6 answers
LeMarr
Student
Upper Darby, Pennsylvania
1
Question
Asked
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Telecommunications.
What can I learn or have advice from Telecommunications?
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6 answers
Ken Walsh
Project Manager
22
Answers
Updated
Ken’s Answer
Hello LeMarr,
I have worked in this industry since 1995 with the last fifteen years at Verizon. Like others have said, the Telecommunications industry has evolved into a connectivity industry. This includes wireless services for both consumer and businesses. Some consumer services are the 4G or 5G phone that many people have, to wireless home internet, to the different applications that people use. There is the business side of the business to provide business wireless services and many different ways for business to run their businesses. This includes networks connecting their offices and their customers offices, to large networks at main offices such as Mobile Edge Compute, to working from home solution.
Best of luck!
Ken
I have worked in this industry since 1995 with the last fifteen years at Verizon. Like others have said, the Telecommunications industry has evolved into a connectivity industry. This includes wireless services for both consumer and businesses. Some consumer services are the 4G or 5G phone that many people have, to wireless home internet, to the different applications that people use. There is the business side of the business to provide business wireless services and many different ways for business to run their businesses. This includes networks connecting their offices and their customers offices, to large networks at main offices such as Mobile Edge Compute, to working from home solution.
Best of luck!
Ken
Tonya Fazio
Sr Client Executive
13
Answers
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Updated
Tonya’s Answer
The first question I need to ask is what aspect of telecommunications are you interested in? There is the technical/engineering tract but there is also customer service, sales, HR, lobbying, legal, and many other aspects to the telecommunications profession . I am in sales for a large wireless/wireline provider. You still need to know a lot about telecommunication services, but I focus on how those services will help my customers - rather than how they are designed and implemented! Start by reading the trade magazines. See what’s happening in the industry and what areas are of interest to you. Then determine whether you need to get a degree in telecommunications or something else that you could use in the telecommunications industry. Good luck!
Denise Munro
IT Consulting
1
Answer
Dallas, Texas
Updated
Denise’s Answer
The telecommunications industry has a wide array of jobs available. Really, today, this industry is more than telecom, it is information technology. Like previous responses, you need to look at what you are interested in. Do you want to design software? Do you want to design hardware? do you want to install these services? Do you want to be in a more customer-facing sales or admin role. Do you want to deploy or manage these services for a big company? I would recommend reading trade journals for sure! Try NoJitter.com or Workspaceconnect.com. The IT field is really exciting - new technologies such as facial recognition, AI and Virtual Reality are emerging and challenging areas to consider. It is a really fun field to work in if you are creative and think outside the box. Good Luk!!
read trade journals
think about what interests you - programming, coding, sales/marketing, etc
Ask those around you if they work in the field or know someone in the field
Look on LinkedIn or Udemy.com for free beginner courses to get your feet wet.
Denise recommends the following next steps:
I appreciate this, thank you for the advice.
LeMarr
Atul Bhankharia
Sales
259
Answers
Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Updated
Atul’s Answer
I spent most of my career as a telecom software engineer developing software for landline/mobile networks.
All network equipment providers such as Ericsson, Cisco, Nokia develop their software based on the industry standards (IETF, ETSI, ITU-T).
It is very challenging job and you get to see the results of your work when you see people using the telephone/cell phones.
Service providers like Verizon, ATT and T-Mobile need network engineers to plan/operate the networks. It is a stressful job but it is very satisfying job.
People work long hours to get the job done. No one wants to see a failure where phones stopped working.
It pays well but the Chinese companies like Huawei, ZYE are undercutting many Network Equipment Providers resulting in money losing operations which affects the salaries. However, US govt has put restrictions on using these companies gears. Net-net: it is a rewarding job and the industry keeps evolving.
All network equipment providers such as Ericsson, Cisco, Nokia develop their software based on the industry standards (IETF, ETSI, ITU-T).
It is very challenging job and you get to see the results of your work when you see people using the telephone/cell phones.
Service providers like Verizon, ATT and T-Mobile need network engineers to plan/operate the networks. It is a stressful job but it is very satisfying job.
People work long hours to get the job done. No one wants to see a failure where phones stopped working.
It pays well but the Chinese companies like Huawei, ZYE are undercutting many Network Equipment Providers resulting in money losing operations which affects the salaries. However, US govt has put restrictions on using these companies gears. Net-net: it is a rewarding job and the industry keeps evolving.
Thank you so much, Atul!
LeMarr
Stephan Kilian
Engineering Manager
1
Answer
Dublin, County Dublin
Updated
Stephan’s Answer
To start a job in Telecommunications industry you will require some good understanding of computer networks, such as TCP/IP protocolls like IPv6. Also you should get some basic understanding about the history of mobile networks like 2G/3G and the latest innovations like 5G/6G networks.
You should also look to get some basic programming skills. A lot of Telecommunication providers need software engineers to develop intelligent networks as well as building addtional services for their customers and the internet of things, as everything will be connected with each other.
Telecommunications is a big area with a lot of diffeent jobs, you should think about in which direction you want to go.
Understand job models in Telecommunications
What are your interests?
Understand what kind of jobs are matching to your interests
Find someone who is working in Telecommunications and asked him for mentorship
You should also look to get some basic programming skills. A lot of Telecommunication providers need software engineers to develop intelligent networks as well as building addtional services for their customers and the internet of things, as everything will be connected with each other.
Telecommunications is a big area with a lot of diffeent jobs, you should think about in which direction you want to go.
Stephan recommends the following next steps:
Thanks for the advice.
LeMarr
David Seides
Finance
1
Answer
Alpharetta, Georgia
Updated
David’s Answer
I agree with what others have said...there are many different types of jobs in telecom beside those in the technical field. I have worked in finance and customer experience for AT&T for the past 24 years without having a technical degree. I do have an interest in technology for sure, and that is important to note that you should always have an interest in whatever the company sells so you can be passionate about working there. You can read articles online about what is happening to companies in the industry to help you stay up to date on the latest news.
Good luck.
David
Good luck.
David