field service technician

technician

technicien en télécommunications

ingénieur poste de travail

field technician

Bell Technical Solutions


Review of Bell Technical Solutions

I had the opportunity to work with Bell Technical Solutions during my tenure as a Summer Student Field Technician, and I must say it was a rewarding and enriching experience. Here's a comprehensive review of my time with the company:

Overall Experience:
My time at Bell Technical Solutions was marked by professionalism, collaboration, and a commitment to excellence. From day one, I was impressed by the company's dedication to providing top-notch services to its customers and fostering a positive work environment for its employees.

Training and Support:
Bell Technical Solutions places a strong emphasis on training and development. As a summer student, I received comprehensive training that equipped me with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in my role. Additionally, the support I received from my colleagues and supervisors was invaluable. They were always available to answer questions, provide guidance, and offer assistance whenever needed.

Work Environment:
The work environment at Bell Technical Solutions is dynamic and fast-paced, but also supportive and collaborative. I appreciated the opportunity to work independently while knowing that I could rely on my team members for support whenever necessary. The company fosters a culture of teamwork and camaraderie, which made every day enjoyable and rewarding.

Customer Focus:
One of the standout aspects of Bell Technical Solutions is its unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. The company goes above and beyond to ensure that customers receive prompt, efficient, and courteous service. I witnessed firsthand how dedicated the team is to resolving customer issues and ensuring that their needs are met to the fullest extent possible.

Opportunities for Growth:
Bell Technical Solutions offers ample opportunities for personal and professional growth. Whether it's through ongoing training programs, mentorship opportunities, or career advancement pathways, the company is committed to helping its employees reach their full potential. I felt supported in my career aspirations and appreciated the encouragement to take on new challenges and expand my skill set.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, my experience with Bell Technical Solutions was incredibly positive. The company's focus on excellence, teamwork, and customer satisfaction set it apart as a leader in the industry. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of such a dynamic and forward-thinking organization, and I would highly recommend Bell Technical Solutions to anyone seeking a rewarding career in the telecommunications field.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The managers are very supportive and the company has huge perks . 
Yes it is a faced paced environment but thats what big companies are .
People who have a  great competitive spirit and love challenges should join this company . 
Also people who are slow learners and have lack of geographical knowlege should give it a thought before joining and this is not for all positions but only certain positions .
Over all this is a great telecom company and they are doing amazing work . 
And there are some really cool people  in there . Its good for the people who are social and enjoy to get together .   There are food truck parties and geathering for the employees which might bring the employees close and may be they can understand each other more and where they are coming from . 
Quick learners, pressure handlers and challenge acceptors should really go for it . 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
At my position the most stressful part was handling the work when my colleague was on vacation . 
I had to handle his work as well while i was learning my own work during training period but if some one is a multi tasker that is ok . Which i was not . Also alot of organization is required and communication with your team members which can me a bit challenging if they are not cooperating as at the end of the day its a team work .Training period is never easy no matter what company it is . 
If you are a lone wolf and like to work all by your self , then it can be a bit challenging . That was a major challenge for me . 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Work environment is cool , 
You can wear casual clothes . 
The time i was at the company it was work from home we use to go once or twice but the office was really cool i mean i felt nice . 
And as i said it is good for social and extrovert people as they organize group activities to bring their employees together . 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
At my position my typical day was . 
Login the system . 
Take calls from all the techs 
Seeing and replying to emails
Also attending meetings with the managers
Some times replying to funny emojis that i liked  alot which gave escape for some time from the hectic schedules or a conflict from your fellow team mate or any bad feed back 
Attending meetings can be a bit overwhelming when you have alot on your plate already but good for pressure handlers or over the top organized people who are expert in various computer applications .

Do you enjoy a schedule of constantly being given last minute overtime hours on your only day off without warning? Do you enjoy have no life outside of work? Do you enjoy having every time off request denied? are you looking for a meaningless job where you are under trained and Ignored by management unless its because you made a small mistake? Do you enjoy over complex solutions to very basic day to day issues?

