Day in the Life of an Xplore Field Operations Technician
Plus, the complete list of new and upgraded Internet towers
We've upgraded our networks! Find out what Xplore services are available to you.
January 6, 2023
When we asked Josh Dobbie, Field Operations Technician, to describe what he and his team do at Xplore he said, “what don’t we do!”
“Our main focus is building and maintaining the network. We are the boots on the ground keeping the towers up and running, building the network and helping make sure the customer gets the best experience they can,” he said.
That includes putting all the equipment in the shelter, wiring everything up, configuring the technology and organizing the riggers, who have the certification and expertise to climb and do the work on the tower.
Josh’s first experience with Xplore was years ago as an installer. After five years, he left Xplore to pursue another dream.
“I wanted to be a police officer but quickly realized it was not for me. I was in Orillia at OPP headquarters but it just wasn’t something I was passionate about,” he said.
Josh was looking for a change. He was always passionate about technology, being outdoors and working with people so when he saw that Xplore was looking for a Field Operations Technician, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity.
“This was the perfect spot for me. I can honestly say I love my job. I love the independence. We schedule our own days, look after and organize our trucks, and do all our own expenses. And, being based from home is really nice too,” he explained.
During the application process, the one thing that made Josh nervous about the job was being on call every second week.
“It intimidated me as someone outside of the company but really, it's not that bad. Sometimes when you get called out at 2-3 am to fix a problem it can be very hard to get out of bed but I’ve been working a year and I’ve only been called out in the night 10 times,” he said. “It feels good knowing I’m helping customers stay connected.”
After completing his onboarding with HR, his manager got him settled into his truck, tools and equipment. After comprehensive training, he was out in the field working with his new team.
“The team feels like a family. I love the atmosphere. We’re all on the same page working toward one common goal,” Josh said.
Typically, a Field Operations Technician at Xplore works a 40-hour workweek from Monday to Friday, with overtime opportunities around build projects that require extra time and on-call hours to respond to and repair outages.
A Field Operations Technician’s daily schedule is flexible and can be tailored around their needs and what schedule is the most productive for them.
Josh plans his schedule for the following week every Friday based on what new build, upgrades, or maintenance are needed. Because he is naturally an early riser, he starts his day at 6 a.m. and is home by 2 p.m.
“It’s nice, especially in the summer, to enjoy the rest of your day,” he said.
One of the biggest parts of his job is yearly site maintenance. This involves making sure all the equipment at the tower site is clean, running properly and reachable through the network.
The team also tests battery backups, which supply power in case of local hydro outages.
Recently, Josh was called to a site because there were low light levels on a fibre line going up the tower. His quick response is one example of how the maintenance team prevents issues and downtime.
The team not only builds new towers to connect more people and expand the network, but if a site goes down, and customers are without internet, they are also there to fix it.
Josh is actually an Xplore customer himself!
“I live 10 minutes outside of Smith’s Falls and I’m connected to the Rideau Ferry tower. My house is set back off the road in the country, completely surrounded by trees. It’s a very private place, which I love. I have a nice big shop on my property that I get to work in and lots of apple trees,” he said.
As an Xplore customer, he’s working to make sure that he has good service too.
“I haven’t had any issues,” he said.
Josh said that even during busy times, his speed test results average 57 Mbps download speeds on Xplore’s 50 Mbps package.
“If I’m streaming and working on my laptop, it might hit 40 Mbps download but it’s honestly been really good. Fixed wireless comes down to line of site and I have a decent line of site even from 9 km away from the tower,” he said.
Josh takes pride in his work, going the extra mile to make sure sites are in good shape so that he can be proud of how he left them and keeping his vehicle in good condition.
Josh won the Field Operation Team’s clean truck contest this year!
The contest was meant as an incentive to look sharp when employees are driving around in their Xplore-branded vehicles. Team members were asked to send pictures of the inside and outside of their vehicles and the driver of the cleanest truck won.
In terms of travel, Josh typically stays within a 1-2 hour radius from home.
“There are some instances where I’ve had to go farther but most of the time, I’m an hour from home at the most,” he said.
Josh’s favourite parts of the job are working with his hands and critical thinking.
“Building a shelter with all our equipment is so rewarding – especially in that moment when everything is hooked up and everything works,” he said.
He also enjoys working with the team.
“I love the team. We have a good time. We get the job done and we can have some laughs together. It makes the hard days when something doesn’t go properly not so bad. Even if I can’t figure it out, I have a whole team I can call and everyone will jump to help me,” he said.
When asked what advice he would give to someone who is interested in applying to be a Field Operations Technician Josh said, “go for it!”
“The job came up a year before I applied and I wish I had gone for it that year. Change is scary and the first few weeks I was like ‘what am I doing here’ but honestly, I don’t regret it at all. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” he said. “If you’re looking for a place to grow, be challenged, and be part of a close-knit team with lots of opportunity, just go for it.”
Xplore is currently looking for Field Operations Technicians. Visit xplore.ca/careers to apply today.
And, take a look below to see the great work the team across Canada has been doing to build and upgrade towers. You can also check which Internet Packages are available at your home!
