SCTE BPI Exam Study Guide (2026)
Everything the SCTE Broadband Premises Installer (BPI) tests, topic by topic: what each section covers, the facts that come up most, and how to study it. Pair it with the free 15-question practice test.
The exam at a glance
| Questions | 50 questions |
|---|---|
| Time | 2 hours; the exam cannot be paused and breaks are not allowed |
| Passing score | 76% (38 of 50 correct) |
| Format | Open book: SCTE training material, books, printed notes, tables, a calculator and internet resources in the same browser are allowed, but AI tools are banned and the session is recorded. SCTE does not describe item types, so practice here uses single-best-answer questions |
| Certifying body | SCTE, a subsidiary of CableLabs |
| Test provider | Online through the SCTE portal with Proctorio automated remote proctoring (Chrome or Edge browser, webcam, microphone and a government- or company-issued photo ID) |
Mind map: the whole exam on one screen
Read the complete SCTE BPI study notes for “Field Safety”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 12 minutes of reading: Ladders and working at heights · Electrical hazards · Heat, cold and attics · Digging, vehicles and the job site, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.
1. Field Safety
SCTE builds BPI on its Field Safety course: ladders, working at heights, heat and cold, digging, vehicles, attics and electrical hazards. SCTE does not publish topic weights for BPI.
Key facts
- Ladders: set the feet one quarter of the working length out from the support (4 to 1), extend at least 3 ft above a landing and keep three points of contact.
- Treat strand, pedestals and drops as possibly energized. Test with a voltage detector before touching metal hardware.
- Call 811 before digging, wait for the locates, and hand dig inside the tolerance zone around every mark.
- Heat stroke (confusion, hot skin, may stop sweating) is an emergency: call 911 and cool the person. Heat exhaustion (heavy sweating, weakness) needs rest, shade and fluids.
- In attics, step only on joists, watch for nails and old wiring, and avoid working in extreme heat for long periods.
- Use cones and wheel chocks, wear high-visibility clothing near traffic, and wear safety glasses when drilling or cutting.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Safety questions are often decided by order of actions. Ask yourself what protects a life first, then what protects equipment.
2. Customer Service and Professionalism
From SCTE's BPI Customer Service course: first impressions, setting expectations, protecting the home, explaining services and handling complaints. SCTE does not publish topic weights for BPI.
Key facts
- Arrive on time, introduce yourself and show company ID before entering the home.
- Agree outlet locations, the entry point and cable routing with the customer before drilling or running cable.
- Protect the home: shoe covers, drop cloths when drilling, and a full cleanup before leaving.
- Explain what you are doing in plain language and avoid jargon.
- Verify every service with the customer (TV, internet speed, phone, Wi-Fi) before closing the job.
- Show the customer how to use the equipment and Wi-Fi, and leave contact details for support.
- Stay calm with an upset customer: listen, acknowledge, and explain what you can do now.
Flashcards
Exam tip: In customer scenarios, the best answer usually sets expectations up front and gets agreement before acting.
3. Broadband Network Basics
How services reach the home over HFC (DOCSIS) and fiber (PON): headend, node, amplifiers, taps, OLT, splitters and ONTs, and the upstream and downstream frequency plans.
Key facts
- HFC: headend or hub, fiber to an optical node, then coax with amplifiers, taps and the drop to the home.
- The CMTS in the headend or hub communicates with cable modems using DOCSIS.
- Sub-split upstream is 5 to 42 MHz, mid-split 5 to 85 MHz and high-split 5 to 204 MHz; downstream sits above the split.
- North American downstream channels are 6 MHz wide; DOCSIS 3.1 adds wide OFDM channels.
- PON: an OLT in the hub or headend, passive optical splitters in the field and an ONT at the home. No power is needed between OLT and ONT.
- A tap fault affects a few homes; a node or amplifier fault affects many.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Draw the path from the headend to the TV once for HFC and once for PON; most network questions follow that path.
Test yourself on these topics
Take the free 15-question SCTE BPI test, then save your results to unlock your Readiness Score and the mistakes bank.
4. Coaxial Cable, Connectors and Passives
Drop cables, F-connectors, splitters, terminators and ground blocks: the parts an installer handles on every job and the losses they add.
Key facts
- Cable TV coax is 75 ohms. RG-6 is the common drop; RG-11 has lower loss for long runs; RG-59 is legacy with higher loss.
- Messengered cable is for aerial drops; flooded (gel-filled) cable is for underground drops.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Learn splitter losses as a table; you will use them in signal level questions and on the job.
5. Aerial and Underground Drops
Building the drop from the tap to the house: aerial attachment and clearances, underground placement, locates and protecting the cable from water and damage.
