Technical staff who maintain an electronic system on site and from remote locations apply the skills and knowledge in this unit.

On site routine maintenance involves inspection of critical parts, replacement of disposable items and confirmation that performance is within specification and operating levels are normal.

Remote monitoring may be implemented from a Network Management Centre or Help Desk via dedicated communications services or by web-based services. Performance monitoring, investigation of alarms and updating of software, firmware and security systems are all able to be managed remotely.

This unit applies to all telecommunications applications including telephony, data, and video and multimedia.

ELEMENT

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

1. Prepare to maintain system

1.1. Consult with customer or property owner to arrange for site access if required

1.2. Plan a schedule of routine preventive maintenance for the electronic system based on recommended maintenance periods from manufacturer's handbooks and specifications

1.3. Report to appropriate person the impact of proposed maintenance activities on customer's service delivery

1.4. Confirm equipment is accessible and correctly set up for on site preventive maintenance activities and for remote interrogation if required

1.5. Confirm that alarms are functioning according to manufacturer's specifications and enterprise guidelines

1.6. Take corrective action if anomalies or faults are detected, according to enterprise guidelines and manufacturer's specifications

2. Undertake preventive maintenance routines on site and remotely

2.1. Conduct preventive maintenance according to planned schedule

2.2. Report to appropriate person any instances where the maintenance activities cannot be fully met or where there are identified defects outside the planned schedule

2.3. Verify equipment is functioning against expected operational parameters to confirm operational status

2.4. Take corrective action if faults are detected, according to enterprise guidelines and manufacturer's specifications

2.5. Escalate to the next level of support when required where preventive maintenance activity falls outside own level of expertise

2.6. Dispose of on site waste materials according to safe working practices and approved procedures

3. Make recommendations and update records

3.1. Record results of routine tests and make recommendations

3.2. Store records according to enterprise guidelines

Required skills

communication skills to liaise with internal and external personnel on technical and operational matters

literacy skills to interpret technical documentation, such as equipment manuals and specifications

numeracy skills to record and process measurements

planning and organisational skills to organise and maintain equipment

problem solving skills to solve equipment and logistics problems

task management skills to work systematically with required attention to detail and adherence to all safety requirements

technical skills to:

read and interpret results from testing routines

use electronic test equipment

use remote maintenance software to:

monitor and control a remote system

perform maintenance tasks

upload and download files

Required knowledge

features and operating requirements of electronic equipment

legislation, codes of practice and other formal agreements that impact on the work activity

manufacturer's requirements for safe operation of equipment

specific occupational health and safety (OHS) requirements relating to the activity and site conditions

testing methods and performance requirements

troubleshooting and repair procedures

typical issues and challenges that occur on site and when conducting remote maintenance

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

Evidence of the ability to:

identify maintenance required

communicate maintenance details to customers and work associates

undertake preventive maintenance routines on site and remotely

conduct and interpret tests

complete documentation.

Context of, and specific resources for assessment

Assessment must ensure:

suitable site for maintenance of a range of equipment

use of test equipment currently used in industry

relevant regulatory and equipment documentation that impact on work activities.

Methods of assessment

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

review of an oral and written report prepared by the candidate including test results and recommendations

direct observation of the candidate maintaining an electronic system on site and remotely

oral or written questioning of required knowledge.

Guidance information for assessment

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended, for example:

ICTTEN3077A Commission an electronic unit

ICTTEN3089A Repair and replace telecommunications network hardware.

Aboriginal people and other people from a non-English speaking background may have second language issues.

Access must be provided to appropriate learning and assessment support when required.

Assessment processes and techniques must be culturally appropriate, and appropriate to the oral communication skill level, and language and literacy capacity of the candidate and the work being performed.

In all cases where practical assessment is used it will be combined with targeted questioning to assess required knowledge. Questioning techniques should not require language, literacy and numeracy skills beyond those required in this unit of competency.

Where applicable, physical resources should include equipment modified for people with special needs.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Consult with customer may include:

access arrangements

duration

location

nature of works

time.

Schedule may be:

hourly

daily

weekly

monthly

annually

according to maintenance schedule

initiated by:

alarms

elapsed time

error messages.

Maintenance may include:

adjusting carrier frequency

blowing dust out of power supply

changing air filter

checking low voltage (LV) circuit breaker

infrared scan

measuring transmission line pressurisation

mechanical inspection

monitoring transmitter forward radio frequency (RF) power level

monitoring transmitter reflected RF power level

testing coolant system

testing over-current trip settings

visual inspection.

Appropriate person may include:

customer

help desk operations manager

network management centre manager

project manager

supervisor.

Equipment may include:

battery backup

biometrics

broadband cable network

broadcast transmitter

closed circuit TV (CCTV)

multiplexer:

synchronous digital hierarchy(SDH)/synchronous optical network (SONET)

statistical

radio frequency identification (RFID)

solar panel power supply

supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)

transmission system

voice over internet protocol (VoIP).

Remote interrogation may include:

dedicated virtual private network (VPN)

local area network (LAN)

SCADA system:

cellular telemetry

integrated dispatch enhanced network (IDEN) SCADA

web-based SCADA

wireless SCADA

transaction language 1 (TL1) interface

wide area network (WAN)

web server and simple network management protocol (SNMP) agent.

Corrective action may include:

checking warranties and service agreements to establish if repair or alteration is covered

electronic adjustment

organising warranty replacement from manufacturer

physical adjustment

repair or replacement of parts or equipment.

Unit sector

Telecommunications

Telecommunications networks engineering

This unit contains employability skills.