 
kapil
The Kapil
join:2000-04-26
Chicago, IL |  It's high time for a "correction"
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AnonymousPerson
@optonline.net
| Re: It's high time for a "correction" I agree, there needs to be a correction. The government can start by shutting down the few companies that monopolize news coverage of the industry through these kind of antics (when was the last time a company was on the news for having honest business practices?). Then they could offer the media tax incentives to make their news coverage more representative of the overall picture rather than focusing on the select portion that boosts their ratings. | |
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| | Gilitar
join:2000-11-20
Mobile, AL | Re: It's high time for a "correction" Brilliant.... lets have the government start paying to censor the media.
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camstone
join:2003-12-11
Alexandria, VA
| Re: It's high time for a "correction" said by Gilitar  :Brilliant.... lets have the government start paying to censor the media. Three letters... F ... C ... C. | |
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AnonymousPerson
@optonline.net
| Who said anything about censoring? The program I am suggesting simply requests that the media include certain facts and statistics in their news reports to make things more representative, so when there is a corporate scandal, we hear about all of the other corporations that have done nothing of the sort, and when terrorists blow up bombs in Iraq, we hear about all of the places they did not blow up bombs, how many people did not live within proximity of the blasts and perhaps even some comparisons to how many gang shootings there are a day in the United States.
The US government already uses broadcast licenses to censor information that could jeopardize the lives of American citizens; basically the government says to the media, "you cannot broadcast without a license and you cannot have a license if you publish information deterimental to nation security." I do not know how anyone could imagine that the government would need another avenue to ensure sensitive information is not published, but I do know that there is a gargantuan difference between granting tax exemptions for including information and granting tax exemptions for excluding information. | |
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| | | | thinkingbear
Premium
join:2004-02-02
Campbell, CA
| Re: It's high time for a "correction" Dude, there are only so many minutes available in a news broadcast and you want them to go into detail about how many gang shootings there are in the US every time a bomb goes off in Iraq? And tell us how many people did not live in the area of the blast and how many places did not get bombed? Every time some corporation breaks the law we need to spend a newscast congratulating the other companies who were nice enough actually do what they are supposed to and follow the law? That is just not news, and I doubt most people would to hear it which is why media outlets don't do that already.
Even if that was a good idea, someone still has to decide what is to be aired, how to frame it, what factoids to highlight, how far to go with your 'program'. You really want the government in charge of that? | |
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AnonymousPerson
@optonline.net
| Re: It's high time for a "correction" Who said that the government would be incharge of it. They would simply be offered a tax incentive to mention certain facts that would have otherwise went unmentioned. If they do not want to mention them, then they can simply say no to the tax incentive. No one would be forcing them to take it. | |
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yock
TFTC
Premium
join:2000-11-21
Fairfield, OH
| said by kapil :The balance of power has shifted a wee bit too far in the favor of corporations, a correction is in order. Why such a drastic overreaction? This corruption was caught and correction is proceeding.
--
Wiki Wiki
First of all, if what I write appears to be too simplified, please excuse me. --Martin | |
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Balzer
Cat Man Dew
join:2000-12-18
Tulsa
 ·Cox HSI
| What gets me.. With out access to billing how did they (mastec) know weather or not it was connected?
The r15 needs it just for setup and then never again. Its a good idea for sports sub, one time i got an call where a customer had 2 boxes a game was black out on one but not the other, the difference the one not blacked out was connected to a phone and had made a call back.
It can also cause ppv problem if the customer doesn't tell the csr that its not connected to the phone line
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"The wireless telegraph is not difficult to understand. The ordinary telegraph is like a very long cat. You pull the tail in New York, and it meows in Los Angeles. The wireless is the same, only without the cat." - Albert Einstein | |
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| homers
join:2002-02-05
Santa Clarita, CA | Re: What gets me.. The R15 never, ever needs a phone line. | |
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| SuperSync
Five Star
Premium
join:2002-01-12
clubs:
 ·AT&T Southeast
| Mastec just wanted the extra cash from the installation of a phone jack, be it a wall jack, a baseboard jack, or a wireless phone jack. The techs put it on the installation sheet, the customer got hit with the extra $50 per receiver or so, Mastec got paid.
Now if there's already a jack in that room, I suppose it's a wash for Mastec. But they are banking on more than one room not having a phone jack, thus the extra charge. If the receiver got installed w/o a new phone jack where there wasn't one, they dinged the installer.
That's just wrong. Especially the part about telling the customer the receiver wouldn't work right, the television experience wouldn't be as good, or even the receiver might blow up.
