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DirecTV Installers: Tell The Truth? Fined! Reveal That? Fired!

from the yeah,-that-looks-good dept

Fri, May 5th 2006 3:07pm — Mike Masnick

Earlier this week, we wrote about a bunch of DirecTV installers (who work for a contractor) who blew the whistle on the fact that their employer told them to lie to customers, saying that a phone line was required to be hooked up to the DirecTV box. If they didn't lie and get customers to hook up the phone line, the installers were fined $5 per box that wasn't hooked up that way. DirecTV wants the connections to make it easier for them to track usage and to push pay-per-view content on users. Of course, now that the story has been exposed, rather than apologize or explain their position... the contractor in question fired the complaining installers (found via Broadband Reports). It's not too surprising that a company that believes lying to customers is a good policy would also figure that whistleblower protection laws don't really apply either.

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PseudoDragon (profile), 5 May 2006 @ 3:22pm

lies....never
what do you meen that satalite companys lie. they dont lie, (i was being sarcastic). Satalite companys have been lieing to their customers for years and years about everything, from channel linup to actual priceing and the actual price they will see on their bill every month, its just that they only own the satalites in space and and about 90% of the communication process involved then charge phony fees and tell the customer that the goverment is forceing them to charge them. lies, lies, and more lies, thats all iv ever hear from satalite companys.
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- Mikester, 5 May 2006 @ 3:26pm
  
  Re: lies....never
  Buddy, you need to use the spell-checker in the Google toolbar. Every other word in that post was spelt wrong. I know I'm not perfect, but that was just... annoying.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Monarch, 5 May 2006 @ 3:39pm
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    Ditto and I Second that!!!
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 5 May 2006 @ 5:24pm
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    Ok, the spelling wasn't the greatest, but what about the content of the post ?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 20 Sep 2019 @ 4:16pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: lies....never
      Exactly
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - cccc, 5 May 2006 @ 8:39pm
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    There is no such word as "spelt."
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 5 May 2006 @ 9:36pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: lies....never
      From: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=spelt
      
      v. spelled, or spelt (splt) spell·ing, spells
      v. tr.
      
      1. To name or write in order the letters constituting (a word or part of a word).
      2. To constitute the letters of (a word): These letters spell animal.
      3. To add up to; signify: Their unwise investment could spell financial ruin.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - yes there is, 5 May 2006 @ 9:41pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: lies....never
      No such word as spelt huh? http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=spelt&db=*
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - eduardo, 6 May 2006 @ 6:47am
      
      Re: Re: Re: lies....never
      too little too late ...
      people who fall for the satellite tv trap deserve to get customer service from New Dheli. The DirecTV installer that came to my house said they needed an extra $150 to put a post in the ground. When I told them to leave the stuff and I would set it up myself, they did it for free.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Kirby, 12 May 2006 @ 8:02am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: lies....never
        I'm a satellite sub-contractor. I install both Directv and Dishnetwork systems. The installer should have charged about $45.00 if a pole and cement were provided and that is only if he supplies his own equipment like I do. Some companies furnish their installers with all equipment. If that is the case then he should not have charged anything. If the installer had to bury more than 25 feet of cable then there is a charge per foot or the customer can bury the cable.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - Former DTV Installer, 17 Aug 2011 @ 10:15am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: lies....never
        I used to install DirecTV as a subcontractor. The installer is charged $6 per receiver that they install without a phone line connected if their percentage of receivers that are connected falls below 45%.
        
        As for the pole mount - we were allowed to charge extra for for requests that did not fall under the "standard installation" umbrella. This includes pole mounts. We have to buy the poles and concrete and they take longer. Because we are paid by the job, a pole mount means you are wasting your time because any money you would have made is lost and you are behind the rest of the day. They did it for free because DirecTV would rather crap on their technicians than lose a customer. We are told that we can charge, but if the customer is going to cancel then we have to do it for free.
        
        Being an installer is a terrible gig. You are treated like a slave and expected to work a minimum of 12 hours a day, six days a week. You have to be at their beck and call and you don't even know what you are doing the next day until after 11pm the night before. They do not care if you get sick, if your kid is graduating high school or is in a car accident or one of your parents die. You have to request a day off 2 weeks in advance - period. Tragedy does not give that much notice. This why you see my name is "Former" DTV Installer!
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 23 Jan 2012 @ 11:03pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: lies....never
      actually there is it is a type of wheat.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Dudester, 6 May 2006 @ 12:00am
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    Get a life.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Fred, 6 May 2006 @ 11:52am
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    You should pick up a dictionary. "Spelt" I think you meant "spelled". Spelt (noun) a hardy variety of wheat of inferior quality, sometimes grown in mountainous regions. Latin name: Triticum spelta
    
    Before you clown someone, check yourself first.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Minion, 6 May 2006 @ 2:05pm
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    The word "spelt" isn't in the dictionary. Take your own advice.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2006 @ 3:01pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: lies....never
      "The word "spelt" isn't in the dictionary. Take your own advice."
      
