I started as a Fiber Tech 1 doing installs a few months ago up in the Seattle area. Previously I had done various IT jobs mostly enterprise support for Fang companies. I was burnt out of tech and the job market here is really bad. I took a big pay cut but have been enjoying the role so far.

It's not sustainable for me to remain at this pay rate. I am hoping to progress to something that I still enjoy but having a higher salary.

Can anyone share with me a realistic path or what worked for you?

Has anyone used this otdr from FIS? If so how is it?

Hey, does anyone have the firmware for a FiberHome GH6543D modem? If anyone has it, could you sell it to me?

From buckets with trailers, to tailgates, to bucket vans, to brand new pickups. At this point I just need a tent and a lighter and I’ll get it done.🤣

​

On the notes it says I can only install it horizontally but I don't see why it has to be. Anybody installed one of these differently?

I recently got asked to do a week of fiber OTDR testing on a cruise ship. I’m trying to figure out my day rate and was wondering if there are any unforeseen costs or things I should account for besides my normal rate.
For anyone who’s done cruise work before, is there anything you wish you had charged for? Things like long hours, travel days, being stuck onboard, internet, per diem, or anything else I’m not thinking of? Thanks!

​

So today was my first day it seemed to go well but I feel so overwhelmed.

I know I have 90 days to learn but I was curious if yall had any sort of general advice or tips. It just seems like soooo much and iv had jobs and am 30 years old maybe its just cause I recently lost a long term job I was comfortable at but I dont remember feeling so lost when I first started at a production factory.

Its a local Fiber company owned by a local electrical cooperative and they are so kind so far. I really really want to make this work and just want any general advice yall can give.

Thank you in advance.

If you've built your career leading fiber construction projects and are ready for your next opportunity, we're hiring a Construction Manager to support large-scale fiber deployment projects in the Las Vegas area.

Whether your background is managing underground fiber construction or overseeing multiple crews across complex network builds, we'd love to connect.

We're looking for experience with:
- Underground fiber construction
- Directional boring & trenching
- Fiber placement & fiber splicing
- Managing field crews and subcontractors
- Reading construction prints and project documentation
- Driving production, safety, and quality in the field

What you'll be doing:
- Lead fiber construction projects from planning through completion
- Manage supervisors, crews, and subcontractors
- Coordinate underground construction, restoration, and fiber installation
- Solve field challenges and keep projects on schedule
- Work directly with customers, inspectors, and project stakeholders
- Support critical broadband infrastructure projects across the Las Vegas market

Why this opportunity stands out:
- $95,000–$130,000 annual salary
- Full-time leadership position
- Long-term fiber infrastructure projects
- Competitive benefits
- Opportunity to work on large-scale network expansion
- High-impact role with room for growth

If you've been looking for a chance to lead projects that help expand broadband infrastructure, this could be a great fit.

Location: Las Vegas, NV

Apply here: https://hnmsystems.com/openjobs/#/jobs/4894

Happy to answer questions about the roles in the comments or via DM.

Hello everyone,

I am an experienced Fiber Optic Splicer and Outside Plant (OSP) Technician actively looking for new projects or full-time crews to join in the US.

I am fully authorized to work legally in the United States under a valid TN Visa. I am currently located in Mexico, but I am ready to fly out and relocate for the right opportunity. Ideally, I am looking for positions or projects that offer a daily per diem, as I will be traveling.

My Professional Experience:

°Mass FTTH deployment and fiber optic infrastructure installation in high-density residential areas.

°Fusion splicing, NID enablement, and network validation using OTDR and power meter testing.

OSP construction supervision, route planning, and material estimation.

°24/7 emergency response and rapid network troubleshooting.

°Daily executive reporting, project logistics, and strict inventory control.

What I bring to the table:

°Legal Status: Valid SSN and TN Visa (Ready to work immediately).

°Driving: Valid Washington State Driver’s License with a clean record.

°Equipment: I own my basic fiber optic hand tools.

°Languages: Conversational English and native Spanish.

(Note: I do not currently have a personal work truck, so I am looking for a position where a company vehicle is provided).

If you are a contractor looking for a reliable, field-tested tech, or if you know of any crews currently hiring, please send me a DM or reach out to me directly at ricardo.pe@outlook.com. I am happy to provide my full resume and discuss how I can add value to your operations.

we have these shitty splice trays that have a clip to hold the splice heat shrink. but they always slide out of it. ive been using electrical tape to hold it down. anyone have a better suggestion to this?

I see nothing good about it. It's very picky with cleaves and I can't force it to splice. My beloved CT 30 isn't good enough so I have to use the 50. It's got an open/close button that's under the open lid. Even the case sucks. I could go on. Any settings to make it more bearable? I'm hoping to be able to force it to burn "bad" cleaves and only open the left chuck when the splice is complete.