If you read the fine print on ANY DirecTV/Dish Network deal (like where you get 4 receivers/rooms installed for free) there is ALWAYS fine print about substantial additional charges from anything considered NON-STANDARD about the installation. Could that be as simple as no phone jack, I dunno.
And just to think I was getting ready to bundle DTV with my telco and ditch Dish Network (which I installed myself 9 years ago)....uh oh.
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John Freeman
@rr.com
| Mastec is not wrong!! These Techs are LAZY, COMPLACENT, babies I mean workers. You can't even call them workers. They have no class and should do their jobs, make money, and go home with their families. That's the way my Fathers' generation did it. I'm so sick and tired of people complaining about EVERYTHING that's wrong with their jobs!! If it's so bad then just start your own multi-million dollar company. I'm sure you'll have no problem with that. Haha.
I personally know that Mastec Technicians have the opportunity to make over 60k/year, drive a company vehicle, GAS is paid for!!, Benefits, Discounted Directv etc...I guess it's never enough?
And by the way GEORGE BUSH SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | |
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truth69
@comcast.net
| Re: Mastec is not wrong!! You sir are mistaken. I work for mastec, we do not make 60k a year, we pay to drive those vehicles and benefits you have to be kidding. Those technicians work their butts off. If you call your local phone company and request a quote for phone jack installation the cost is at least $70.00 in most markets.
Mastec would like techs to run as many phone lines as needed for free. We are essentially employed contractors. How would you like to work for free. This is only the tip of the iceberg. Your opinion has no basis in fact. | |
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amsnc
@verizon.net
| Re: Mastec is not wrong!! Mastech has contacted me for employment. I went down and sat thru an interview and they offered me a job after I pass drug and background checks.
I have had my own installation company for the last 10 years and it seems Mastech is now sucking up all the work. They are telling me
$40 to $60 thousand a year. I asked to have a price schedule I would get paid per job and they skirted the question. Seemed fishy to me. I have been in this industry way to long to know contracts don't last forever and there are allot of people getting rich of the installers. I am reluctant to make a move without all the information on pay etc. What can you tell me. Why do they seem so secretive in this area when asked? How and what do they pay?
Thanks for any input
Wayne
amsnc@verizon.net | |
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| | | | dirtythirty
join:2006-05-15
Orlando, FL
| To Mr.Freeman
I have to tell a couple of things about us techs that got fired from Mastec...
1. Who have no idea what kind of workers we are
2. How do you know if we have class or not? Do you know us?
What kind of worker's do you think we are?
3. Who made you king so that you can put us down without even knowing what kind of people we are..Do you think we made this up? We spoke to everyone we needed to speak to about this and what did we get in return? Charge backs anywhere from $200. to $800. dollors.. SO now how should we let them kill our pay like that?
What you dont have a family?
4.You know nothing about what this company does to their employee's .. I have been with them for nine months and it has been the worst nine months of my life.
Before you talk all that junk you said about us maybe you should watch the news more closely. You think that local6 dont do their homework before it goes on air?
5.I think and truly feel that you are just talking all of this cause you have nothing better to do and also because your one of them... | |
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| | 
en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA | That's pretty sad. I have DirecTv installed with 3 tuners (free install no less), less than 2 years ago, and never had been told that I need to connect a phone line.
Corporate $$$ trying to make extra money any way they can. | |
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| | | Skippy25
join:2000-09-13
Hazelwood, MO
| Dish is no better. I have dish and my receiver tells me that the line is not plugged in and that some features are disabled.
The funniest thing about dish is that I have 2 HD receivers that I got so I can get local channels in HD since 1.) They dont offer them in St. Louis and 2.) Because OTA HD is better then cable or sats. However, if I do not pay their $6 HD enabling fee then they disable the component ports on the receivers. This is NOT one of their HD packages, those are $20 more then the regular subscriptions.
At least that is what I have been told multiple times. But this could be one of those lies. I even said to the last sales person I was talking to that he would have to admit that is pretty funny. He didnt get it so I said that it is like me buying a Toshiba DVD player and then them charging me $6 a month to have the component connection enabled so I can watch progressive scan. He said... "well ya, I see your point." | |
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| | | | jameswade
join:2001-12-09
Hot Springs, NC | Re: Dish is no better. I had just asked Dish about the phone line issue since I don't have a land line. I was told that we wold be charge $5 per month for every receiver that we used that was not connected to a phone line. | |
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tEP eternal
@Level3.net
| Re: Dish is no better. I have phone lines connected to the 2 recievers in my house and they are functioning, yet every day I see a nag screen about how I am being charged $5 a month (dish network) and I have called them on numerous occasions explaining to them that I have dial-up and when I am connected (which is most of the time) the receivers are incorrectly thinking they are not hooked up.