      Gullible is not in the dictionary either - go look it up.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - sorry to bring it back up but...., 6 May 2006 @ 4:48pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: lies....never
        I hate to continue this but "spelt" and "gullible" are both in the dictionary. Spelt is under spell and gullible is also in there, I think you should go visit that dictionary again.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - ronnie, 11 Jun 2008 @ 7:36pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: lies....never
      Spelling is under another forum, maybe english! Stick to the satellite forum.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 4 Jul 2006 @ 2:39am
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    spelt...that's not annoying whatsoever.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 11 Jan 2007 @ 12:29am
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    Spelt? Spellchecker may help you also.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 14 May 2007 @ 2:13pm
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    Spelt? You should take your own advice.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Olivia, 29 Sep 2007 @ 10:43am
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    It's SPELLED, not SPELT.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 6 Apr 2009 @ 2:11pm
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    there is no such word as spelt....try spelled
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Spell Check, 30 Jul 2009 @ 4:19pm
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    Spelled...not Spelt
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - rambler1, 19 Sep 2009 @ 10:26am
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    What does "spelt" mean?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - rambler1, 19 Sep 2009 @ 10:30am
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    What does "spelt" mean?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Ass_Farmer, 11 Oct 2010 @ 10:48am
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    Buddy, spelt is not a word, so until you come to a point when you can read and write properly, don't try to correct other people's spelling mistakes. IT IS "spelled" not spelt
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Metabo, 14 Jul 2015 @ 4:57pm
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    You're wrong, every other word is not spelled wrong. Only some. You exaggerate with impunity. What you should find annoying is satellite companies.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - chitownjoe, 21 Aug 2020 @ 5:11pm
    
    Re: Re: lies....never
    spelt??????
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Eddie T, 6 May 2006 @ 7:14am
  
  Re: lies....never
  Have you considered running spell-check on your comments? If not, please do.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Oy!, 6 May 2006 @ 6:32pm
  
  Re: lies....never
  Good lord... your second grade English teacher must be rolling in her grave.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- SharqMan, 7 May 2006 @ 9:33am
  
  Re: lies....never & The truth of Dish Network
  It is sometimes tough to stay on focus when you read a post as badly crafted as this one. But the reality is, Dish Network ans always been a very straightforward company for me. Much cheaper than and cable provider I have ever encountered. Taxes and fees are outrageous for both sattelite and cable companies so it is a poor argument to mention one and not the other. What I like best about Dish Network is that there are several pricing plans to choose from depending on your interest level. Sattelite companies are also likely to be the first to offer an a la carte pricing model so you only choose and pay for the channels you want to watch.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- None of Your Business, 12 May 2006 @ 6:16pm
  
  Re: lies....never
  Hey man, if you want to be taken seriously and thought of as having anything intelligent to say then my suggestion would not only be to use spell check but to actually learn how to spell.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Michael Abrams, 20 Jun 2008 @ 10:33pm
  
  Re: lies....never
  I will say that some companies will lie, but as an indepentant installer I will not lie to my customers...and if I can't find your home for an insatll I will call(read that somewhere in this post.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 28 Mar 2018 @ 9:45am
  
  Re: lies....never
  Contractors install equipment. They do not set pricing, channel line-ups and the only additional charges would be for custom work....such as wall fishes, trenching and so forth.
  Get your facts straight.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Starky, 5 May 2006 @ 4:22pm

Re: Re: lies
Not every other, but still, 15/80 (not counting "and", "the", "to", "is", etc.) misspelled (Not counting Grammar errors)
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Spell Checkerer, 5 May 2006 @ 5:24pm

Spelting
Mikester, Spelt is something found in food. Words are SPELLED wrong...but I think (HOPE) you gnu that.
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- Paradigm Shifty, 6 May 2006 @ 7:43pm
  
  Re: Spelting
  "Spelt" is an acceptable spelling of the past tense of spell. It is more often in use in the UK than the US. Being a worldly type, I simply assumed I was dealing with a brit, and left well enough alone.
  
  Verizon, as I'm sure other broadband providers do as well, has software that is supposed to assist in tracking problems. It has the side effect of slowing down your connection and making it take longer to connect if you need to do that. They don't tell their customers about it, and will dodge questions concerning it.
  
  I know that because I used to work for Verizon.
  
  None of this is really too surprising. It is nevertheless a bit nauseating.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - mark, 7 May 2006 @ 6:10am
    
    Re: Re: Spelting
    Of course its most often used in the UK. They also actually say "whilst" out loud....
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2006 @ 10:20am
  
  Re: Spelting
  Simply incorrect. The past participle of 'spell" is 'spelt'. Or, perhaps, you know of a more authoritative source than the Oxford English Dictionary.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Joyce, 2 Aug 2007 @ 2:09pm
  
  Re: Spelting
  If you were educated enough to be familiar with British English, you would have known that the past tense of 'spell' is "spelt". That is the way we, the British do it. Incidentally, to all you dunce Americans, the past tense of 'shine' is 'shone'. Not 'shined' as you Americans say. There is no such word as 'shined'. Cheers.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - yo daddy, tramp, 8 Aug 2007 @ 7:20pm
    
    Re: Re: Spelting
    you smug, fool.....You'll never get how WE do. We change tha game everyday as americans. More style, more class, you brits just show your ass.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - David Hutson, 24 Apr 2016 @ 11:34am
      
      Re: Re: Re: Spelting
      Hmm. It appears that you just "made" British gentleman's point. ( And showed your ass, about this whole thing.)
      The "AMERICAN HERITAGE DICTIONARY" has TWO definitions for the word "SPELT", one right next to the other. The first is "A HARDY WHEAT". The second definition is "A past tense, and past participle of spell".
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- dkmomma, 10 Jan 2008 @ 7:15pm
  
  Re: Spelting by Spell Checkerer
  You rock.
  No gnus is good gnus with Gary Gnu! (I just soooo dated myself! HA!)
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
maddy, 5 May 2006 @ 5:48pm

are we debating whether a person can spell correctly while typing or are we discussing "Satelllite companies lying to their customers"?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- mod_me_down, 5 May 2006 @ 5:56pm
  
  to topic or not to topic
  Apparently the discussion about spelling is more engaging than the topic of the story....
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- jessica, 19 Sep 2009 @ 6:44pm
  
