A hand-held cable communicator unit 209 for technicians that enables voice and data communications across a cable network 205. The communicator includes a cable connector 401, a diplex filter 403, a transceiver circuit 409, 410, 413, 414, an audio circuit 419 and a control circuit 411. The transceiver circuit tunes to selected downstream and upstream channels signals. The audio circuit enables bidirectional voice communications using the selected channels signals via the cable network. The control circuit establishes a communication link and initiates and terminates communications. A communication system for field technicians of a cable network includes at least one communicator 209 and a central communicator 207 located at a point of distribution 201 of the cable network. The central communicator includes transceivers 305, 307, 309, 315, 317, 319, a switch matrix 311 and a controller. Each central transceiver establishes a communication link with any linked communicator 313. The switch matrix forwards upstream and downstream communications between linked communicators. The controller performs functions to establish communication connections.
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