Tools of the Trade Telecom Workers and IT Professionals

The telecommunications industry and the technology used in it has certainly come a long way since the invention and use of the telegraph. The telephone came, then cable TV and then the internet and as this technology grew and evolved so did the tools to do the job. Tools went from pretty much just linesman pliers and tools for cutting and attaching cables to “smart” tools that need to test and do many other tasks. Because of this, the job roles of telecom and IT professionals have come to overlap some due to telecom infrastructure’s need to work with devices on a network. So tools that work with one will often be used by the other. Both sets of professionals use many common tools and just as many specialized ones, and it’s important to make sure that the tools you use for these jobs are reliable.

It goes without saying that in this line of work you’re going to need common tools. Flashlights, hex keys, screwdrivers, various pliers and lots of other things found in most toolboxes. But there are just as many unique tools that are special additions. Fish line and wire pulling are standard enough, but specialized enough for telecom use. A lot of other tools are special types of conventional tools and others are completely new and different.

To start with, some of the most commonly used telecom tools are used for cutting cables and terminating them with a crimper. You’ll need a good set of wire cutters or other type of shears for cutting. For crimping you have several options depending on what you’re doing. You can get by with either crimping pliers or tools made solely for crimping. You’ll need them to crimp RJ45 connectors, coax cable and other types of cables. Once you have your cable pulled through the walls and crimped, you’ll of course want to test it.

To test your newly terminated cable, you have quite a few different options for testing depending on the cable. Electrical, network, phone and other circuit testers are available and there are many high quality tests that are made by Klein and Ideal, both are names that are well-known in the industry and brands we’re proud to carry. A good telecom butt-set is also important as it can connect in to the circuit and be used to test and troubleshoot various issues in addition to working like a phone.

A couple of other tools worth mentioning are some wrenches used specifically for telecom work. First is the Bell System Type Lineman’s Wrench. This wrench is meant to be used with heavy guy clamps that have three bolts. They’re also great for where space is limited. Another interesting tool is the can wrench. The can wrench is made for opening a “telco can” to access the telephone terminal and came out some time in the 1950’s. One side of the wrench is a 7/16 hex socket and the other end is 3/8 hex socket. This is a tool that’s undergone a good amount of change in its relatively short life and both tools are unique essentials that will make telecom work easier.

There are many, many tools used in telecom work, and these few are just the start. Whatever tool you need in telecom work, we probably carry it, and the ones we carry are the best brands and highest quality that we can get.