  Re: satellite to spelling. . . get a life
  WHO GIVES A DAMN about how these ppl are spelling? ALMOST 80% OF THE WORLD CANT SPELL HALF THE THINGS THEY WRITE CORRECTLY- google it, youll be surprised. ANYWAYS BACK TO THE SATELLITE ISSUE (which if you nitwit spell-checkers remember was the TOPIC of this post)- DIRECTV is a complete SCAM. I used to work there, have friends that work there. That whole REBATE system- a complete lie. It really is. But my question is- IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT? Cuz all I got is no. . .
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 5 May 2006 @ 6:00pm

Ohhhh!
Burned!
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lee, 5 May 2006 @ 6:01pm

my installer was fine without the phone line but told me I would see 25 more hd channels in january. What a rip off to see only a handful.
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- Motor_Head, 5 May 2006 @ 6:17pm
  
  Re:
  They were telling me that "25 more HD channels" line 2 years ago. I dropped them like a bad habbit, and am using comcast. Not perfect, but more HD, my cable modem, and I am using VOIP...so it was a winning situation.
  
  Oh, and I agree with the need for spell check on the first post. It hurt my brain to read that.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - obo, 13 Feb 2008 @ 2:28am
    
    Re: Re:
    hey habit not habbit
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - nick, 16 Oct 2008 @ 8:23pm
    
    Re: Re:i like your comment
    I work for Comcast,thanks for the support,we need more people like you.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2006 @ 12:02am
  
  Re:
  When will people learn that it doesn't exist unless it's in writing. Just because some installer told you it would be this way doesn't mean squat. Wake up sheep! This is corporate we're talking about!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
john, 5 May 2006 @ 6:16pm

Lied? So what.
I was under the impression that we as a society thought that lying was a good thing. Or is it only when politicans in our party lie that it's okay?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- JR, 6 May 2006 @ 11:10am
  
  Re: Lied? So what.
  Party? You have a party?
  
  Hey, everyone! Party at John's house !
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Harry, 5 May 2006 @ 6:17pm

DirectTV Lies
My office told me the installer couldn't find my house three times in a row, never calling for directions or typing it in mapquest.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- AOC, 5 Jul 2006 @ 10:55am
  
  Re: DirectTV Lies
  Directv also told me service tech could not find my house. He was supposed to arrive between 1-5PM. Received a call late saying he would be at my home by 7:45Pm. Next call came saying he could not find my house. Guess he didn't want to work in the dark! Scheduled another appointment for 4 days later betwwen 8am-4pm. At 11:50 woman from local contractors office called to ask if tech was there yet. I said no. She stated he had just finished in the adjacent town ahd would be there shortly. At 12:15 pm another lady called(not the same as the first) and said tech was running late and would be there "sooner rather than later"around 3pm. I informed her that the first lady I spoke to told me he was in the adjacent town and would be there shortly. I asked her what was going on. She repeated he would be there "sooner rather than later" angrily. I told her I would wait until 3pm then I had errand to run. You guessed it at 2:50pm the first lady called again to say that the tech would not be there. He had a family emergency. She told me I could reschedule at my earliest convenience(what a joke!!!). I told her never mind since I would be cancelling my directv service. I will never have to deal with this local service company again!! When I called Directv to cancel they wanted to know why. I explained what happened and told them that if they can not service my dish then I do not want it. It's a shame because I even went through the expense of having trees removed, pruned to keep it. It's been well over a month and I still do not have tv.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - chris, 23 Oct 2006 @ 2:15am
    
    Re: Re: DirectTV Lies
    this is fed up if i couldent find a home or the place i would call the custumer or get the number so i can eather have them meet me or give me dirctions
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - dracozny, 26 Nov 2006 @ 10:46am
      
      Re: Re: Re: DirectTV Lies
      This is a two way street, i have techs that lie and i have customers that do the same, I have door tagged houses only to have a customer call 3 hours later and say they were home the whole time and that i never showed up. if this is true why did they not answer their phone or the door when i was there, I have had techs tell me I can't find the house or they have no line of sight, if this is true then why was the house marked with big numbers on the driveway on a road that is easily mapquested .....
      
      blaming each other for lieing. whats the point they both lied over one thing or another, how many CSR's have lied to uou because they just didn't know the answer, how many lies did the customer make to get thier install date sooner or with diff equip, (I ORDERED A HIGHDEF) we have heard them all, if you just tell the truth to others as well as yourself the problems will be a whole lot smaller. and for heavens sake IT'S ONLY TV!!!!!
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - re:Directv sucks, 28 Nov 2006 @ 11:20am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: DirectTV Lies
        I have been installing directv for about 3 months now
        and every p.o.v. / c.o.v. that works there hates it.
        I was trained by a tec that would talk himself out of more work then he would do.Our pay was cut already.The p.o.v."s{personally owned vehical}get paid by points.$5.97 per point.A 1box install pays 8
        points 4 points each additional box.Problem is driving 200 miles aday to do your work 12 to 14 hrs aday ,trying to run the new phonelines and jacks being on the phone for sometimes 45min. or more (opening,the job which our call center is in Indina!'activating the acess cards and finally closing the job which HABIBB on the other line has to talk to the customer which they cant understand!I can go on and on about how bad it is for us techs.I think that the window has been closed for quite sometime to make good money and have a good job installing dtv.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- RICK, 12 Apr 2011 @ 12:30pm
  
  Re: DirectTV Lies
  THAT IS JUST THE START, PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON BEHIND THERE BACKS I AM AN INSTALLER OF TEN YEARS, FORCED PROTECTION PLANS,BILL DOUBLES OR TRIPLES AFTER FIRST YEAR,INSTALLERS TAKE THE EQUIPMENT AND THROW IT IN THE GARBAGE CAN WHEN IT IS LEASED AND THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR IT NOW THEY HAVE BROUGHT CONTRACTORS IN AND THEY ARE STEALING THE TECHS MONEY OUT FROM UNDER THEM AND CONTRACTORS ARE GAINING A MONOPOLY AND THROWING OUT INSTALLERS THAT ARE ON TO THEIR DISHONESTY BY BLACKBALLING THEM FROM WORKING....
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - pissed off contractor, 11 Oct 2011 @ 8:08am
    