They tell me that it doesn't matter, but remove the charge and I go through it again in another month. When I am not connected I don't get the nag screen.
Go figure. | |
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| GhostDoggy
join:2005-05-11
Duluth, GA | Since I already have installed Hughes SD-DVR40's does this mean I can safely unplug them from the household phone line and not worry about their functionality in terms of guide information for season passes? | |
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Balzer
Cat Man Dew
join:2000-12-18
Tulsa | Re: What gets me.. you will get a nag screen for it to call in, but everything will work just fine | |
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| | | GhostDoggy
join:2005-05-11
Duluth, GA | Re: What gets me.. A nag screen? Is this in the menu, guide, or during video? | |
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Balzer
Cat Man Dew
join:2000-12-18
Tulsa | Re: What gets me.. i think it showes up in the messages or when u record - i have heard both | |
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Union Organizer
@verizon.net
| DirecTV's satellite uplink center in Castle Rock, Colorado sends a message to all receivers with the access card number that is listed under the Tech's ID number that activated the receiver (and closed the job to get paid). If that receiver doesn't call in as instructed, then it is considered a "non responder" and counts against the tech. However, type in "H-20 Problems" in google and see how many have modem failures due to poor quality production of all of DirecTV's receivers. Why does the tech have to pay for these? | |
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RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| Accuracy? While accurate reporting is not a staple of local television news operations, nor is it popular online, DirecTV did not fire the techs, since they do not work for DirecTV. Mastec did. There is a difference.
Of course a big headline of Mastec Techs Fired Over 'Copper Lie' Story doesn't have the same twang, does it? I guess it's OK to lie while reporting if it makes the story more sensational.
--
Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
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| DannyZ
Gentoo Fanboy
Premium
join:2003-01-29
Erie, PA | Re: Accuracy? Well, the word "Contractor" is immediately below. So it's accurate, but maybe a little biased.. | |
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| | RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| Re: Accuracy? So if I were to post DanZ23 Arrested in Child Porn Scandal but then in a small type subhead say but was released due to erroneous tip that would be OK with you?
Please. This is pandering of the worst kind.
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Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
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| | | oldmike
join:2005-04-14
Latonia, KY | Re: Accuracy? I have to agree with RadioDoc. The title is misleading, at best, and downright wrong, at worst. | |
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Derch
Premium
join:2004-10-16
Tulsa, OK | It's still an asshat thing to do. Now 40 techs in the Orlando area have to find new jobs. | |
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| | | | RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11 | Re: Accuracy? Oh I'm not saying it wasn't a full-on idiotic move. Let's just make sure the label gets slapped on the correct idiot.
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Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
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anonposter
@optonline.net
1 edit | Re: Accuracy?
Direct Tv is Sub contracting with mastech. So in a way yes they are employed by direct tv and direct tv should be standing up for these employee's.
I wouldn't doubt the state AG wanting to put in his two cents. As this company and in turn direct TV was committing FRAUD.
FRAUD in any means is completely unacceptable. | |
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footballdude
Premium
join:2002-08-13
Imperial, MO
| Re: Accuracy? said by anonposter :
Direct Tv is Sub contracting with mastech. So in a way yes they are employed by direct tv and direct tv should be standing up for these employee's.
Let's say I hire a construction company to put a new roof on my house. The workers show up and, during the course of the day, the foreman starts slapping around a lazy worker. Is it my fault the guy got slapped around? Only a lawyer would say 'yes'.
--
If Darwin was right and evolution really works, why are there so many stupid people out there? | |
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jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
 ·Verizon FIOS
| said by Derch :It's still an asshat thing to do. Now 40 techs in the Orlando area have to find new jobs. I think it will all work out in the end. Customers will still want satellite TV service and most will probably go somewhere besides Mastec for this, causing other DirecTV sellers to hire more techs to help with the extra installations. | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | I've added "/Mastech" for clarity... | |
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Camelot One
Premium,MVM
join:2001-11-21
Sarasota, FL
clubs:
| Re: Accuracy? To be honest, I think "DirecTV" should be removed from the article headline all together. DirecTV/Mastec tech's weren't fired, Mastec techs were fired by Mastec. DirecTV had nothing to do with it, nor is this practice common among other DirecTV contractors.
