.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Requesting support from technical service centres when on-site procedures fail to solve installation or maintenance problems

    The software now makes the first pass at support, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.

    importance 75 · 5242/00
    Source: “Request support from technical service centres when on-site procedures fail to solve installation or maintenance problems.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 59 out of 100 (52–66 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.

    The rating behind it: Raising a support request with the right detail is straightforward, well-structured communication.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Receiving instructions or technical advice from bases using telephones or two-way radios

    The software now makes the first pass at instructions, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.

    importance 70 · 5242/00
    Source: “Receive instructions or technical advice from bases using telephones or two-way radios.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 48 out of 100 (41–55 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.

    The rating behind it: Taking instructions over radio or phone is routine information exchange that systems already handle.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Staying human

24 tasks

Tasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.

  • Finding and diagnosing faults in telecom networks to maintain connectivity

    This work happens in the physical world: faults, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 90 · 5242/00
    Source: “Find and diagnose faults in telecom networks to maintain connectivity.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 38 out of 100 (31–45 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: A lot of fault finding is now done from test systems, though plenty still means going out to the line.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Diagnosing malfunctions in faulty equipment using test equipment and knowledge of electronic systems

    This work happens in the physical world: malfunctions, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 90 · 5242/00
    Source: “Diagnose malfunctions in faulty equipment using test equipment and knowledge of electronic systems.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 8 out of 100 (1–15 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Diagnosis here means connecting test gear to the equipment itself, even if the reasoning can be supported.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

  • Installing cables for the UK's superfast fibre telecoms network

    This work happens in the physical world: cables, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 90 · 5242/00
    Source: “Install cables for the UK's superfast fibre telecoms network.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Laying fibre cable is physical work in ducts, on poles and in trenches.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Show the other 21 tasks

  • Communicating with customers face to face or over the phone to address their enquiries

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: customers face, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 75 · 5242/00
    Source: “Communicate with customers face to face or over the phone to address their enquiries.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 26 out of 100 (19–33 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.

    The rating behind it: Answering enquiries by phone is well within chat tools, but the face-to-face half still needs someone in the room.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Observing and testing operation of appliances following installation

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: operation of appliances following installation, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 75 · 5242/00
    Source: “Observe and test operation of appliances following installation.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 20 out of 100 (16–24 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Proving the equipment works after fitting means testing it where it was installed.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Setting up mobile, fixed communications and data networks

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: mobile, fixed communications and data networks, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 85 · 5242/00
    Source: “Set up mobile, fixed communications and data networks.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Configuration can be generated, but the network still has to be physically built and connected.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Testing updated equipment to ensure conformity to specifications

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: updated equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 80 · 5242/00
    Source: “Test updated equipment to ensure conformity to specifications.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 14 out of 100 (7–21 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Test procedures are documented, but the equipment has to be connected up and tested in person.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Adjusting equipment to meet performance specifications

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 85 · 5242/00
    Source: “Adjust equipment to meet performance specifications as necessary.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (6–14 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Software can work out the right settings, but the adjustment is made by hand at the equipment.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Fixing faults in telecommunications equipment to maintain network reliability

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: faults, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 85 · 5242/00
    Source: “Fix faults in telecommunications equipment to maintain network reliability.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (6–14 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Fixing telecoms equipment means hands on the hardware.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Modifying equipment in response to customer requests

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 75 · 5242/00
    Source: “Modify equipment in response to customer requests.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 9 out of 100 (2–16 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Changing a customer’s equipment means working on it physically.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Testing mechanical equipment for operational efficiency

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: mechanical equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 80 · 5242/00
    Source: “Test mechanical equipment for operational efficiency.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 8 out of 100 (4–12 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Testing mechanical equipment means running it and watching what it does.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

  • Demonstrating and explaining the functioning of equipment to customers

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: the functioning of equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 70 · 5242/00
    Source: “Demonstrate and explain the functioning of equipment to customers.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 6 out of 100 (0–13 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.

    The rating behind it: Showing a customer how equipment works means demonstrating it in front of them.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

  • Installing communication equipment, including data lines and switching systems, using various tools

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: communication equipment, including data lines and switching systems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 85 · 5242/00
    Source: “Install communication equipment, including data lines and switching systems, using various tools.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Installing communication equipment and data lines is hands-on work with tools.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Installing new access connection points or cabinets for the fibre network

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: new access connection points, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 85 · 5242/00
    Source: “Install new access connection points or cabinets for the fibre network.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Installing cabinets and connection points is physical work in the street.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Maintaining field-based mobile mast apparatus and mobile network systems

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: field-based mobile mast apparatus, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 85 · 5242/00
    Source: “Maintain field-based mobile mast apparatus and mobile network systems.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Maintaining masts means climbing and working on the structure.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Replacing defective equipment, components or wiring in telecom networks

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: defective equipment, components, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 85 · 5242/00
    Source: “Replace defective equipment, components, or wiring in telecom networks.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Swapping out faulty kit and wiring is hands-on work.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Checking equipment to ensure that it is operating and functioning correctly