    Re: Re: DirectTV Lies
    you need to talk to contractors. we get charged for you going out to replace bad a IRD, power incerter and if the coustomers TV goes out. $49. a pop. now is that fair?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Alex Hagen, 5 May 2006 @ 6:19pm

Wow
I don't know what surprises me more; the fact that DirectTV is lying to their customers, or the fact that people posting on Internet forums generally can't spell very well.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- like it matters, 5 May 2006 @ 6:38pm
  
  I'm dyslexic and i could not even tell that there was anything was messed up in his post since it doesnt matter if anything was wrong. if you read phanetically it all makes sence anyway or if you can fallow the contex of what he is saying its also easy to read. so if you combine the two its really easy to read.
  
  the need for correct spelling means nothing unless its so bad, that even the person who wrote it, is unable to read it.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 5 May 2006 @ 6:38pm
    
    Re:
    was anything was messed should read as
    
    was anything that was messed
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - gino, 6 May 2006 @ 6:27am
    
    Re: phonetic spelling
    Do you ever worry that your doctor might give you a prescription using phonetic spelling?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Tatheg, 6 May 2006 @ 12:44pm
      
      Re: Re: phonetic spelling
      I would worry if my doctor was writing prescriptions online. I can't read a thing on the little prescription pad.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - LiLWiP, 8 May 2006 @ 6:57am
    
    Off Topic Rant
    Re: Like it matters
    
    While it is sad that you suffer from dyslexia...
    
    Yes it DOES matter. People are continuously complaining about how poor our education system is and we are being taxed to death to "improve" it. The OP should KNOW how to spell satellite, lying, and lineup. It isn't like he used the word floccinaucinihilipilification in the post. That I could ALMOST forgive a typo on. We preach ebonics, new math, and intelligent design constantly but noone seems to care that kids coming out of our school system can't fucking speak or spell in their native tongue! The National Anthem of the USA is now being sung in SPANISH because heaven forbid the illigal immigrants can't sing along at the baseball game. Let's get back to the basics. It is not ok to type "teh intarweb". It doesn't make you look L33t, it makes you look retarded.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
annonymouse, 5 May 2006 @ 6:34pm

haha
i don't understand why people can't spell very well, and if u can't then just get the google toolbar for firefox. yes, firefox. ok, fine, i admit, now in a discussion for sattellite TV i am putting in a good word for google and firefox.......at least that is better than watching a billion TV ads. and yes, i intentionally spell anonymous wrong.
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- Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2006 @ 7:30pm
  
  Re: haha
  w00t for proxys =p ;)
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Alex Hagen, 5 May 2006 @ 6:38pm

Whistle Blowers?
You know Mike, the last time I checked the term "whistleblower" covered employees that report illegal actions, not just immoral ones. So the AT&T technician who reported illegal NSA wiretapping, he's a whistleblower, but these guys are not.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2006 @ 8:37am
  
  Re: Whistle Blowers?
  Except there was nothing illegal about the NSA wiretapping, so he's not a whistleblower. He's a felon. Divulging classified information is a felony. The paper that printed it should also be held accountable.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Bogamol, 6 May 2006 @ 9:10pm
  
  Re: Whistle Blowers?
  It's not illegal to lie to your customers about this sort of thing? I thought this behavior was covered in a number of consumer protection laws that we have. Caveat Venditor!
  
  Bogamol
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
crucifest, 5 May 2006 @ 6:39pm

Clouds
DirecTV and Dish have the same liability. Shgould the clear skies fill with clouds, you are in trouble. You lose your signal. Re the "lies" - wasn't this just one goon who owns an installation company. This fraudulent scheme didn't come from corporate headquarters - it was "the contractor in question"
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
garfalk, 5 May 2006 @ 6:42pm

satelite sucketh
as i said before, to the hate of anonymous coward:
Satellite. Sucks. My. Balls.

so ther you have it. the number one reason to buy radio. like in the 1920's.
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Hairball, 5 May 2006 @ 6:58pm

TV is such a waste
As a college student, TV is a luxury. Perhaps I'm becoming used to not having a TV, but there's nothing good on nowdays. I will admit, I got hooked on 24. But i downloaded those. Being poor makes me choose between internet and cable. And watching TV is much more of a waste than WoW.

So everyone go pay your $97/month on your hi def cable/satelite while us poor people make the next eBay (i hope... but don't we all? :P)
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- Gra, 5 May 2006 @ 9:16pm
  
  Re: TV is such a waste
  I happen to like wow for some of us it is enjoyable part of life. Yes its lazy but its still friends and good times... and you get to slam pvp how awsome is that
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Jose, 7 May 2006 @ 9:21am
  
  Re: TV is such a waste
  How did you manage to download shows from 24?
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sessa-bmuD, 5 May 2006 @ 8:10pm

In the end
People who don't take the time to spell-check, go on in life to ask there employees to lie!!
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- farty pants, 5 May 2006 @ 8:45pm
  
  Re: In the end
  I love too fart and watch tv I hate com cast thay suck big time
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  - eddie t, 6 May 2006 @ 7:18am
    
    Re: Re: In the end
    Wrong "too", Comcast, they
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- Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2006 @ 8:41am
  
  Re: In the end
  More like they are asked by their employers to lie!
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- hautedawg, 8 May 2006 @ 8:09am
  