DirecTV has no shortage of their own shortcomings, but if when you start grouping them with things they haven't done, the crap they ARE responsible for gets less noticed.
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AMD X2 4800+ @2700Mhz/ MSI K8N Neo 4 Platinum SLI/ 4x 1024Mb Corsair XMS PC4000/ WD 74Gb Raptor/ PNY 7800GTs SLI/ Antec 550 True Control/Custom water cooler | |
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Barney Fife
@bellsouth.net | Re: Accuracy? A Mastec employee must go thru a background invest. and be approved by DirecTV before being hired. Mastec is the largest HSP (Home service provider)for directv. In FL there are more people using Cell as there phone than land lines. | |
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SND2005
Premium
join:2001-09-15
Im Over Here | What's wrong with a little left wing slant right!? lol | |
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| | | viperlmw
Premium
join:2005-01-25
·Qwest.net
| Re: Accuracy? The headline is accurate. It doesn't state that the techs work for DirecTV, it indicates that they are DirecTV technicians. As these techs install and service DirecTV systems, that makes them DirecTV techs employed by Mastec. So everyone get off of the corporate lapdog bandwagon. Since it's DirecTV's policy to hire contractors to do this work, instead of hiring and training their own installers, they are culpable for the mistakes and illegal tactics used by these contractors. This type of labor practice just high-lites the need for union representation and collective bargaining. | |
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camstone
join:2003-12-11
Alexandria, VA
| Mastec is a subcontractor to DirecTV.
If the subcontractor is completely at fault, then I'd agree... however, I have seldom seen a subcontract do more than scratch their ass unless it was directed or implied by the main contractor.
If my power goes out, should I blame the power company, or the company who made the wire that comes into my house if I find the wires laying in the street?
Prove the fault, I agree... but until then, pressure the contractor to not accept the practice, make good, and never accept it again. | |
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AthlGrond
Premium,MVM
join:2002-04-25
Aurora, CO
·Comcast
| More Self Inflicted Problems The bosses at Mastec's Orlando office had no comment when Local 6 News first investigated the allegations, the report said.
...
Mastec sent Local 6 News a letter after the initial investigation aired, saying the report misrepresented some of the facts. It's not like they weren't asked for a comment, right?
Sounds like someone isn't thinking too far ahead in that company.
--
"When you're an Anvil, hold you still;When you're a Hammer, strike your Fill." -- Benjamin Franklin | |
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bbenso1
join:2004-11-28
Baltimore, MD
| Lawsuit in the making? Is it even legal for Mastec to fire it's employees for reporting what should be illegal activities (lying to customers)? What grounds do they have for termination? I'm expecting some lawsuits against Mastec from some of those terminated employees. Then again, IANAL so maybe I'm way off here. | |
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| moonpuppy
join:2000-08-21
Glen Burnie, MD
·Verizon Online DSL
| Re: Lawsuit in the making? said by bbenso1 :Is it even legal for Mastec to fire it's employees for reporting what should be illegal activities (lying to customers)? What grounds do they have for termination? I'm expecting some lawsuits against Mastec from some of those terminated employees. Then again, IANAL so maybe I'm way off here. Mastec can use the "non-disclosure" agreement rule. It doesn't apply when a crime has been committed (fraud and deception) but that will be their initial defense.
The employees can sue for wrongful termination but that will be along drawn out process. | |
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arctic7
@bellsouth.net | Florida is not a 'right to work' state. Employers are not required to give an explanation for terminating an employee. | |
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| | viperlmw
Premium
join:2005-01-25
·Qwest.net
| Re: Lawsuit in the making? said by arctic7 :
Florida is not a 'right to work' state. Employers are not required to give an explanation for terminating an employee.
What the hell does 'Right to Work' have to do with explaining termination to an employee? Right to work [FOR LESS] is anti-union legislation pushed by republicans that enables companies to encourage employees to stay away from unions, even if they are working for a union shop. 'Right to Work' is actually Orwell/Bush-speek by actually being the opposite of what it says. I live in a 'Right to Work' [FOR LESS] state, and you can be fired on the spot, for no reason, unless covered by collective bargaining, or other agreement of regulation (read government employee). | |
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installer
@verizon.net | The employees were fired because they went to the news station in their company vans during their shift. I'm not saying it was right but they all should of atleast came in their own vehicles, although it made a good statement. | |
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toadlife
Premium
join:2004-05-03
Lemoore, CA | I look forward to... ...reading about the pending lawsuit. | |
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SuperSync
Five Star
Premium
join:2002-01-12
clubs: | Whooops. I'm sure the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) will also be involved.