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 80 · 5242/00
    Source: “Check equipment to ensure that it is operating and functioning correctly.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Checking a machine works properly means switching it on and looking at it.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Excavating trenches for underground wires or cables

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: trenches, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 80 · 5242/00
    Source: “Excavate trenches for underground wires or cables.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Digging cable trenches is physical ground work.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

  • Installing relays and ringers in telephone exchange equipment

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: relays, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 80 · 5242/00
    Source: “Install relays and ringers in telephone exchange equipment.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Fitting relays and ringers in exchange equipment is hands-on work.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

  • Laying underground cable directly in trenches

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: underground cable, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 80 · 5242/00
    Source: “Lay underground cable directly in trenches.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Laying cable in a trench is manual and machine work on site.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

  • Noting differences in wire and cable colours to ensure correct work performance

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: differences, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 80 · 5242/00
    Source: “Note differences in wire and cable colours to ensure correct work performance.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–7 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Spotting colour differences happens with the cable in your hands.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Removing and remaking connections to change circuit layouts as per work orders or diagrams

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: connections, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 80 · 5242/00
    Source: “Remove and remake connections to change circuit layouts as per work orders or diagrams.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Remaking connections means physically rewiring the circuit.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Installing TV connections in business and residential properties

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: TV connections, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 70 · 5242/00
    Source: “Install TV connections in business and residential properties.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Installing TV connections means running cable inside someone’s property.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

  • Tidying up the work area after completing tasks

    staying human

    This work happens in the physical world: the work area after completing tasks, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.

    importance 70 · 5242/00
    Source: “Tidy up the work area after completing tasks.” (UK task statement)
    How this row was scored

    Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.

    Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.

    The rating behind it: Clearing and tidying a work area is physical work done in the space itself.

    The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.

What this job pays, and how many people do it

Median pay
£40,000a year, before tax, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.ashe-t14, 2025 · ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
How we know this

Source: ashe-t14

Reference period: ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)

Rounding: Shown to the nearest £100. The exact published figure is in the downloadable dataset. We do not render pounds the survey cannot support.

People doing this job
36,900in the UK, 2026.nomis-aps · Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period)This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.

What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.

Why this is shifting

The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is reading one thing and writing another: test data in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: analysing test data to diagnose malfunctions in systems and fixing faults using remote software. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where cables get done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.

Your move

Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend

Start with what does not change: installing cables for the UK's superfast fibre telecoms network is the middle of this job, and the evidence on this page says it stays with a person.

So, given all that: 9% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 12% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 78% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 31 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.

So the thing worth your attention is not the job going away. It is the layer around it. Analysing test data to diagnose malfunctions in systems is the part turning into software, and being the person who understands that layer is worth money.

This week: one thing

Ask the one question. Find whoever is bringing new software into your workplace (the manager, the office, whoever runs the system) and ask them what it is meant to do to test data, and what it is not meant to touch. Ten minutes, this week, before anyone decides it for you.

What you end up holding
a straight answer about what is actually being rolled out, and when
How long it takes
ten minutes

If there’s nobody obvious to ask, or you’d rather not ask your manager: Put the same question to your union rep, your shift lead or the person who has been there longest, in person, over a break. Same ten minutes, same answer, and you will usually get a straighter one. Write down what they say. The note is the artifact, and it tells you whether cables are in scope or not. Nothing to log into, no licence needed.

Over the next 90 days

Get inside the tool rollout rather than waiting for it. Over the next ninety days, ask to be in the group that tests, checks or signs off whatever new system arrives near designing telecommunications equipment to improve network performance. It is usually an unglamorous seat that nobody fights for, and it is the one that decides how the software is used on your job rather than to it.

Over the next 12 months

On this evidence I would not retrain out of this job, and I will say that plainly rather than hedge it. The task list here is dominated by work that stays with a person. What I would do with a year is get formally recognised for the layer around it (the systems, the compliance, the planning), so you are the one who understands the software instead of the one it is done to. Before you pay for anything, spend an hour with National Careers Service. It is free and government-funded, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.

The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them

I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.

I checked the 12 nearest UK occupations to telecoms and related network installers and repairers (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was electrical and electronics technicians: only about 6% of its durable work is work you already do and it pays 12.2% less. And on the numbers you do not need one. This job scores 19/100 here, with only 9% of the task list in the top band, and “diagnose malfunctions in faulty equipment using test equipment and knowledge of electronic…” is not work that hands over cleanly. None of them beats deepening what you already have.

How that was checked: this job was compared against all 412 UK occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.

3 moves I checked and rejected

These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.

  • Electrical and electronics technicians

    Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already test mechanical equipment for operational efficiency, and their equivalent is to adjust testing, electrical, and mechanical equipment for proper operation. Across both published task lists that is about 6% of the durable work in that job.

    Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 6% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. It is a pay cut, in those words: £35,126 against your £39,998, 12.2% less (ASHE Table 14.7a, 2025 provisional (both)). Retraining to earn less is a decision, not advice.