  Re: In the end
  My goodness I hope you meant to use "THERE" and not "THEIR" when complaining about spelling. Otherwise, go eat cake.
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dish installer, 5 May 2006 @ 8:33pm

not that you care
as a satellite tv installer who of course works as a sub contractor all i can say is that for most part as a installer i'm just trying to do my job. i do installations for dish network and the number one problem that i have aside from ignorant customers is the people that sell the service to them. fact anyone can sell dish and/or direct tv these companies have little or nothing to do with the sale of their service. it is all sub contracted out. when you call someone to order the service the person on the other end of the line sees you as nothing more than a hundred dollar bill. what with the signing up for this months promo and the dvr and hd...
customers have told me that they have actually been hung up on when they start asking questions about what their bill will really be after every cost. as to phone lines, no they dont make a difference the service will work without it but in dish networks case it saves you a couple bucks a month. as for the installation, well i've done some pretty f ed up stuff just to get the service in, why? becuase i dont get paid if i dont.
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- chris, 23 Oct 2006 @ 1:19am
  
  Re: not that you care
  i was a 3rd party installer for 6 months and i never lied to anyone and most of the time i never hooked a phoneline up.. the only reason i hooked a phone line up was because it was for a dvr and other then that all my work was on the rezervation where there is no phones.I installed voom, directv, and dish network and everyone gave me a 100% rateing with directv
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- Anonymous Coward, 2 Mar 2009 @ 3:35pm
  
  Re: not that you care
  amen buddy
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- going in the hole, 11 Jan 2010 @ 10:37am
  
  Re: not that you care
  No one understand's working with these companies we are going in the hole 2 car payments that we can't pay cause the Direct tv/ Skyllink will not pay the contracters what they owe. I have a family just like everyone else does they say no work no money? But I work but no pay what are we supposed to do we can't even pay our power bill everything is getting cut off. Concerned,What should me and my family do.
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Apennismightier, 5 May 2006 @ 9:00pm

Let's just say all you satellite bastards need to pay. I for one am glad I found out about hex editing and bought a hex editor from Radio Shack before they became illegal here. DSS Hacking at it's finest. keep changing your cards and your formats, have fun. We will always find a way.
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- Dusty, 6 May 2006 @ 6:50pm
  
  Re:
  That used to work real good until they came out with the #5 cards, as far as I know those have not been cracked yet.
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- scott b, 14 May 2009 @ 2:39pm
  
  Re:
  came across your reply about sat. curious about dsscan we email? scottbarron@rocketmail.com ty
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someone, 5 May 2006 @ 10:33pm

Are we all english teachers now??? I enjoyed the good ol' days when the only person to correct another on spelling was an english teacher, now everyone is correcting each other on the subject. And how could it hurt your brain to read it, studies have shown that all we need is the first and last letters to be located in the correct order and we can figure out what word it is suppose to be. Maybe you just need some more brain stimulation.
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You're both wrong. (And right.), 5 May 2006 @ 11:25pm

Ending such words in t, like burnt and so forth, is an English thing. Americans tend to end in -ed. However (as an American), I've always thought -ed sount better. :P Less abrupt--a softer sound.
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- Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2006 @ 12:47pm
  
  Re:
  Um...neither "so" nor "forth" are words that end with a t.
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coder, 5 May 2006 @ 11:40pm

Truth?
I'm not at liberty to give any identifying information about myself for very-soon-to-be-obvious reasons. I recently went to work in a DirecTV Customer Service center. In fact, I just finished training not very long ago. Here's the truth, and is exactly what we are supposed to tell our customers:

A phone line is not required to recieve your monthly programming. If you ever choose to connect a phone line, it will enable you to order PPV from your remote [as opposed to calling the PPV order number] and give you the ability to enable some advanced features, like on-screen caller ID.

If the phone line isn't connected, the only thing the customer loses is some features and convience. It is not required except under very specific (and I do mean selective and specific) circumstances, and we let the customer know that.

The installer that lied was giving mis information to customers. I do not know if he was told to do that, or how high up that goes... but I know what I've been trained to do from day 1, and it's not incist on a phone line connection.
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- Installer_Dan, 6 May 2006 @ 12:32pm
  
  Re: Truth?
  As A former installer for a LARGE (nationwide) DirecTV contractor, I can tell you that our company insisted that techs install phone lines. Period. DirecTV may not stress this to CSR's or on to the customer, (they just want the account), but there sure is pressure from somewhere to get these boxes hooked to phones. Lists of non-responding recievers are posted every week to show which newly-installed units aren't answering an automated call to them. If a tech's numbers are low...a verbal or written reprimand may be in his near future.
  So what we have seems to be duplicity on DirecTV's part. They don't train the CSR's to stress the importance of phone hook-up's. They will tell customers that don't want a phone line attached, that they don't need one. Yet on our (the contractor's) work order, it states that a phone line will be attached to all new recievers. I felt that DirecTV would do or say anything to get the customer's comittment, yet force the installers to do things that the customers weren't aware of. Installers aren't in the habit of lying to customers to make MORE work for themselves. From my experience,the issue here is DirecTV's habit of telling their prospective customers anything to get the sale, but pressuring their contractors to install land-based phone lines to increase their pay-per-view revenue by making it easier to order PPV events.
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  - Fred S, 26 Jun 2007 @ 11:26pm
    