I'm wondering who MasTec will be using for installers in this area now, or if DTV will dump them entirely there due to bad press. | |
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| RWill55904
join:2006-02-02
Rochester, MN | Re: Whooops. Per most Dish companies, this is usually a normal practice of "witholding" or "embellishing" information.These are things that most people would probably not want to know but neesd to know when they make a buying decision | |
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RayW
Premium
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT
clubs:
·XMission
| Blame pointing and right or wrong I will not debate the correctness of the title of the news blurb since I do not know all of the details, but things like the equating to a porn pick up followed by a small retraction are even more stupid than the title.
Having been a contractor at times in my career, I have some knowledge of the employment situation that may make that headline more understandable to some people here. You need to consider that MasTec is nothing more than a job shop, a huge one, but at the core a job shop.
A company who needs people that they do not want hire for various reasons like ability to fire or to avoid retirement costs (DirecTV), they go to people like MasTec. MasTec will hire people off the street if they need to to get a body to send to the company. The hired body gets paid by MasTec *BUT* takes his orders from the company that hired him from MasTec. If that company wants to dump the MasTec contractor, tough for the worker. MasTec has very little reason to keep him.
I never considered myself an employee as a contractor, more like a piece of slave labor. But many people do work for firms like MasTec and enjoy it.
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I am not lost, I find myself every time. | |
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| gensai
join:2006-04-15
Seattle, WA | Re: Blame pointing and right or wrong kinda a temp service, but with 1 client. I know what you mean. | |
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digiblur
Got Sipura?
Premium
join:2002-06-03
Louisiana | FreeWorldDialup works just fine for satellite boxes.... FreeWorldDialup works just fine for satellite boxes.... | |
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jwyles
Yeah
Premium
join:2002-08-13
Saxton, PA
1 edit | DirecTV promotes the requirement for phone lines... I think DirecTV also had a hand in this. I was told on the phone by DirecTV that I MUST have phone lines hooked up or I would get charged FULL subscriptions on each receiver rather then the ~$5 / receiver fee. If I recall it was also on their automated messages... Part of the reason DirecTV wants people to have a phone line connection because some people "sell" boxes to people in their neighborhood and charge a monthly rate for them. If they get enough people their subscription is basically paid for.
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Adelphia Powerlink - Huntingdon, PA Office - Subscribe to Premier - 6000/768 - Average 6000/854 | |
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| | compton
join:2002-02-08
Brooklyn, NY
| Re: DirecTV promotes the requirement for phone lines... It is quite legal for Mastec to fire those employees. My guess is that those employees that were fired were actually independent contractors, and their contracts were terminated. If they were contractors then their contracts can be terminated at anytime for any reason. | |
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MrBentor
join:2003-02-18
Seattle, WA | But... But... I don't have a phone. At least not a land line phone, I have cellular and that's it.
So what else can go wrong? | |
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batterup
I Can Not Tell A Lie.
Premium
join:2003-02-06
Netcong, NJ
clubs: | Obviously not represented employees. I guarantee that the people fired were no part of a union. | |
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mwmcclure1
join:2005-02-15
Greer, SC
| Just make it TOS If having the device connected to the phone line is so important to DirecTV, why don't they just make it a requirement for service? Put it in the TOS and turn off their decryption card if you haven't seen the box check in after 60 days.
No lies. No arguments about whether it is necessary. Just policy, ma'am. | |
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dtv tech
@charter.com
| mastec are the bad guys not directv Dtv will not require customers to have a phone line because we have so many customers that only have cell phones.they cannot require some customers to have a phone line and not others, customers wouldn't stand for it.they definitely aren't going to give up all of those cell phone customers, it's a growing trend.
Those techs that were fired were employees of mastec.The whole phone line issue comes down directly from directv. Directv wants all recievers hooked up to a phone line. that is not possible. they eastablished an acceptable percentage which can normally be reached, but not all ways.when this percentage is not reached back charges apply from directv passed on down.
Directv uses these phone lines for many reasons. All of which I would be glad to discuss later in a different post.[tired of typing] Mastec are the ones who deal directly with the technicians about implementing these policies. They are the ones who tell technicians to lie and do what ever it takes to get phone lines hooked up.
The wrong in all of this comes from lying to the customer[only the ones who have a land based phone line] and leading them to believe that they have to have a phone line when they don't.None of they recievers need a phone line to operate.
