Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers

Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers score 11 out of 100, which is low exposure to AI. That ranks #736 of 923 US occupations, where #1 is the most exposed. Of the 30 tasks in this job, AI could speed up 1 on its own and 3 more with extra software built on top of it. In April–May 2026, 2 of these tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, Anthropic's AI assistant.

11/ 100

Low

Rank: #736of 923 jobs
US workers: 11,140BLS, May 2025
Median pay: $63,520a year
In real AI use: 2 of 30tasks, April–May 2026

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Task by task

Each task this job involves, as listed by O*NET, rated on whether a large language model like GPT-4 could cut the time it takes by at least half at the same quality. Tasks marked Seen in real AI use appeared in conversations with Claude in April–May 2026 (Anthropic Economic Index).

AI can speed this up on its own: 1 (3%)
AI can speed this up with extra software: 3 (10%)
Little or no AI speed-up: 26 (87%)

Complete reports related to project status, progress, or other work details, using computer software.AI can speed this up on its own · core task · Seen in real AI use
Read work orders, blueprints, plans, datasheets or site drawings to determine work to be done.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task · Seen in real AI use
Take site survey photos or photos of work performed, using digital cameras.AI can speed this up with extra software · core task
Locate tower sites where work is to be performed, using mapping software.AI can speed this up with extra software · supplemental task
Inspect completed work to ensure all hardware is tight, antennas are level, hangers are properly fastened, proper support is in place, or adequate weather proofing has been installed.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Run appropriate power, ground, or coaxial cables.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Test operation of tower transmission components, using sweep testing tools or software.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Install all necessary transmission equipment components, including antennas or antenna mounts, surge arrestors, transmission lines, connectors, or tower-mounted amplifiers (TMAs).Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Replace existing antennas with new antennas as directed.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Bolt equipment into place, using hand or power tools.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Install, connect, or test underground or aboveground grounding systems.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Check antenna positioning to ensure specified azimuths or mechanical tilts and adjust as necessary.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Transport equipment to work sites, using utility trucks and equipment trailers.Little or no AI speed-up · core task
Climb towers to access components, using safety equipment, such as full-body harnesses.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Climb communication towers to install, replace, or repair antennas or auxiliary equipment used to transmit and receive radio waves.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Lift equipment into position, using cranes and rigging tools or equipment, such as gin poles.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Perform maintenance or repair work on existing tower equipment, using hand or power tools.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Install or repair tower lighting components, including strobes, beacons, or lighting controllers.Little or no AI speed-up · supplemental task
Calibrate and align components, using scales, gauges, and other measuring instruments.Little or no AI speed-up
Examine malfunctioning radio equipment to locate defects such as loose connections, broken wires, or burned-out components, using schematic diagrams and test equipment.Little or no AI speed-up
Insert plugs into receptacles and bolt or screw leads to terminals to connect equipment to power sources, using hand tools.Little or no AI speed-up
Install, adjust, and repair stationary and mobile radio transmitting and receiving equipment and two-way radio communication systems.Little or no AI speed-up
Monitor radio range stations to detect transmission flaws and adjust controls to eliminate flaws.Little or no AI speed-up
Mount equipment on transmission towers and in vehicles such as ships or ambulances.Little or no AI speed-up
Remove and replace defective components and parts such as conductors, resistors, semiconductors, and integrated circuits, using soldering irons, wire cutters, and hand tools.Little or no AI speed-up
Repair circuits, wiring, and soldering, using soldering irons and hand tools to install parts and adjust connections.Little or no AI speed-up
Test batteries, using hydrometers and ammeters, and charge batteries as necessary.Little or no AI speed-up
Test emergency transmitters to ensure their readiness for immediate use.Little or no AI speed-up
Test equipment functions such as signal strength and quality, transmission capacity, interference, and signal delay, using equipment such as oscilloscopes, circuit analyzers, frequency meters, and wattmeters.Little or no AI speed-up
Turn setscrews to adjust receivers for maximum sensitivity and transmitters for maximum output.Little or no AI speed-up

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Questions about radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers and AI

Will AI replace radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers?

Unlikely. Most of the work is hard for today's AI to speed up. Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers score 11 out of 100 (low exposure), #736 of 923 US jobs. AI could speed up 4 of the job's 30 tasks, 1 of them on its own, while 26 see little or no speed-up. Exposure means the work is likely to change, not that the job will disappear.

Which radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers tasks can AI do?

The most exposed tasks include "Complete reports related to project status, progress, or other work details, using computer software".

Which radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers tasks are hardest for AI?

Tasks with little or no AI speed-up include "Inspect completed work to ensure all hardware is tight, antennas are level, hangers are properly fastened, proper support is in place, or adequate weather proofing has been installed"; "Run appropriate power, ground, or coaxial cables"; "Test operation of tower transmission components, using sweep testing tools or software".

Are people already using AI for this work?

Yes. In April–May 2026, 2 of the 30 tasks showed up in real conversations with Claude, according to the Anthropic Economic Index.

How many people work as radio, cellular, and tower equipment installers and repairers, and what do they earn?

About 11,140 people in the US, with median pay of $63,520 a year (BLS, May 2025).

How to read this score. Exposure measures how much of the work AI could speed up, not whether the job will disappear. A highly exposed job can change shape, with people spending less time on routine tasks and more on the rest. The score counts tasks AI can speed up on its own in full, and tasks that need extra software at half weight.

The ratings come from published research based on GPT-4 (2023). To show what's happening now, each task is also checked against the latest Anthropic Economic Index, which records which tasks people actually use AI for. That data is refreshed automatically when Anthropic publishes a new release. Read the full method.