    Re: Re: Truth?
    I agree I've worked for Ironwood Communications and
    Dishnetwork as a subcontractor both companies play games
    and decide if you get work from them at all!!
    They pay low wages for the work involved, and require phone
    lines. especially Ironwood communication the largest provider
    for Directtv. When I worked for Echostar most of our equipment
    we used was refurbished 34,44 switches refurbished DPP+ LNB's
    refurbished DVR 625 dual turners. If you see a installer bring in a receiver with a green sticker saying DHA you know it is a
    refurbised receiver. They always compalained about Trouble calls. but kept on giving us used junk.
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    - David Hutson, 24 Apr 2016 @ 12:09pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Truth?
      I've had Dish Network and Direct T.V. both were installed by contractor technicians. It was obvious in both cases that the techs were driving a personally owned vehicle.
      I found NO problem of any kind with the work or representations of the techs. For one of them I provided a tall ladder because his ladder would not reach a sufficient height to do the install.
      It has been obvious to me before AND after reading these posts that the REAL scum-bag, culprits are the satellite AND cable T.V. companies AND the low-life owners of the CONTRACTING COMPANIES whom they contract with for installation and tech services. I gave the techs maximum high ratings on the service questionnaires I received from the satellite companies after the installs were completed, because I know that anything less, if not totally justified, would cause them problems with the damnable crooks for whom they sub-contract.
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  - ronnie, 11 Jun 2008 @ 7:34pm
    
    Re: Re: Truth?
    AMEN, Brother!!!!!
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  - Anthony, 16 Feb 2009 @ 1:54pm
    
    Re: Re: Truth?
    Yes I agree with the last comment about the phone lines ... We are pressured to install phone lines even if the customer doesn't have a home phone service which is crap and if the QC inspector finds that phone lines weren't installed even on a customer who doesn't have a home phone service there is an automatic chargeback this is crap... Why should I do the extra work and waste my materials when there's nothing to connect to? It just doesn't make any sense. Something needs to be done about it... But what??? Nobody seems to know where to go on this issue. We work hard to get the Directv customers satisfied and we are the ones who make the billions of dollars of Directv's revenue possible it just isn't fair to us as the tech or to the customers.
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- ken, 5 Jul 2007 @ 8:32pm
  
  Re: Truth?
  DTV charges back $10.00 to the installer for every reciever not hooked up to a phone line, reguardless of weather or not the customer has a land line service. So, if you install a 4 reciever system with a cell phone only customer, you get $40.00 taken off your $100.00 paycheck.
  
  It is extortion directed towards the hands that feed them. If it werent for the installers, there would be less than half the customers there are now.
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  - joe, 11 Jul 2007 @ 8:11pm
    
    Re: Re: Truth?
    i am an installer at an hsp for directv and i think that it just depends on the company as to how much the charge back is for phone lines.If we fall below a certin percentage we are charged 7.50 per ird not connected.
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- former tech, 7 Aug 2007 @ 3:52pm
  
  Re: Truth?
  Dtv back charges $5 for every "non responding box" of its contractors. As an install tech I was punished if my "non responer" rate was above 40%. Therefore I was forcred to lie to the customers.
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- SBCA certified installer, former Field supervisor, 28 Aug 2007 @ 5:28pm
  
  Re: Truth?
  I would tell my guys to hook up the phone lines. it is part of the standard installation and we are paid to do it. We do in fact get fined $5 for every "box"/ IRD that does not respond to the call in. Do your installer a favor, leave it hooked up fro the first 48 hours and then disconnect it if you don't want it hooked up, it doesn't hurt and it spares the installer or his company the fine. The rumor is that DTV is going to increase the fine to $10, which really cuts the margins close...Remember these guys have been getting paid less and less each year because Directv (like other companies) keeps expecting more for less. No pay increases in over 6 years and most guys pay for there own tools, vehicles and fuel
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- the guy who knows, 20 May 2008 @ 6:52pm
  
  Re: Truth?
  You lost all credibility when you said you were a CSR for DirecTV coder. I am a tech and I lose 5 bucks for every box I don't hook up to a line. The company says that they are simply not paying me for not doing that part of the job not "fining" me. It doesn't matter if they even have a home phone. I assure you you have absolutely no clue what actually goes into an install or how the system really works. I don't even want to count how much time I have wasted over the years talking to some brain dead CSR or fixing something that tech support could have done if they had a clue.
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- wallfisher, 6 Apr 2009 @ 6:28pm
  
  Re: Truth?
  phone lines connections are for convenience, when I subbed installs for Ironwood we were informed that if we didn't connect to a phone line would lose $5.00 dollars on the install. it didn't matter whether the customer didn't have a land line phone or not.
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- DIRECTV SUB, 30 Sep 2010 @ 5:00pm
  
  Re: Truth?
  Well I am a Directv Sub contractor and i know for a fact that if the customer has a 'land line' we are required to use a phone line or we do infact get charged as ive seen this on my pay stub and have been told by my supervisor.
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- Rob Orton, 30 Oct 2013 @ 2:06pm
  
  Re: Truth?
  As an Installer that has put in over
  10,000 systems you are way off the mark. Here's how it works. Directv charges back the contractor if they don't meet a certain percentage of phone line hook ups. The contractor charges the installer back $5 per reciever that doesn't "ping" As you probably figured by now this is a crazy policy since fewer people have land lines. This was just a way for Directv to steal money from hard working installers.
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- David Hutson, 24 Apr 2016 @ 11:22am
  
  Re: Truth?
  Here is the problem. YOU work for Direct T.V. Direct T.V. DOES NOT EMPLOY INSTALLATION TECHNICIANS. Direct T.V. hires INSTALLATIN CONTRACTOR COMPANIES. The installation technicians work for those CONTRACTOR COMPANIES. It was the owners/ managers ( possibly with some inducements from some unscrupulous people at Direct T.V.) who were REQUIRING the installation techs to coerce customers into the phone-line connection scam.
  
