I recently received an email requesting my thoughts on the top ten books for broadband technicians to have in their possession or library. Great question.
After some thought, here are my top ten (in no particular order) recommended books and handbooks for broadband / fiber / telecom technicians. These cover theory, practice, installation, troubleshooting, standards, network planning, and emerging technologies. Using the links on the titles send you to Amazon and we get a small cut if you buy the books through my links – we appreciate you supporting us.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1. Broadband Telecommunications Technologies and Management by Riaz Esmailzadeh | Covers fixed broadband (DSL, fiber), wireless (1G-4G), business & policy aspects. Good for understanding the technology and also the “why” behind broadband deployment |
| 2. Fiber Optics Technician’s Manual by Jim Hayes | Very practical: theory + design + installation + troubleshooting fiber optic cable plants. Excellent for an installer/technician |
| 3. Fiber To The Home (FTTH) Handbook (The Fiber Optic Association) by Jim Hayes | Specifically for FTTH: architectures, design, installation, testing, project management. A must for anyone working on or moving into FTTH networks |
| 4. Fiber Optics Installer and Technician Guide (formerly by ETA / Sybex) | Good certification-aligned guide (FOI / FOT), covering fiber installers & technicians’ skill set, tools, testing, and standards |
| 5. Telecom 101: Sixth Edition (2022) by Eric Coll et al. | More of a general telecom reference: everything from fundamentals to IP, fiber, wireless, etc. Great for filling gaps or getting up to speed if you’re less familiar with parts of the field |
| 6. “Internetworking with TCP/IP Volume One” by Douglas E. Comer | A foundational reference for TCP/IP concepts that underlie the Internet |
| 7. From GSM to LTE-Advanced Pro and 5G: An Introduction to Mobile Networks and Mobile Broadband by Martin Sauter | If your work involves wireless broadband (fixed wireless, small cells, etc.), this gives good background |
| 8. Wireless Communications: Principles and Practice by Theodore S. Rappaport | A deeper dive into wireless communications (RF, propagation, modulation, etc.). Useful for technicians needing more technical depth in wireless broadband |
| 9. Optical Fiber Telecommunications (Series) edited by Ivan Kaminow, etc. | More advanced / academic, but excellent reference for transmission theory, fiber technologies, components, etc. Good for designers or senior techs. (Note: less “hands-on installer” focus.) |
| 10. Fundamentals of Digital Communication (e.g. by Upamanyu Madhow) | Theory of modulation, coding, signal behavior, noise etc. Helpful for understanding why things like signal loss, error correction, etc. matter in broadband networks. Goodreads |
Keep in mind, I have also previously documented my top 10 networking books here.
Further, if you are interested in IPv6 books – you will find then here.
What am I missing? What book helped you as a broadband technician? I would love to hear from you.
Comments are welcomed below from registered users. You can also leave comments at our Discord server.
If you would like to see more content and articles like this, please support us by clicking the patron link where you will receive free bonus access to courses and more, or simply buying us a cup of coffee!