NEW TOWER LIST
Tower’s Name | Province | Date | Community Name | New or Upgraded? |
Bexley | ON | Monday, August 15, 2022 | Kawartha Lakes | Upgrade |
Caverhill POP | NB | Monday, August 15, 2022 | York | Upgrade |
Dawson Settlement | NB | Monday, August 15, 2022 | Albert | Upgrade |
Dipper POP | NB | Monday, August 15, 2022 | Saint John | Upgrade |
Hamtown Corner | NB | Monday, August 15, 2022 | York | Upgrade |
Hartfield | NB | Monday, August 15, 2022 | York | Upgrade |
Pennfield | NB | Monday, August 15, 2022 | Charlotte | Upgrade |
Portage Vale | NB | Monday, August 15, 2022 | Westmorland | Upgrade |
Saint David POP | NB | Monday, August 15, 2022 | Charlotte | Upgrade |
St. Leonard | NB | Monday, August 15, 2022 | Madawaska | Upgrade |
Waterborough | NB | Monday, August 15, 2022 | Queens | Upgrade |
Whittier Ridge | NB | Monday, August 15, 2022 | Charlotte | Upgrade |
Yarker South | ON | Monday, August 15, 2022 | Lennox and Addington | Upgrade |
Central Hainesville | NB | Tuesday, August 16, 2022 | York | Upgrade |
Galloway | NB | Tuesday, August 16, 2022 | Kent | Upgrade |
Keswick Ridge POP | NB | Tuesday, August 16, 2022 | York | Upgrade |
Lake George POP | NB | Tuesday, August 16, 2022 | York | Upgrade |
Mayfield | NB | Tuesday, August 16, 2022 | Charlotte | Upgrade |
Mt. Middleton POP | NB | Tuesday, August 16, 2022 | Kings | Upgrade |
St. Paul | NB | Tuesday, August 16, 2022 | Kent | Upgrade |
Indus | AB | Wednesday, August 17, 2022 | Division No. 6 | Upgrade |
Rocky Corner | NB | Wednesday, August 17, 2022 | Sunbury | Upgrade |
Smithfield | NB | Wednesday, August 17, 2022 | York | Upgrade |
Moores Corners | ON | Thursday, August 18, 2022 | Ottawa | Build |
Essex XCI | ON | Friday, August 19, 2022 | Essex | Build |
Newdale South (NS) | MB | Friday, August 19, 2022 | Division No. 15 | Upgrade |
Lakehurst | ON | Tuesday, August 23, 2022 | Peterborough | Upgrade |
New Fraserwood (NS) | MB | Wednesday, August 24, 2022 | Division No. 18 | Upgrade |
Alexander (NS) | MB | Friday, August 26, 2022 | Division No. 7 | Upgrade |
Montrock | ON | Friday, August 26, 2022 | Cochrane | Upgrade |
Whitebread | ON | Friday, August 26, 2022 | Lambton | Build |
Latchford POP | ON | Tuesday, August 30, 2022 | Timiskaming | Upgrade |
Mallard (NS) | MB | Wednesday, September 7, 2022 | Division No. 19 | Upgrade |
Pinkerton POP | ON | Thursday, September 8, 2022 | Simcoe | Build |
Newry | ON | Friday, September 9, 2022 | Perth | Upgrade |
Precious Corner | ON | Wednesday, September 14, 2022 | Northumberland | Upgrade |
Gardiner's Shore | ON | Thursday, September 15, 2022 | Lanark | Build |
Maidstone NW | ON | Friday, September 16, 2022 | Essex | Upgrade |
Bell Lake | AB | Monday, September 19, 2022 | Division No. 11 | Upgrade |
Coyle | ON | Wednesday, September 21, 2022 | Niagara | Build |
Gravelbourg | SK | Wednesday, September 21, 2022 | Division No. 3 | Upgrade |
Thamesville XCI | ON | Wednesday, September 21, 2022 | Chatham-Kent | Build |
Orillia XCI | ON | Thursday, September 22, 2022 | Simcoe | Build |
Mossley | ON | Wednesday, September 28, 2022 | Middlesex | Upgrade |
Queenston XCI POP | ON | Wednesday, September 28, 2022 | Niagara | Build |
Fairhaven | AB | Thursday, September 29, 2022 | Division No. 11 | Upgrade |
Spence Lake (NS) | MB | Tuesday, October 4, 2022 | Division No. 19 | Upgrade |
Wallaceburg XCI | ON | Tuesday, October 4, 2022 | Chatham-Kent | Build |
Salt Springs | NB | Thursday, October 6, 2022 | Kings | Upgrade |
Shortdale (NS) | MB | Thursday, October 6, 2022 | Division No. 16 | Build |
Zelena (NS) | MB | Thursday, October 6, 2022 | Division No. 16 | Upgrade |
Malden | ON | Friday, October 7, 2022 | Essex | Upgrade |
Cheapside | ON | Wednesday, October 12, 2022 | Haldimand-Norfolk | Build |
South Cayuga Lakeshore | ON | Thursday, October 13, 2022 | Haldimand-Norfolk | Upgrade |
Spring Lake New | AB | Tuesday, October 18, 2022 | Division No. 11 | Upgrade |
Bell Lake | AB | Wednesday, October 19, 2022 | Division No. 11 | Upgrade |