If so then look no further!

Bell Technical Solutions has an incredibly high turnover and they are aware. more then 50% of their employees are are regular Part time new hires. Their In class training is one month long and is not even a reasonable amount of time to learn the job after the month you take a final exam an 80% is required, Half of my training group (Myself included) Didn't even get 50% and we were still handed our tools and sent out on the job if your lucky they will give you 2 days of on the job training doing calls with an experienced technician (I got half a day). the Training is nowhere near enough time to learn even half of the information of the job ins and outs.

You are Hired has Regular Part time, Hours can vary based on where you are but usually consists of a minimum of 48 Hours a week, My first two months on the truck as a regular part time I worked 6-7 days a week at 8-10 hour shifts. 
It does help to note that Field Technician wages vary based on what location you work out of. Techs in the GTA Making around 16$ an hour and then there are techs doing the same job At an location not even an hour away making 2$-4$ More then you.

Despite what they tell you there is almost no room for advancement I have met regular part time Employees that have been with the company for 8 years without making Full time status the rest usually quit after the first year.

The hardest part about the job is the company phone, the applications and websites you use in just a day shift is a bit insane and very overwhelming, The phone is constantly having to be rebooted after every use. You use the phone to clock in/out Its monitored assigns your jobs, tracks your vehicle movement, mandatory 2 hour check-ins and you are still required to submit separate time sheets for almost every hour worked. I would recommend checking every pay pay period because it will always be missing hours.

Pros You can do a month of Paid training doing nothing while trying to find a real job and If you don't find something it doesn't matter you'll still pass the training regardless of your test score and still have a job.


What is the best part of working at the company?
Hands-On / Physical Work
If you like being active, working outdoors (or semi-outdoors), and doing physical, tangible work every day, this job gives you that. It’s not “just sitting behind a desk.” You pull, install, position, move; you see progress. That can be very satisfying.

Skill Development
You learn a lot: how to handle different types of cables, what tools and equipment are best, how to be efficient. Over time you pick up knowledge of routing, safety, standards, how to manage long pulls, avoid damage to cable, think through logistics. These are transferable skills in telecom, data, electrical infrastructure, etc.

Teamwork / Variety
You often work with crews, supervisors, sometimes subcontractors. Job sites change: different buildings, terrains, challenges. That variety can keep the work from getting boring. Each pull might be a bit different (materials, route, conditions), so you’re problem-solving in varied contexts.

Visible Impact
At the end of the day you often see what you’ve helped build: you’ll have cable runs working, connectivity, etc. There’s a sense of contribution to something bigger — networks, communication infrastructure, people being connected, etc.

Steady Demand & Job Security
Infrastructure work, telecom, internet backbone, data centers — these things are always growing and being maintained. So there tends to be consistent demand for people with your hands-on skills. As long as telecom/data/energy infrastructures are needed, roles like cable pullers are relevant.

Opportunities for Advancement
Many cable pullers go on to become technicians, leads, supervisors, foremen, or specialize (fiber optics, splicing, etc.). If you do good work, show reliability, you can move up, get better pay, more responsibility.

Learning Safety and Technical Standards
You become very aware of safety protocols, rigging, load limits, bending radii for cables, how to avoid damage, the codes/regulations. These are valuable in many technical trades, and often help you stand out.

Potential for Good Pay + Benefits

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Working in All Weather Conditions

Whether it’s extreme cold, heat, rain, or snow, you still have to get the job done outdoors.

This can be very stressful, especially in Canadian winters when you’re handling cables or tools with frozen hands.

Poor management:
BTS managment expects a level of production above and beyond the expectations of the company. Managers recieved bonuses for production quotas from technicians and pushed techs to work faster and neglect quality of work (entire company is focused on quantity over quality and you as the technician will have to answer to disgruntled customers). 
As a personal note Bell Corporate Enterprises values safety and provides training and resources to make for a safe work place BUT management tends to overlook safety in favour of production. In my time at BTS when encountering unsafe telephone poles in the field (completely rotten at surface level) I was asked to climb said poles to complete my job and was met with a level of angst from my manager and in one instance was singled out in a team meeting for my level of caution.