It is a very complex problem with several spins. | |
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Raydr
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-19
Carrollton, TX
·Verizon FIOS
| I hate to say it.... ...but most of you guys posting have no idea what this is truly about.
People love to speculate, and news stations love to raise their ratings.
I'll leave it at that.
I hate to be vague, but I have my reasons at the moment. However, feel free to look at the MVM tag next to my name before jumping on me. (Also, mods may look at the hostname from where I'm posting and it'll all fall into place for you.  | |
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broadbandjunkytech
@charter.com
| Re: I hate to say it.... I am a Technician for a fairly large HSP. Here is what my supervisor's tell me : Any DVR whether old, new, HD or standard requires a phone line connection to function properly and we are not allowed to install them without an active land based phone line connected. DirecTV imposes criteria for HSP's to abide. One of the criteria is that 60% of all recievers installed MUST be a "responder", therefore, you (as a tech) are allowed 40% of your total recievers installed to be "non-responders". We do not get "chargebacks" as technicians, however, the company I am employed by does. I do NOT recieve extra compensation for installing them, they are included in the "Free Basic Professional Installation". There are very few circumstances where any of my customers get charged for "custom work", that is work not included in the free "BASIC" professional installation.
From what I have gathered DirecTV is paying my company for a complete installation including : Mounting the ODU (outside dish unit) to the customers home or on a pole cemented in the ground. Running all cables required for proper funcionality of all recievers including phone lines/jacks. When any given reciever does not "respond" the HSP is then charged back from directv for the portion of the installation that has not been completed.
That being said, this Mastech or whatever company charging back the Technicians for said reasons is simply recovering paid money to techs that should have never been paid to them in the first place. It seems to me that the pay should be broken down further, and in this I am referring to techs that get paid by the job, not hourly employees. Hourly employees should never get a chargeback because they simply provide labor/time. Employees who get paid by the job should get paid for A. Mounting a Dish B. Cabling from ODU to IRD C. Phone Lines/Jacks D. "Custom" work such as wall fishes, additional outlets without an IRD, etc. I'm sure more things should be in there, but you should get the idea. I also think the techs that are not hourly should get paid more for Advanced Equipment that requires more work and time to properly install. =)
On installations that are not to have an active land based phone line connected to all recievers I am required to call my local HSP office and have the account noted for said reason, so I am supposedly "protected" from disciplinary action imposed for "out-of-compliance responder rates".
Anyway.... its just all a bunch of freaking bullshit blah blah blah... If these employees were fired unjustly, take it to court. As far as the lies go, from a techs standpoint, I can completely understand WHY some lie and say its required ~ less bullshit for them to have to deal with, job security, etc... /sigh | |
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WNC TECHS
@verizon.net
| Direct TV contractors suck I worked for Advanced Technologies....formerly known as "Ron's TV" for approximately 2 1/2 years. Ron Phillips got rich somewhere to the tune of $55 million whenever he was bought out by Mastec. Mastec let whoever they didn't care for go and moved on understaffed. They didn't have enough installers because of people leaving the company due to pay cuts. Do you ever see the white vans with DirecTV plastered all over the sides of them? Those vans that none of us wanted to drive come at a premium! You are talking basically a 33% percent pay cut! In 2 1/2 years I never used 33% percent of my weekly pay for gas. But with the van, you get a gas card. How about that? You get free gas if you help them pay their lease payments!
To make a long story short, I am still waiting for a profit sharing check almost one year after it was promised by Ron Philips, previous owner of Ron's TV out of Piedmont, South Carolina. It seems that while he can sit on a beach and sip cocktails any time he wants, he should be able to send the technicians and other people that made that possible their money that he promised! It was not an easy job, based on the fact that in all my 36 years, I have never worked for such a piss-poor company as Advanced Technologies/Ron's TV! They were a totally un-organized mess. You were expected to work rain, snow or shine and do it 6 days a freakin week. Needless to say that I don’t miss the job at all!
As far as the phone lines go, Direct Tv wants them connected to all receivers. That is so your 5 year old can accidently rent pay per view with remote and whenever you call in to dispute charges, they can say, “Sorry, but such and such event, movie, or whatever was rented on such and such date.” And then you can say that you don’t believe that your child would rent such an adult film. Anyways, we used to always run them for free.
Hey Ron Phillips, if you get this while surfing the web with your laptop on the baech somewhere sipping Mai-Tais,,,, where is our damn money that you promised us?
Former WNC Technician Alliance | |
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DirecTV/Mastech Techs Fired Over 'Copper Lie' Story
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