Try the full study dashboard free, no signup: practice, flashcards and your Exam Readiness Score. Open it →
RCDDQuizBank
Start free
Home / Practice tests / SCTE BPT
SCTE · Last updated November 2026

SCTE Broadband Premises Technician (BPT): free practice test

BPT v2.0 is SCTE's stand-alone certification for experienced field technicians who install and troubleshoot video, voice and data services at the premises over HFC, PON and FTTx networks. The online exam has 50 questions in 2 hours with a 76% pass mark, and the credential is valid for 3 years. Where BPI covers the what of an install, BPT covers the how: measurements, layered troubleshooting, cable math, Wi-Fi and MDU work.

Start the free 15-question testRead the study guide

Premium: 3,000 practice questions, 6 full mock exams, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes, topic by topic. See the study path ·

Or open the free SCTE BPT study dashboard: flashcards, notes and your Readiness Score, no signup →

About the SCTE BPT exam

BPT v2.0 is SCTE's stand-alone certification for experienced field technicians who install and troubleshoot video, voice and data services at the premises over HFC, PON and FTTx networks. The online exam has 50 questions in 2 hours with a 76% pass mark, and the credential is valid for 3 years. Where BPI covers the what of an install, BPT covers the how: measurements, layered troubleshooting, cable math, Wi-Fi and MDU work.

What's on the exam

SCTE BPT
HFC, PON and FTTx Architectures
7 key facts
RF Signals, Modulation and Impairments
7 key facts
Test Equipment and Measurements
6 key facts
Troubleshooting Process and High-Speed Data
7 key facts
Video, Voice and FTTx Fault Resolution
7 key facts
Wi-Fi and Home Networks
6 key facts
Cable Math and Premises Network Design
7 key facts
MDUs, Bonding and Safe Work Practices
6 key facts

Each branch is a topic in the official outline. Members see every key fact on the full mind map. Read the free study guide →

How to pass the SCTE BPT exam

  • Expect cable math. Practise level calculations (tap output minus cable, splitter and passive losses) and dB conversions until you can do them in under a minute with a calculator.
  • Think in layers: physical RF or optical first, then DOCSIS or PON, then IP, then the application. Many questions give a symptom and ask which layer to check next.
  • Learn what each meter tells you: a signal level meter gives level and MER, a spectrum analyzer shows ingress and ripple, a DMM finds shorts and opens, an optical meter reads PON power.
  • BPT is one of the four exams (with BPI, BFI and BWS) that together earn SCTE's Broadband Premises Expert (BPE) title, so it pays to schedule them close together.

Save your results and get your Readiness Score

Create a free account after the test: your score by topic, a mistakes bank, the complete study notes for the first topic, flashcards and the RCDD Numbers & Formulas Sheet.

Take the test first

What's in the premium SCTE BPT prep

Premium SCTE BPT 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.

3,000practice questions, every answer explained
6full-length mock exams, 50 questions each, timed
800flashcards with spaced repetition, sorted by topic
60comprehensive key notes across 8 topics

Your step-by-step study path

  1. 1
    HFC, PON and FTTx Architectures8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Notes free with an account
  2. 2
    RF Signals, Modulation and Impairments8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  3. 3
    Test Equipment and Measurements8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  4. 4
    Troubleshooting Process and High-Speed Data8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  5. 5
    Video, Voice and FTTx Fault Resolution7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  6. 6
    Wi-Fi and Home Networks7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  7. 7
    Cable Math and Premises Network Design7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  8. 8
    MDUs, Bonding and Safe Work Practices7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  9. Final step: 6 full mock exams50 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.
    Premium
Free with an account

Read the complete SCTE BPT study notes for “HFC, PON and FTTx Architectures”

Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 14 minutes of reading: HFC path and shared sections · Upstream behavior and noise funneling · PON essentials · FTTx and RFoG, 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.

Open the free dashboard

Study tools included

3,000 practice questions

3,000 exam-style questions per exam, organized topic by topic in sets of 25. Every answer explained, with the rule it comes from.

6 full mock exams

6 full-length timed mock exams per exam, with real question counts and time limits, so test day feels like practice day.

Exam Readiness Score

One 0 to 100 number that tells you when you're ready to book. Reach 80 and you're covered by our Pass Guarantee.

800 flashcards + spaced repetition

800 flashcards per exam, in a deck for each topic, that come back right before you'd forget them. Five minutes a day keeps every number fresh.

60 comprehensive key notes

60 key notes per exam, split across its topics and each explained in full: the concepts, worked exam examples, the traps examiners use and a quick recap. Your first set is free with an account.

Mind maps

See the whole exam on one screen: every topic and the facts under it.

Sample questions with answers

These are the questions in the free test above, with answers. Try the test first. You'll learn more by getting some wrong.