Wages:
Decent pay if you have no previous experience in the field. Room to grow with a maximum pay rate over $30/hour. Commission is available on sales of Bell services (service packages, mobile plans, wifi pods, exc.). Techs will be expected to push sales despite no mention of sales during interview process (management recieves commission on your sales it will be PUSHED).

Schedule:
The schedule at BTS does not include weekends. For temporary part time workers you will most likely receive you rest days during the work week. The schedule can include a 10 day work period at times (10 days straight working) this is usually a result of the technician recieving a long weekend (1 proper weekend is given per fiscal quarter). You must be flexible as your schedule can be modified the day prior to your shift as late as 7pm. The usual shifts are 8am-5pm, 10am-7pm, 1pm-9pm; the 1-9 is what you should expect as a new technician. 1 hour lunch breaks are given for the 8-5 and 10-7. The 1-9 has no designated lunch period and do not expect to take lunch when working this shift.

Pros:
Company pays overtime and alots vacation to FULL TIME STAFF. Most starting techs will be temporary part time while working full time shifts as full time employment is used for seniority reasons. Full time at BTS works on a 3 tier system (RFT3, RFT2, RFT1). 

Pros

Excellent place to gain experience in the field, especially for those fresh out of electronics programs. However, no specific academic program is needed for this position.
Extensive and permanent training by the company.
Safety is considered a high priority at all times for the company.
It is a job in which the technician never gets bored. Each installation is different.
You meet new people every day.
Excellent place to develop customer service.
Salary increase every 1000 hours worked.
The company provides a good uniform appropriate for the job, and safety boots. As well as all the tools and materials necessary for the facilities.
Bell Technical Solutions has an excellent system to help technicians in their daily tasks. Many applications that can be used through the company cellphone and they have a Call Center line where other experienced technicians answer for enquiries.
This is a good job for people who love driving around the city.

Cons

Certainly, Bell Technical Solutions technicians do not have a specific schedule to work. Your shift can be changed on the day before nightfall. You can be moved from morning to night shift or to a day off.
New technicians will work only a few days a week, two or three, some sometimes four. And this can happen like this for the first years of their career.
It is a physical job and is happening mostly outdoor. Inclement weather must be taken into account.
The company expects technicians to perform a variety of jobs throughout the day. Installations or repairs. Failure to do this will affect the efficiency of the technician. I found that this measure causes technicians to have stress, beginning to skip safety steps at work, which are there by law, and perform poor quality installations because there is "no time". The efficiency thing.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Opportunity to learn new skills, have great customer interactions & bringing technology solutions for various platforms for residential and business solutions.  Bell's commitment to its employees Health & Safety.  Managers more involved with employees day to day activities.  Bell's commitment to keep employees trained on existing and new infrastructure & equipment. Bell's cooperative effort to work with the unionized employees. Can do attitude and positive attitude can lead to new opportunities as long as you are willing to put in the effort.  Satisfaction a doing job well done.  Camaraderie with other techs for support on issues that might happen sometimes.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Mother nature can be a bit daunting sometimes as a BTS technician often working outside.  But that is part of the work.  Bell is very understanding & provides all the proper clothing & PPE to work safely.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Most of the times as a BTS technician we work alone.  But sometimes we are able to get additional hands on deck when it is required.  Work environment is very pleasant as long as you follow Rule #1 and Rule #2.

Rule #1 - Treat people with Kindness and Respect at all times no matter how trivial the situation can be or become.

Rule #2 - Go back to Rule #1

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Verify jobs to be performed prior to leaving with work vehicle.
Verify emails and messages.
Make sure vehicle is safe to operate.
Make sure all tools are included in work vehicle.
Proceed to jobs assigned by dispatch.
Take breaks and lunch accordingly.
End of day prepare order for material for vehicle.