Halston | ON | Wednesday, October 19, 2022 | Hastings | Build |
Lakeshore | ON | Wednesday, October 19, 2022 | Essex | Upgrade |
West Lake Estates (CCI) | AB | Wednesday, October 19, 2022 | Division No. 8 | Upgrade |
Harrow North | ON | Thursday, October 20, 2022 | Essex | Upgrade |
Bayview Park | ON | Friday, October 21, 2022 | Muskoka | Upgrade |
Grandview (NS) POP | MB | Tuesday, October 25, 2022 | Division No. 17 | Upgrade |
Anola (NS) | MB | Thursday, October 27, 2022 | Division No. 12 | Upgrade |
Hartley | ON | Thursday, October 27, 2022 | Kawartha Lakes | Build |
Poplar Ridge POP | AB | Thursday, October 27, 2022 | Division No. 8 | Upgrade |
Cedar Grove (SNC0094) | ON | Saturday, October 29, 2022 | Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry | Upgrade |
Korah | ON | Monday, October 31, 2022 | Algoma | Upgrade |
Lameque | NB | Monday, October 31, 2022 | Gloucester | Upgrade |
Val-Limoges | QC | Monday, October 31, 2022 | Antoine-Labelle | Build |
Fish Lake Rd | ON | Tuesday, November 1, 2022 | Prince Edward | Build |
Miscou Center | NB | Tuesday, November 1, 2022 | Gloucester | Upgrade |
Essex XCI | ON | Wednesday, November 2, 2022 | Essex | Build |
Leslieville (CCI) | AB | Friday, November 4, 2022 | Division No. 9 | Upgrade |
Pacific (NS) POP | MB | Friday, November 4, 2022 | Division No. 13 | Upgrade |
Paquetville | NB | Friday, November 4, 2022 | Gloucester | Upgrade |
West Becher | ON | Friday, November 4, 2022 | Lambton | Upgrade |
Vars North | ON | Monday, November 7, 2022 | Ottawa | Build |
Campbellford South XCI | ON | Wednesday, November 9, 2022 | Hastings | Build |
Carlyon | ON | Wednesday, November 9, 2022 | Simcoe | Build |
Leross | SK | Wednesday, November 9, 2022 | Division No. 10 | Upgrade |
Christie Lake | ON | Tuesday, November 15, 2022 | Lanark | Upgrade |
Apto POP | ON | Friday, November 18, 2022 | Simcoe | Upgrade |
Bruxelles (NS) | MB | Monday, November 21, 2022 | Division No. 4 | Upgrade |
Spruce Green | ON | Monday, November 21, 2022 | Wellington | Build |
Uplands North | ON | Monday, November 21, 2022 | Ottawa | Upgrade |
Washtub Rock POP | ON | Monday, November 21, 2022 | Muskoka | Upgrade |
Loch Garry | ON | Tuesday, November 22, 2022 | Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry | Build |
Little Lake | ON | Wednesday, November 23, 2022 | Wellington | Upgrade |
Wallenstein | ON | Wednesday, November 23, 2022 | Waterloo | Upgrade |
Hyndmans Ridge XCI | ON | Thursday, November 24, 2022 | Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry | Build |
Boscoville | QC | Wednesday, November 30, 2022 | Matawinie | Upgrade |
Lower Newcastle | NB | Wednesday, November 30, 2022 | Northumberland | Upgrade |
Carmel | SK | Thursday, December 1, 2022 | Division No. 15 | Upgrade |
Adolphustown | ON | Monday, December 5, 2022 | Lennox and Addington | Build |
Astle POP | NB | Monday, December 5, 2022 | Northumberland | Upgrade |
Hilltop (NS) | MB | Tuesday, December 6, 2022 | Division No. 15 | Upgrade |
Stapledon | ON | Tuesday, December 6, 2022 | Ottawa | Build |
Carsonby | ON | Wednesday, December 7, 2022 | Ottawa | Build |
Saint-Apollinaire | QC | Wednesday, December 7, 2022 | Lotbinière | Upgrade |
Hawkesbury West | ON | Thursday, December 8, 2022 | Prescott and Russell | Build |
Dornie | ON | Friday, December 9, 2022 | Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry | Build |
Joyal | QC | Friday, December 9, 2022 | La Haute-Yamaska | Build |
North Bay POP | ON | Friday, December 9, 2022 | Nipissing | Build |
Saint-Dominique | QC | Friday, December 9, 2022 | Les Maskoutains | Build |
Eldon | ON | Monday, December 12, 2022 | Kawartha Lakes | Build |
Molesworth XCI | ON | Monday, December 12, 2022 | Perth | Build |
Valley Corners | ON | Monday, December 12, 2022 | Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry | Build |
You can Check Internet Options at your home and get fast rural Internet today!
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