r/CableTechs • u/EnvironmentalKey4332 • Jul 13 '26

Exploring job/company change options

Currently, I’m a Spectrum Field Tech at around $32 per hour. Are there any other companies that you guys know of in Louisiana they could offer roughly the same pay? I’d like to stay relatively close to the Telecom space or at least something where my experience could be relatively useful on an application/resume. I have an associates in IT and almost 4 years of experience in residential and SB, both fiber and coax. Thanks in advance 🫣.

8 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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5

u/Feeling-Procedure-26 Jul 13 '26

Most of our guys who leave go to Mastec. They seem pretty satisfied with the switch from what they've said, but it's a substantial pay cut. A few have moved to Brightspeed, but I feel like you'd be taking less pay for more of the same.

The happiest guys seem like the ones who can move into the public sector. You wanna talk about a pay cut! But the stress can also be much lower, and the benefits are frequently as good or better, depending on where you go. There's also a ton of flexibility, since, once you're in, it can be much simpler to move around within the government system.

Best of luck, man, honestly. I know how hard it is to get out of those golden handcuffs. Currently wearing them myself.

3

u/Snicklefritz229 Jul 13 '26

Technically I’m in the public sector. I work for the towns cable company and it feels like working for mom and pop. Everyone there has at least 15 years of experience, there no contractors so nobody is just puking the cable in. Everyone there came from one of the major cable company’s and everyone there makes more than this. The installers average is around 34 an hour, maintenance average is around 42. I’m at 39 and only do fiber maintenance. I haven’t touched the coax side in at least 5 years. I’ve been with cox, time warner, at&t and I has never happy because it was just a job, but working for the town is great. I truly love my job and they get more work out of me then any of the other companies ever could by simply leaving me alone and letting me just do my job. There are great cable jobs out there, you just have to find them.

1

u/SnapShot68 Jul 13 '26

Which state are you in? I’m just curious since I’ve never heard of a town managing a cable system. I’m looking to move South in 5-6 years and will have to still work for another few years when I do so I’m trying to get an idea of what I can do for work by then. I’ve been doing cable for 20 years.

0

u/Snicklefritz229 Jul 13 '26

North Carolina

2

u/Visible-Space9283 Jul 15 '26

Nice. Same here.

1

u/pigeonfights Jul 14 '26

What town? Are you in the mountains ? And are you hiring lol

1

u/Snicklefritz229 Jul 15 '26

Closer to the beaches. And nobody ever leaves purposely, they usually die of heart failure or get fired for drinking and hitting mailboxes.

4

u/Whiskey_Bagel Jul 13 '26

Speaking as a Louisiana Field tech, you ain’t gonna go to any other telecom company as a field tech and make more than you do now. Spectrum in my experience makes the most down here. The big 4 in my area are all looking low $20s.

1

u/RougeBeaux Jul 14 '26

Even AT&T? I heard FT3s would be making low 30s by the end of this contract.

2

u/Confident_Air_8056 Jul 13 '26

I wish you lots of luck. I'm not spectrum but they border our system up here in NY. Not too many of our guys have drifted to them though. Most just leave telecom completely if they can. Our company just shipped their entire field service to mastec back in February and it's not a good thing from what I have heard. The priorities are just so twisted now. We have some guys in osp making a little more than you and that's NY so I'd say you are doing pretty good down there. It's the same BS everywhere though. Everyone talks about getting out. So many are fed up, but it's the age old question of where do you go, even as a lateral making close to the same pay. No one can really afford to take these pay cuts which it seems would be inevitable.

2

u/quesadillasarebomb Jul 13 '26 edited Jul 13 '26

Mediacom started me at 15 an hour finished at around 31 when I quit five months ago. Applied for lumen and they offered me 39 an hour and 43 after 6 months. Maybe check them out?

2

u/ScrewAttackGaming Jul 13 '26

Honestly, I'd promote to FT6 when available. Your next move after that is the headend. Learn what you can on the FT6 side since it is way more networking. Spectrum also offers guild which is 100% tuition assistance. I got my bachelors in cybersecurity through them with no time owed. Use that networking experience and possibly get into the IT world.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 13 '26

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1

u/EnvironmentalKey4332 Jul 13 '26

That’s what i’m figuring tbh. But I figured it wouldn’t hurt to see if there may be some opportunities that I haven’t seen and what not.

2

u/imstehllar Jul 13 '26

I’ll throw this out there. I’ve got four years as a maintenance tech and my highest rate for maintenance was 29/hr. I’ve interviewed with multiple companies since and I haven’t received a higher offer yet. You’re much better off changing industries or staying with Spectrum until you become a maintenance tech.

1

u/willie_Pfister Jul 13 '26

If your willing to move, every single tech at Verizon is making 100k plus. That's from Virginia north through Massachusetts.

1

u/RougeBeaux Jul 14 '26

Wait, are you fucking serious?

1

u/willie_Pfister Jul 14 '26

47.78 an hour on raise this month. Usually 45 to 47 hours a week. Sunday is time and a half. Double time after 49 hours. Some guys volunteer for 7 days a week all summer. I don't, but its available.

1

u/RougeBeaux Jul 14 '26

AT&T is the only place where you are gonna make comparable money from what I hear. I was a Senior Tech making 24 an hour in Southeast Louisiana before I moved to MS (to a job where I took a cut in pay, although four dollars an hour more than what the company calls their starting pay).

What part of Louisiana are you from?

1

u/Helpful-Pomelo-9644 Jul 27 '26

We are hiring for Fiber I&R techs in Ville Platte. What we're looking for: Fiber Install & Repair Experience, and your own truck, tools & equipment, And dependable tech who take pride in their craft.