The actual job of connecting peoples internet/phones is easy enough, albeit with far more high-ladder work than I expected. 

Starting pay is pretty low considering the work, but it goes up by $1 for every 1040 hours worked. Lots of opportunities for overtime. Your tools, vehicle, and a work cell phone are provided for you. You also get 30% off bell products and services, but using this will bar you from using any other Bell discounts/loyalty programs, making it kind of moot. 

Management is a dart throw. I met my manager on my first day post-training and never saw him again. Some coworkers had better managers than my experience, others had far worse ones. 

The other technicians and OMP’s were all great and extremely helpful. They are what makes this job almost seem worthwhile. 

The trucks are by and large in very poor condition. Gas cards are few and far between. You also don’t get to take your truck home until you’ve been there an unspecified amount of time.

Schedule is constantly changing. Expect to be working evenings and weekends for your first severe months, In addition to BTS texting you at 7pm most nights to inform you that they changed your schedule for the next day. Nothing beats getting a text at 7pm on your Friday that your now in at 8am on what should’ve been your day off. 

Don’t expect logistics to ever actually have supplies. Even the basic stuff like Modems or Wall jacks or caulk. Even if you put in orders for everything you need, 50/50 chance you ever actually get it. 

While the managers themselves are understanding of the challenges inherent in the job, there seems to be a lack of understanding, support and respect from an organizational level.  Responses to our concerns we bring forward tend to be "The orders are from above us".  E.g. Directives given for changes in the field that impact safety and workflow.

 There is absolutely no work-life balance and as such it's understandable why there is an attrition issue.  Despite the schedules being given 1 - 2 months in advance, it is still difficult to plan your life around it as management reserves the right to change set schedule with just 1 day's notice.  

Weekend flexibility is an issue.  Be prepared to work all and every weekend.  Weekends off start once an associate is promoted to "Full Time".  The system as it is currently set is based on "seniority". I have been with the organization for over 4 years and work approximately 40 - 48 hours per week, yet I am still "formally" a Part-Time Employee!  This needs to be addressed in some manner to assure more fairness.  This will surely help with employee retention. 

The compensation does not reflect the physically taxing safety compromising components of the job.  Eg. Heavy lifting of ladders and climbing poles in icy conditions, working in remote areas outdoors in the dark alone, etc.

On a positive note, the benefits that come along are nice. Bell is a big company itself so the discounts that come along with some of its partners are good. 

Do not even consider applying here. If you apply you will be given a job instantly, they are so desperate for bodies they chase hurses.  This is NOT Bell as in BCE, this is a pseudo-owned affiliate company that is rotten to the core.  You will receive basically no training (with a new hire retention rate of about 30% they will not spend a penny more than is absolutely required), no coaching other than "GO FASTER", and absolutely 0 compassion.  You are not a human being you are just a replaceable tool.  If you don't believe me, how many companies do you know that have so many people quitting that they literally had to automate the process with an app.... (yes this is actually true, there is an app on your phone for when you want to quit).  It's so routine management doesn't care, no exit interview no trying to talk you out of it, just go back to your shop drop all your assets on the floor and leave.  Don't worry the next group of new hires is already coming through the door, they will rifle through the broken tools and safety equipment you were never shown how to use and then in a couple weeks when they quit the process will repeat itself.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Field service technician 10 salaries reported	$21.38 per hour
Technician 4 salaries reported	$21.05 per hour
Technicien en télécommunications 13 salaries reported	$27.02 per hour
Ingénieur poste de travail 8 salaries reported	$20.24 per hour
Field technician 3 salaries reported	$19.33 per hour

Working at Bell Technical Solutions: company overview and reviews

Bell Technical Solutions

Bell Technical Solutions ratings

Popular jobs at Bell Technical Solutions

Salary satisfaction

Job seeker tools

Employer Tools

Browse

Stay Connected