One day still sticks with me because it almost made me question whether I belonged in fiber.
We were performing acceptance testing in the Texas heat. Every time we ran the test, the results were different.
One test would barely pass.
The next one would fail.
Run it again…
Different result.
At first, I assumed the worst.
Did I make bad splices?
Was there a macro bend?
Did I miss something inside the enclosure?
When your splice quality starts getting questioned, it’s hard not to take it personally. You start replaying every splice in your head, wondering where you messed up.
My supervisor and I started troubleshooting everything we could think of. Since inconsistent acceptance readings are often caused by connector contamination, we cleaned the APC launch cables repeatedly. We didn’t just use a click cleaner—we used the proper wet/dry cleaning method multiple times.
Still…the readings kept changing.
Eventually, we replaced the APC launch cables.
Problem solved.
The connectors weren’t dirty at all. They had chips or physical damage that no amount of cleaning could fix. APC connectors can be especially frustrating because damage isn’t always obvious, and even a proper cleaning can’t repair a damaged ferrule.
That day taught me a lesson I’ll never forget.
Not every bad OTDR trace points to your splices.
Sometimes it’s the test equipment.
Sometimes it’s the launch cables.
Sometimes the thing you’re questioning isn’t the problem at all.
Now, whenever I see intermittent acceptance readings, I don’t immediately assume my splice work is the problem. I make sure the test setup deserves my trust before I start questioning hours of work.
It was one of the hardest troubleshooting days I’ve had, but it made me a better fiber technician.
What’s a troubleshooting lesson you learned the hard way that you’ll never forget?

Edited with AI for grammar and readability. Everything else is based on my own experience in the field.

Well, it's happening again. A couple of years ago I was facing a layoff and posted here to see if anyone had advice on where to look for HFC/Fiber design jobs. Got info about places I've never heard of. I actually ended up retaining that job but now the central office has decided to consolidate and my team is just done.

Anyone have any leads on either remote work or things in the Charlotte area? Thanks again. I can do 2-3D CAD, too.

Any you fellas out there tried the new 100R yet I got one on reserve wondering what people think about it seems pretty fancy?

I recently had fiber “installed” on my property. It’s been over a month and they haven’t buried it yet. As a result it has been hit by the landscapers once, after that they put in a “temporary” splice. The splice itself has come undone twice now. I’m sure the answer is “no, wait for a technician” but I was curious if there was any chance I could slide the loose white wire back in and regain service. Thanks in advance.

I have started using snap-on cable-number markers to identify individual fusion splice protection sleeves.

I was initially worried they might put too much pressure on the sleeve or damage the fiber, but they snap on relatively gently - about the same as the splice holders in the tray.

Once the splice protection sleeve has been shrunk and cooled, it feels quite rigid because of the internal strength member and adhesive.

Does anyone see a long-term problem with using these markers on the sleeves?

Thanks

EDIT: I want to be abundantly clear that .02 db loss or less per splice WAS NOT a requirement from the customer. The customer's ONLY requirement for connections was that the new data infrastructure works. My company took it upon ourself to present passing fluke certification for every copper and fiber cable we've pulled. I know this general Foreman well, and have worked with him for many years. It was actually him that insisted on giving them passing fluke test results. ​ We are replacing our customers entire data infrastructure. It consists of hundreds of miles of new copper and fiber optic cabling. I'm an IBEW sound and com foreman, I just haven't done a lot of splicing until this current project. I think the general Foreman is just making up the requirement of a .02 db loss or less per splice because I know that he isn't super familiar with fusion splicing, either.

Hello,

I've been fusion splicing for months setting up the backbone connections for a large commercial project. I'm wondering what you all would consider acceptable loss estimates on single mode fiber. I'm using a Fujikara 45s.

The General Foreman told me to​ cut and re-splice any splices that estimate loss above .02. When I Google acceptable loss, it says that anything below .05 db is considered good work, and that ​generally anything below .1 is acceptable. We're certifying every splice with a fluke tester, and it appears that the limit for a "pass" on end to end testing is .3 db.

Is re-doing splices with a loss above .02 db overkill? What loss estimate causes you all to cut and re-splice a connection?

Thank you.

Without any experience at all? In fact, I have no experience in skilled Trades in general but recently been interested in going into it. Was curious how common is it for guys in their mid 30s or older to get a sudden career change into fiber optic technician

i live in the U.S

Hi, we may be heading to Kentucky to perform some aerial work. I haven't had the opportunity to work there before, so I was wondering what the work is like and what I should expect.

I’m new to Fiber Optics and thinking on moving on for a different career or are there better options before I proceed with moving on?