Key facts
- Aerial drops attach to the strand and the house with approved clamps and hooks; follow NESC and your company's clearance specs over roads, driveways and walkways.
- At the pole, communications cables sit below the power supply space; NESC sets 40 in of vertical separation at the support.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Color-code questions are quick marks. Say the colors aloud as a list until they come without thinking.
6. Bonding and Grounding
NEC Chapter 8 (Articles 800 and 820) rules for bonding the coax shield at the point of entry, which protect people and equipment during lightning and power faults.
Key facts
- Bond the coax shield with a ground block as close as practicable to where the cable enters the building.
- The bonding conductor is copper, at least 14 AWG, and need not be larger than 6 AWG.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Every grounding question comes back to equal potential: the cable shield must bond to the same system as the power service.
7. Test Equipment and Signal Levels
Signal level meters, digital multimeters and cable testers, the dBmV unit and what normal readings look like at the tap, ground block and outlet.
Key facts
- 0 dBmV is 1 millivolt across 75 ohms; +6 dBmV is about 2 mV and +20 dBmV is 10 mV.
- A signal level meter reads RF levels and, on digital meters, signal quality such as MER.
Flashcards
Exam tip: When a reading looks wrong, compare it with the previous point in the path. The fault is between the last good reading and the first bad one.
8. Installing Data, Video, Voice and Wi-Fi
Connecting and activating gateways, modems, set-top boxes and voice adapters, in-home coax and Ethernet, MoCA and Wi-Fi setup.
Key facts
- Activate a modem or gateway with the operator's provisioning process, usually by its MAC address or serial number.
- An eMTA provides phone service; its battery backup keeps voice working in a power outage.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Customers judge an install by Wi-Fi. Know the placement rules and channel choices as well as the coax work.
How to pass
- 50 questions in 2 hours is 2.4 minutes each, and the exam is open book. Build a one-page sheet of splitter losses, frequency splits and NEC grounding numbers so you look things up in seconds, not minutes.
- You need 38 of 50 correct. Safety and grounding questions are the easiest marks: learn the 4-to-1 ladder rule, the 811 color code, the 14 AWG and 20-foot NEC limits and the intersystem bonding termination.
- SCTE's BPI course has three parts: Field Safety, Customer Service and Fundamentals. Customer service is tested too, so read the customer-facing scenarios as carefully as the technical ones.
- Know both access networks: HFC (node, amplifiers, taps, DOCSIS modem) and PON (OLT, passive splitter, ONT). BPI v2.0 includes DOCSIS, PON and Wi-Fi at the premises.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for the SCTE BPI exam?
Most working candidates need 4 to 8 weeks at 45 to 60 minutes a day. Book your exam once your Readiness Score has stayed at 80 or higher for about a week.
Can I take the SCTE BPI exam online?
BICSI's v15 handbook describes the RCDD exam at Pearson VUE test centers, not remote proctoring. Format: open book: scte training material, books, printed notes, tables, a calculator and internet resources in the same browser are allowed, but ai tools are banned and the session is recorded. scte does not describe item types, so practice here uses single-best-answer questions. Check pearsonvue.com/bicsi for the options in your country.
What score do I need to pass the SCTE BPI exam?
76% (38 of 50 correct). The exam has 50 questions and a time limit of 2 hours; the exam cannot be paused and breaks are not allowed.
What are the most tested topics?
The outline covers field safety, customer service and professionalism, broadband network basics, coaxial cable, connectors and passives, aerial and underground drops, bonding and grounding, test equipment and signal levels, installing data, video, voice and wi-fi. Use the free practice test to see which ones you need most.
The premium SCTE BPI study path
Premium SCTE BPI prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.
Your step-by-step study path
- 1Field Safety8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Notes free with an account
- 2Customer Service and Professionalism8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 3Broadband Network Basics8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 4Coaxial Cable, Connectors and Passives8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 5Aerial and Underground Drops7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 6Bonding and Grounding7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 7Test Equipment and Signal Levels7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 8Installing Data, Video, Voice and Wi-Fi7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- Final step: 6 full mock exams50 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.Premium
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- 3,000 practice questions + 6 full mock exams per exam
- 800 flashcards + 60 key notes per exam, by topic, plus mind maps
- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
- Readiness Score & detailed reports
- Video lessons as they release
- Content updates during your access
- 5 bonuses: numbers and formulas sheet, standards atlas, study planner and more
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Renews once a year until you cancel. We email you before each renewal. Cancel any time from your account; you keep access until the end of the year you've paid for.
Summarized from BICSI's official candidate information and the rules cited, checked October 2026. Confirm current requirements with SCTE, a subsidiary of CableLabs.