1. Modems across a whole node show upstream noise problems, and the source turns out to be one home with an open splitter port and a loose fitting. Why can one home affect so many customers?
Answer: Return signals and noise from every home add together toward the node. This is noise funneling: the return paths of every home on a node combine on the way back, so ingress entering at one leaky home lands on every modem's upstream channel. That is why terminating unused ports and tightening fittings matters so much. Downstream amplifiers do not carry upstream ingress into other drops.
2. On a GPON, one customer's ONT fails so that its laser transmits continuously instead of only in its assigned time slots. What is the most likely result?
Answer: Upstream traffic for other ONTs on that PON is disrupted. GPON upstream is time-division multiple access: each ONT sends only in its granted slots at 1310 nm. A rogue ONT that transmits all the time collides with every other ONT's bursts at the splitter, so many customers on the PON lose upstream. Isolating the rogue ONT restores the rest.
3. A set-top box shows pixelation on 256-QAM channels. The signal level meter reads +2 dBmV on those channels, which is within limits, but MER is well below the operator's minimum. What is the best conclusion?
Answer: Noise or distortion is degrading the signal despite a normal level. MER measures how cleanly the digital symbols arrive. Low MER with a good level means noise, ingress, reflections or distortion are damaging the signal, so adding gain won't help. Look for loose fittings, damaged cable, unterminated ports or a bad splitter. Higher-order modulation needs better MER, not worse.
4. A spectrum analyzer at a customer outlet shows a regular ripple pattern across the downstream band, with level dips repeating at even frequency spacing. What is the most likely cause?
Answer: An impedance mismatch causing reflections in the cable. Reflections from impedance mismatches (an unterminated port, a kinked or crushed cable, a bad fitting) combine with the main signal and create standing waves, seen as a regular ripple. The ripple spacing relates to the distance between the two mismatches. Normal tilt is a smooth slope, not a ripple.
5. A customer's modem drops offline at random times, and you suspect intermittent ingress in the 5 to 42 MHz return band. Which instrument and setting will best capture it?
Answer: A spectrum analyzer on the return band with max hold. Intermittent ingress comes and goes, so a spectrum analyzer sweeping the return band with max hold records the highest level seen at each frequency over time. A single downstream channel reading misses upstream noise entirely, and a DMM or optical meter cannot see RF ingress.
6. You disconnect both ends of an existing RG-6 run and measure 2 ohms between the center conductor and the shield with a DMM. What does this show?
Answer: A short between center conductor and shield. With both ends open, a good cable should read open (very high resistance) between center and shield. A few ohms means a short, often a bad fitting with a stray braid strand or a crushed cable. A DMM cannot read the 75-ohm characteristic impedance, which only appears with RF.
7. A modem's downstream levels and MER are good, but its upstream transmit level is at maximum and the log shows repeated T3 timeouts. Where should you look first?
Answer: Excess loss or a fault in the return path at the premises. T3 timeouts mean the modem's ranging requests are not being answered by the CMTS, and maximum transmit level means the upstream path has too much loss or a fault. Check for extra splitters, a bad fitting or damaged cable between the modem and the tap. DNS and Wi-Fi problems do not stop the modem ranging.
8. A customer has no web browsing. The gateway is online with a public IP address, and a wired PC can ping 8.8.8.8 but cannot load any site by name. Which layer is the problem?
Answer: DNS name resolution. Pinging a public IP address proves the RF path, DOCSIS registration, DHCP and routing all work. Failing only on names points to DNS. Check the DNS servers handed out by the gateway or set manually on the PC. Work up the layers and stop at the first one that fails.
9. Video on one TV pixelates on the highest channels only. Other TVs in the home are fine on all channels, and the tap and ground block readings are good. Where is the fault most likely?
Answer: That outlet's branch: cable, fittings or splitter leg. If the tap, ground block and other outlets are good, the problem is between the splitter and that TV. High channels fail first when there is extra loss or a damaged cable or fitting, because loss rises with frequency. A node or headend fault would affect every TV and probably other homes.
10. A customer has dial tone when a phone is plugged straight into the eMTA's line port, but the phones on the home's wall jacks are dead. What is the most likely cause?
Answer: A fault in the inside telephone wiring to the jacks. Dial tone at the eMTA port proves the line is provisioned and the RF and DOCSIS paths work. The fault is in the inside wiring: a broken pair, a bad jack, or the house wiring not connected to the eMTA (or still connected to an old telephone company interface). Trace the pair from the eMTA to the jacks.
11. A wired laptop on the gateway gets the full subscribed speed, but Wi-Fi in a bedroom two floors away is slow and drops. What is the best fix?
Answer: Add a mesh node or wired access point near the bedroom. Full wired speed proves the plant and modem are fine, so the limit is Wi-Fi coverage. Floors and walls weaken the signal, especially at 5 GHz. A mesh node or wired access point closer to the room fixes coverage; RF work on the drop changes nothing.
12. A tap port delivers 16 dBmV at 1002 MHz. The drop is 150 ft of RG-6 with 6.0 dB of loss per 100 ft at that frequency, feeding a 4-way splitter with 7.0 dB of loss per port. What level reaches each outlet at 1002 MHz, ignoring fittings?
Answer: 0 dBmV. Cable loss is 150 ÷ 100 × 6.0 = 9.0 dB, so the splitter input is 16 − 9 = 7 dBmV. Subtract the 7.0 dB splitter loss: 7 − 7 = 0 dBmV. Forgetting the splitter gives +7 and forgetting the cable gives +9; always subtract every passive in the path.
13. A signal level meter reads +6 dBmV on a channel. About what voltage is that across 75 ohms?
Answer: 2 mV. dBmV is a voltage ratio to 1 mV, so +6 dB is 20 × log(2), a doubling: about 2 mV. +20 dBmV is 10 mV and −6 dBmV is about 0.5 mV. Don't treat dB as linear; each 6 dB doubles or halves the voltage.
14. A large home needs a drop amplifier to feed eight outlets. The customer also has phone service on an eMTA with battery backup. How should the amplifier be chosen and connected?
Answer: Use an amplifier with a passive port and connect the eMTA to it. On a passive (unamplified) port, the eMTA keeps working during a power outage, when the amplifier stops passing signal, and its upstream does not pass through the amplifier. A forward-only amp would block the eMTA's upstream entirely. Amplifiers go before the splitters, and cascading them adds noise and distortion.
15. In an apartment building, you must route new coax through a fire-rated wall between units. What is required after the cable passes through?
Answer: Seal the opening with a listed firestop system. The NEC requires that penetrations of fire-resistance-rated walls and floors be firestopped so the rating is restored. Use a listed firestop product installed per its system details. Fiberglass and ordinary foam are not rated, and leaving the hole open lets fire and smoke spread between units.