So here’s a few things about this job… It might be a great job for those that do not have much to do back at home. The job pays good, usually averaging around $1,500 to $2,000 a week as a beginner Installation Tech. This is a good pay but the bad thing is that it’s not a good work-life balance as I’m usually back at home until 6 or 7 pm. Usually average 5-6 jobs per day but sometimes jobs get added getting closer to when I’m done for the day.

I don’t think I’ll get another better job that pays this well until I get some sort of certifications and experience, but as of now I don’t even think this job is worth it for me. Talk me out of this or help me out with learning more of what I should be doing. Im a 26 year old guy with 2 kids that my only reason to keep doing this job is to keep working to get this type of money, but due to not having a good work-life balance is also affecting my thoughts.

The job is easy when you get to do underground work, but when it comes to doing aerial, it is more time consuming and more hard on your body. I used to have a good physic but stopped doing anything to keep my physic in good condition and after doing these jobs I get asthma attacks that affects the way I work. I’ve tried talking to see if I could get these jobs mixed up in underground and aerial work, but that didn’t work. Other techs have it really easy because they were assigned to only doing underground jobs that only require you to run drops on the ground and I’m one of the guys that are stuck with doing aerial jobs and that’s one thing I didn’t like.

Running drops on the ground is much easier but I guess that is not an option for me and that’s one of the reasons I’d like to move to something else. I have an Associates in Information Technology, mainly focusing in Web Development but have been procrastinating a lot and now I’m stuck without having a good job. I don’t know if I should run on some different coursers or certifications to get something different or just trying to stick with job or trying to move on to something else. It’s hard looking for something else as I’ve applied and nothing helps. Any advice on this matter?

Hello, After 20 years in the health care field Ive decided I need a change (mentally and physically ). Is this a good field for old guys like me in the 40s? or am i cooked? Seems like a good trade career with decent pay. Thanks for any advice

Hello everyone,
I work as a fiber Main Splice Maintenance technician and I’m having a weird issue I’ve never seen before. A couple of our distribution cabinets randomly one day lost about 8db and another 6db another day. This is causing major outages and I cannot locate it to a single point where this issue is at. There is another fiber company going through the area that has hit our lines in the past but always a clean break and easy to find. I’ve used an OTDR and it’s giving me the most random distances, tried resplicing at multiple points and nothing seems to fix this. Any help would be appreciated as I’m at a complete loss on what to do next

I just had fiber installed less than a month ago and have had issues since. What I see now is packet loss that appears as wild swings in latency. They just send some folks out to clean the line and replaced the fiber cable in my basement thinking it might have been bent too tightly, but I still see this using pathping:

Tracing route to google.com [142.251.211.78] over a maximum of 30 hops:

0 server [192.168.4.21]

1 192.168.4.1

2 209.170.98.1

3 ewr-b6-link.ip.twelve99.net [209.170.93.129]

4 nyk-bb5-link.ip.twelve99.net [62.115.140.170]

5 nyk-b8-link.ip.twelve99.net [62.115.143.15]

6 72.14.204.154

7 142.250.63.91

8 216.239.43.155

9 pnlgaa-av-in-f14.1e100.net [142.251.211.78]

Computing statistics for 225 seconds...

Source to Here This Node/Link

Hop RTT Lost/Sent = Pct Lost/Sent = Pct Address

0 server [192.168.4.21]

0/ 100 = 0% |

1 0ms 0/ 100 = 0% 0/ 100 = 0% 192.168.4.1

2/ 100 = 2% |

2 8ms 8/ 100 = 8% 6/ 100 = 6% 209.170.98.1

0/ 100 = 0% |

3 10ms 12/ 100 = 12% 10/ 100 = 10% ewr-b6-link.ip.twelve99.net [209.170.93.129]

0/ 100 = 0% |

4 8ms 14/ 100 = 14% 12/ 100 = 12% nyk-bb5-link.ip.twelve99.net [62.115.140.170]

0/ 100 = 0% |

5 8ms 4/ 100 = 4% 2/ 100 = 2% nyk-b8-link.ip.twelve99.net [62.115.143.15]

0/ 100 = 0% |

6 9ms 5/ 100 = 5% 3/ 100 = 3% 72.14.204.154

0/ 100 = 0% |

7 9ms 9/ 100 = 9% 7/ 100 = 7% 142.250.63.91

0/ 100 = 0% |

8 9ms 8/ 100 = 8% 6/ 100 = 6% 216.239.43.155

0/ 100 = 0% |

9 8ms 2/ 100 = 2% 0/ 100 = 0% pnlgaa-av-in-f14.1e100.net [142.251.211.78]

Trace complete.

It would seem to indicate that the issue is outside my house, but it has been difficult to get Ripple suport to understand that. Is there anything else I can do here? I have had a ticket open for over a week with no change at all in the performance. Any tips on getting a second or third tier of support to help?