    Look at that job’s page anyway →

  • Tv, video and audio servicers and repairers

    Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour on the work AI is not taking: you already test mechanical equipment for operational efficiency, and their equivalent is to repair audio-visual equipment to ensure operational efficiency. Across both published task lists that is about 5% of the durable work in that job.

    Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 5% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. This release publishes no median pay for that job, so I cannot show you what the move costs or pays. I do not recommend a move I cannot price. And it is a narrow door: about 7,300 of those jobs against 36,900 of yours (ONS via Nomis), 20% as many seats.

    Look at that job’s page anyway →

  • Plant and machine operatives n.e.c.

    Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “lay underground cable directly in trenches”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 5% of the work in that job the software is not taking.

    Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 5% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. It is a pay cut, in those words: £29,259 against your £39,998, 26.8% less (ASHE Table 14.7a, 2025 provisional (both)). Retraining to earn less is a decision, not advice.

    Look at that job’s page anyway →

What I’d stop worrying about

A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.

  • The headline number you read somewhere

    The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 9% of its task weight, across 31 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.

  • The headlines about your trade disappearing

    They are usually about the technology, not the timetable. Changes to work like installing cables for the UK's superfast fibre telecoms network arrive through rules, insurance and money, slowly and visibly. This page tracks the task evidence and will move when it moves.

  • Retraining out of a job that is holding up

    On this evidence I would not spend money leaving. Spend it on the layer around the job instead: the tools, the paperwork, the planning. That is where the change actually is.

  • The “obvious” next job everyone suggests

    I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.

You are reading the United Kingdom figures

The United States splits this work across more than one official group, of which Electronics Engineers, Except Computer is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.

Switch to the United States page →partial match

The other groups this work is counted across:

In US official statistics this job is counted as Electronics Engineers, Except Computer and Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technologists and Technicians. Pay is shown separately for each of those groups (medians cannot be averaged together), while the task list and the scores on this page are for this group only.

Your route through this

Where to go next, and what it costs

Free, and complete

The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.

No Space for this job, but one for what is happening to it

Nothing Collab365 runs is built for telecoms / related network installers / repairers, and we are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.

There is one that is not about a job title at all. The AI Authority is about being the person who directs these tools at work rather than the person they get compared to. That is worth saying here, because 9% of the work on this page is already inside what they can do.

Try The AI Authority free →

7 days free, no card needed. Explore up to 2 Spaces before you choose a plan: you pick a plan later, not now.

The AI Authority is a general community about working with AI, not a course for telecoms / related network installers / repairers. You do not need it to act on anything here: the moves above cost nothing and stand on their own. The data on this page is the same either way.

Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for telecoms / related network installers / repairers launches. Nothing else.

That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.

We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.

No Space for telecoms / related network installers / repairers yet. Should there be one?

Collab365 Spaces is built by the same people as this site. We find the problems that AI and automation are creating inside one kind of work, then solve them as short courses, briefings and Blueprints. Each Space is the community too, so the research and the people doing your job are in the same place.

What a Space actually is, in full

Collab365 launches new communities where the need is real. If one for telecoms / related network installers / repairers existed, with researched problems, courses and people in the same boat, would you want in?

We use your email address for one thing: to tell you if a Space for telecoms / related network installers / repairers launches. We never sell it, never use it for unrelated marketing, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe. Our privacy policy has the full version.

This unlocks nothing. Every figure, every row and every step on this page is already yours, whether you fill this in or not.

No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.

Questions people ask about this job

Will AI replace Telecoms and related network installers and repairers?
Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 31 official task statements scored for Telecoms and related network installers and repairers (United Kingdom, SOC 5242), 9% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 19 out of 100 (range 16–25, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
Which tasks in “Telecoms and related network installers and repairers” can AI already do?
The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Respond to enquiries about new equipment” (79/100, high); “Analyse test data to diagnose malfunctions in systems” (75/100, high); “Fix faults using remote software” (75/100, high). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
Which tasks in “Telecoms and related network installers and repairers” stay human?
About 78% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Tidy up the work area after completing tasks” (0/100, minimal); “Install TV connections in business and residential properties” (0/100, minimal); “Remove and remake connections to change circuit layouts as per work orders or diagrams” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
What should someone working in “Telecoms and related network installers and repairers” do about AI?
Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 9% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 78% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
How is the AI exposure score for Telecoms and related network installers and repairers calculated?
Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 31 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

Where these numbers come from

About the data on this page

  • Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
  • This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.
  • The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
  • 11 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
  • Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.
Task statements
gaisi-indexProcessing: catalogue-bridge → ssc-relatedness-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
Task weights
gaisi-index (relatedness)
Scores
Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-05.
Pay and employment
ashe-t14 (ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025))nomis-aps (Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period))

Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.

The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.

The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.

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Using these figures?

Cite this

Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.

Plain text

Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).

BibTeX

@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
  title        = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
  author       = {{Collab365}},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
  note         = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}

Permalink

https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1

Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published . Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.