Delivery: Online | College Credit: 3 Credit Hours | Est. Length: 30 Seat Hours
Price: $715.00 | Equivalency Exam: $125.00
Course Overview
The NCTI® Installer course is the foundation for NCTI’s Technical Career Path, as well as an essential preparation for the Broadband Digital Installer and Installer Technician courses. It provides a comprehensive introduction to residential broadband installation, blending technical foundations with practical field skills and customer-focused practices. Students progress from understanding broadband network architectures, signal transmission, and Wi-Fi fundamentals to mastering the tools, safety procedures, and installation techniques required for coaxial, fiber-optic, and twisted-pair systems.
The course also emphasizes professional customer interactions, safe vehicle and aerial operations, efficient work practices, and high-quality interior and exterior craftsmanship. By the end of the course, students are prepared to install, configure, and support modern residential broadband and Wi-Fi services with confidence and consistency.
Who Should Attend:
- Individuals seeking a practical, hands-on pathway into the broadband and telecommunications field.
- Entry-level technicians, new hires in cable, fiber, or telecommunications roles, and students in workforce development or technical education programs who want job-ready skills.
- Experienced technicians transitioning to fiber or advanced residential Wi-Fi installations.
- Individuals looking to strengthen safety practices, customer interaction skills, and installation craftsmanship.
Certification and Benefits
- receive an industry-recognized NCTI certificate of graduation
- earn three hours of college credit
- help prepare for SCTE’s Broadband Premises Installer certification
- receive credit toward the NCTI Master Technician certification
- receive credit toward the NCTI Master Installer certification
Course Objectives:
Upon completing this course, students will be able to:
- Analyze broadband network architectures and signal flow by distinguishing between radio frequency and digital signal principles used in residential broadband systems.
- Demonstrate effective customer service by applying professional communication techniques, managing stress, and evaluating customer interactions.
- Select and correctly use coaxial, twisted-pair, and fiber-optic testing tools for standard installation and verification tasks.
- Perform routine vehicle inspections and apply safety procedures to operate service vehicles and bucket trucks in compliance with safety standards.
- Apply safe installation practices by selecting appropriate PPE and using electrical detection and fiber safety procedures to mitigate job-site hazards.
- Execute aerial plant access procedures by safely operating ladders and performing pole-climbing tasks using approved methods.
- Differentiate transmission mediums by evaluating the characteristics and use cases of coaxial, fiber-optic, and twisted-pair drop cables.
- Install and configure transmission components by integrating coaxial, fiber-optic, MoCA, and twisted-pair premises equipment into a residential network.
- Apply interior craftsmanship techniques by planning cable routes, performing wall entries, and completing wallfishing tasks that preserve structural integrity and aesthetics.
- Apply exterior craftsmanship techniques by installing underground and aerial drop cables and implementing proper bonding and grounding practices.
- Install residential fiber drops by preparing the site, installing fiber drops, and completing splicing tasks in accordance with installation standards.
- Configure in-home wiring systems by installing fiber, terminating twisted-pair cabling, and validating data signal transmission at RJ45 outlets.
- Analyze Wi-Fi system fundamentals by applying RF concepts, interpreting 802.11 standards, and evaluating router, antenna, and security configurations.
- Design and implement a residential Wi-Fi installation by optimizing equipment placement, configuring security settings, and deploying mesh or managed Wi-Fi solutions.
Course Outline:
- Broadband Technology Overview
Network architectures, radio frequency science, and digital signal - Customer Service Essentials
Communication skills, professional image characterization, customer premises interactions, customer experience quantification, and stress management - Safe Installation Practices
Personal protective equipment, pole climbing safety equipment, electrical detection, and fiber-optic drop safety - Vehicle Maintenance and Safety
Vehicle maintenance, vehicle safety, and bucket truck handling and safety - Installation Tools
Broadband installation tools, twisted-pair tools, testing equipment, and fiber-optic tools - Aerial Plant Access
Aerial access considerations, ladder operations, ascending the ladder, descending the ladder, and pole climbing operations - Transmission Mediums
Coaxial drop cable fundamentals, fiber-optic drop fundamentals, and twisted-pair cable fundamentals - Transmission Components
Coaxial premises components, MoCA networking, fiber-optic premises components, and twisted-pair premises components - Exterior Craftsmanship
Underground drop cable installation, customer premises drop cable installation, and bonding and grounding - Interior Craftsmanship
Structural considerations, routing considerations, drill-through and entry practices, and wallfishing - Residential Installation I
Residential fiber landscape, drop fiber installation, and splicing drop fiber - Residential Installation II
Fiber in the home, twisted-pair wiring for data, registered jack 45, and electrical signal transmission - Wi-Fi Foundations
Radio frequency basics, 802.11 Wi-Fi standard amendments, wireless routers and gateways, antennas, antenna radio schemes, and Wi-Fi security - Residential Wi-Fi Installation
Gateway or router placement, wireless router setup, Wi-Fi security setup, and mesh access and managed Wi-Fi