  It was the INSTALLATION CONTRACTOR COMPANIES who fired some installation techs when the techs "blew the whistle" on the CONTRACTOR COMPANY'S DISHONEST BUSINESS PRACTICES.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2006 @ 12:06am

though I beleve that DirectTV TIVO Dose require a phone line, and the box will complain if there is no phone line.
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phil, 6 May 2006 @ 5:44am

Direct TV installers
What am I failing to see in all of this? It doesn't hurt anyone to have a phone line connected. If having it connected causes you to order more PPVs then you have a problem not a company that supplies them. We as Americans are always looking to blame someone else for our behaviors. When I researched Direct TV and Dish I choose Dish as I thought it was best for me in my house. I asked a whole bunch of questions and got answers to all that I asked without being hung up on. I do not work for a cable company nor do I have stock in one. Just retired and happy that majority of time I flip on the TV and something comes on. Those that do not think that it is worth while..................well just don't buy it.
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- Anonymous Coward, 8 May 2006 @ 1:22am
  
  Re: Direct TV installers
  While I agree with your topic of Americans need to exercise more self-control - the point was, customers are being lied to.
  It doesn't matter if the lie as no effect, it is still dishonest and wrong.
  Self-control is another matter.
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- know jack, 27 May 2006 @ 3:23pm
  
  Re: Direct TV installers
  You are absolutely right that hooking up a telephone line doesn't hurt anyone. But as an installer, why should I have to run phone lines through an attic or even on the outside of the customers home without financial compensation. Would the phone company run a line through your home for free? Of course not. If a phone jack is accessable near that satellite receiver, I am more than willing to connect it. If it isn't, at least I should be able to collect payment for the additional work done. The company I work for, happens to think otherwise. My shirt says Directv, not Bellsouth.
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  - jj, 25 Mar 2007 @ 12:27pm
    
    Re: Re: Direct TV installers
    I agree. I don't know how many times I have been to a customers home and they ask me if they have to have a phone line. Some say the only reason they have a phone line is b/c their directv needs it. Maybe Directv should offer customers in this position the truth... just maybe. Customers say they pay an additional $30 a month for a phone line they don't even use... If a customer asks me straight up if they need a phone line for their system to work... well... To work completely, yes, they do need a phone line. But they do not need a phone line for anything except pay per view and so thay directv can track their reciever... If I knew the truth, as a customer, I would feel like I am being ripped off in this cell phone age...
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  - jj, 25 Mar 2007 @ 12:27pm
    
    Re: Re: Direct TV installers
    I agree. I don't know how many times I have been to a customers home and they ask me if they have to have a phone line. Some say the only reason they have a phone line is b/c their directv needs it. Maybe Directv should offer customers in this position the truth... just maybe. Customers say they pay an additional $30 a month for a phone line they don't even use... If a customer asks me straight up if they need a phone line for their system to work... well... To work completely, yes, they do need a phone line. But they do not need a phone line for anything except pay per view and so thay directv can track their reciever... If I knew the truth, as a customer, I would feel like I am being ripped off in this cell phone age...
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  - Anonymous Coward, 22 Sep 2009 @ 6:26pm
    
    Re: Re: Direct TV installers
    You are paid for to run the phone line. It is part of the money you get for the IRD.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2006 @ 6:03am

Satellite TV is awsesome. If you don't want to pay for it, you don't have to. I have 700+ free channels. 50+ PPV, 20 Adult Channels, Locals for every city that i want. Everything except HD. Free from Dish Network and Bell Express Vu from canada. All you need is a $150 FTA Reciever found all over the net. Satellite tv is not awesome if you have to pay for it. The picture quality is not the best.
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- scott, 14 May 2009 @ 2:47pm
  
  Re:
  how do you have bell?? mine has been down for months dish works fine some adult channels are out please reply or usb codes maybe diffrent cnx?mini?? thanks
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spelter, 6 May 2006 @ 6:09am

complaining about spelling is impolite
since the old days of usenet, it's largely considered to be unsporting to make fun of typos or misspellings.

it's like trying to settle a political disagreement by saying "oh yeah, well you're ugly."

the internet is a place where the whole world can meet on equal terms to exchange ideas and opinions. not everyone in the world speaks english as their first language, and not everyone has the US equivalent of a highschool education.

believe me, there are plenty of things to judge a person by online. when you consider the number of flamers, trolls, attention whores, schills and newbs in any given setting online, you shouldn't have to resort to calling a person out for their typing if you want to look down on someone.

BTW, all businesses lie. show me a person who has never told a lie and i will show you someone who has never sold something for a profit.
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- daddy leo, 27 Apr 2007 @ 10:38pm
  
  Re: complaining about spelling is impolite
  Son-of-a-bitch. All those who are speling wrong are Americans. You are trying to push the the blame on people who do not speak english well. This is a great opprobrium to Americans. People from other countries who do not speak english spell far better than Americans. Some Americans have become very lazy because of spell checks on computers to the extent that they cant spell. Just imagine a junior in college ask me " Hey dude, can you spell "apple" for me?" Where do we go from here?
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OG, 6 May 2006 @ 6:11am

The only reason I've held on to DirecTV is the NFL Package. No other provider has it.....
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- Scifisam, 4 Dec 2008 @ 8:00pm
  
  Re:
  Yes the local telivision/cable company does not have or offer the football etc.. that we wanted Period . So We got Direct tv.So there.
  
  Take that you stupid cable companies
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happy with dish dude, 6 May 2006 @ 6:14am

I find Cable to be much more of a scam when it comes to high prices for service. Sure, dish cost more but then there is more equipment to set up and buy. Look at the replacement cost of a three LNB dish, it's about $130.

And just for the record, my original DirecTV Tivo box would not work without a land line. So they were correct in that "lie". However, they were more than happy to replace it with a DVR without the Tivo name that works flawlessly. Love my dish at work and at home. Not that I don't have a choice, I do. I choose to have DirecTV so that I can have Sunday Ticket. Where else you going to get that?