Get the full SCTE BPT prep

Most popular · cancel anytime

Premium Monthly

$147/month
per exam
About $4.83 a day · a fraction of a retest fee, for the credential that gets you on the bid list
  • The RCDD exam: full prep for the v15 blueprint
  • 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
  • Pass Guarantee: complete the prep, pass or 100% back

Renews monthly until you cancel. Cancel in two clicks from your account; you keep access until the end of the month you've paid for. No minimum term.

Best value · 3 months free

Premium Yearly

$1,323/year
per exam
Pay for 9 months, get 12. Save $441 against paying monthly.
  • The RCDD exam: full prep for the v15 blueprint
  • 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
  • Pass Guarantee: complete the prep, pass or 100% back

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.

Pass Guarantee. Complete the full prep, sit your exam within 60 days, and if you don't pass we refund 100% of your subscription payments. See the requirements
Secure checkout by Stripe Card, Apple Pay, Google Pay Pass Guarantee

SCTE BPT exam FAQ

How many questions are on the SCTE BPT exam?

50 questions, with a time limit of 2 hours; the exam cannot be paused and breaks are not allowed. 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.

What is the passing score for SCTE BPT?

76% (38 of 50 correct).

How much does the SCTE BPT exam cost?

US$125 for members and non-members (English exam); the Spanish exam is US$112 for non-members and US$84 for members. Each attempt needs a new fee, and the exam must be taken within one year of purchase. BICSI fees can change without notice, so confirm on bicsi.org before you apply.

Which languages is the SCTE BPT exam offered in?

English and Spanish (Técnico de Banda Ancha Domiciliaria).

Where do I take the SCTE BPT exam?

Online through the SCTE portal with Proctorio automated remote proctoring (Chrome or Edge browser, webcam, microphone and a government- or company-issued photo ID).

Is this SCTE BPT practice test free?

Yes. The 15-question practice test on this page is free, with an explanation for every answer and no signup. A free account also unlocks the complete study notes for the first topic. The full SCTE BPT prep is Premium at $147 a month for this exam.

What's in the premium SCTE BPT prep?

3,000 practice questions organized topic by topic (HFC, PON and FTTx Architectures: 375; RF Signals, Modulation and Impairments: 375; Test Equipment and Measurements: 375; Troubleshooting Process and High-Speed Data: 375; Video, Voice and FTTx Fault Resolution: 375; Wi-Fi and Home Networks: 375; Cable Math and Premises Network Design: 375; MDUs, Bonding and Safe Work Practices: 375), 6 full-length timed mock exams of 50 questions, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes split across all 8 topics, plus a mistakes bank and the Readiness Score.

Related practice tests

SCTE

SCTE Broadband Premises Installer (BPI)

BPI is SCTE's foundation certification for entry-level technicians who install video, voice and data services at the customer's premises over coax (DOCSIS) and fiber (PON).

15 free questions3,000 premium Qs · 6 mocks · 800 flashcards · 60 key notes
Start free test →
SCTE

SCTE Broadband Fiber Installer (BFI)

SCTE's BFI certification covers installing, verifying and troubleshooting fiber-to-the-home service, from PON and RFoG components to splicing, connectors, power budgets and OTDR work.

15 free questions3,000 premium Qs · 6 mocks · 800 flashcards · 60 key notes
Start free test →
SCTE

SCTE Broadband Fiber Transport Specialist (BFTS)

BFTS certifies knowledge of optical transport in cable access networks, from the transport facility to the node, across multiple architectures.

15 free questions3,000 premium Qs · 6 mocks · 800 flashcards · 60 key notes
Start free test →

Exam details are summarized from the official candidate information available in October 2026. BICSI changes formats and fees, so confirm with SCTE, a subsidiary of CableLabs before you book. RCDDQuizBank is not affiliated with BICSI or Pearson VUE.

Start the free test