Cable TV installed with "lifeline" service, channels 2-13
HD dish installed with every channel they have.
SDSL comes in throught the phone line.
Standard old POTS telephone, no VOIP allthought there are three services available to me.

One more comment, Caviot Emptor.
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Drew, 6 May 2006 @ 7:21am

As a former installer of DirecTv I can vouch for the push for a phone line. Many DirecTv installers actually work for a third party as I did. My immediate employer never pushed for the phone line but all the RCA paperwork that came with the basic box did. Some instruction packages and service forms definitely read as if the box would not work without it. Of course the basic non-DVR box did work without a phone line, and every installer knows that. I did several installs in hunting cabins and the like where there was no phone service at all.
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steve, 6 May 2006 @ 7:46am

Phone line
I recently wrote DirectTV directly (can produce the email) asking whether the phone line is required. I don't use a land based phone. I have a cell phone that meets all my needs. Don't want to pay the extra $40+ month for a phone that I don't need. The reply from DTV was that the phone line is required.
Two possiblities:
1) I need a phone to watch TV...not gonna illogical and not going to happen.
2) They lied to me. I won't do business with a company that lies.

So, no satellite for me. Oh well. Life goes on.
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- tom, 11 May 2006 @ 3:51pm
  
  Re: Phone line
  I would love to see the email. It seems inconsistent with the DTV customer service person's claim.
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- larry p, 12 Sep 2007 @ 5:11pm
  
  Re: Phone line
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- ronnie, 11 Jun 2008 @ 7:31pm
  
  Re: Phone line
  I do not believe anyone from Direvtv told you you need a phone line to watch tv. That is absurd, being a directv installer, they do not tell you a phone line is required, it is recommended to receive updates, ppv, etc., Lots of folks may believe that garbage, when you are in the business of install, it does not happen like that. That is B.S.
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misty, 6 May 2006 @ 9:01am

DTV phone lines
I work for DTV (not a satelite instalation company) and it's the third party installers that require the phone line, we don't. We just need to know if it's connected or not, if not, we simply turn off the PPV ordering.

There is one other reason we do prefer to have the phone line whenever possible though. Having the phone line helps us to determine the location of the receivers. Sometimes ppeople will try to give us a false address so they can get locals or sports programming from another area of the country. (doesn't allways work for locals... but does for sports.) The phone line also helps us to insure that all the receivers really are located in the same house.
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- Crossbones, 6 May 2006 @ 8:12pm
  
  Re: DTV phone lines
  Is that right Misty? Or another DTV lie? I am a SBCA certified installer for one of DTV's largest home service providers...not just another jack leg contractor. YOU DO require a land based phone line for PPV only. It has nothing to do with local programming. That is what the area code and zip codes are for. As for the rest of your comment, it is total BS. If I don't install a phone line (that I don't get paid extra for) to each receiver that I install, DTV will back charge for each one. Now the company I work for is talking about back charging the techs. When I call DTV after each install to activate service, you want to know what room each receiver is in and if there is a phone line connected. Within 24 hours, you poll the receivers to see if the line is active...if it isn't, WE the techs are to blame. No, I do not use spell check because I don't care.
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- ken, 5 Jul 2007 @ 8:45pm
  
  Re: DTV phone lines
  No, your way wrong. My company gets charged back hundreds of dollars every week for failing to hook up phone lines. The phone company charges you a lot of money to get just one phone jack installed. DTV charges it's techs for NOT doing it.
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- ex-installer, 7 Nov 2009 @ 5:34pm
  
  Re: DTV phone lines
  DirecTV does not require a phone line for you to receive your programming service. It is a PPV trap. When it comes to the installer they are pushed by DirecTV to have phone lines connected on a matrix that is used against installers to keep their pay down. DirecTV claims that installers are the face of DirecTV. However, DirecTV pays installers to do what they want and not what the customer wants. When customers get conflicting stories DirecTV points the finger at the installer that they sub-contract so that they can claim to keep a clean face. When a customer has cell service only, it is still used against the installer for not hooking up the phone line - didn't meet the matrix quota. Now DirecTV has an excuse to pay $20 instead of $32 for an installation.
  Sounds pretty good, huh? Nothing like working for a company that openly does everything it can to stab you in the back.
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Matt, 6 May 2006 @ 9:06am

Spelt is perfectly acceptable as past tense/past participle version of the verb "to spell", as is spelled, so both "He spelt it wrong" and "He spelled it wrong" are valid sentences. Spelt is also a form of wheat.

As for DirecTV, does this kind of behaviour really shock anybody? This is just hard-selling, the majority of the more unethical companies engage in it - and there are several clauses in anybody's employment contracts that will say something along the lines of if you piss them off they can sack you.

People have just got to work out now what's worse, firing your employee's or suing your customers...
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Annonymous, 6 May 2006 @ 9:17am

What are all you complaining about...
My Dish Network works just fine... the bill rarely ever goes up (I think we had a $1 price increase the otheryear... ooooh!) and the service is great.

Beats the hell out of cable.
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chapchap70, 6 May 2006 @ 9:27am

If I owned a business, I would try to hire these guys. The trouble is, I haven't lied and cheated enough to be able to get the cash to start one.

People like being lied to. That's why many hire the low bidder that does not comply to laws or code as long as it is cheaper. They hire a contractor based on price who has illegals working for him and then complain about the illegal immigrant problem.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2006 @ 11:31am

PPV
Does it only impact PPV? What about TiVO? Does the built in tivo work without phone line? Doesn't it have to update the TV schedule?
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- dtv tech, 25 Jul 2008 @ 2:56pm
  
  Re: PPV
  your tivo will work correctly without a land based phone line. it receives guide data and receiver updates and software via satellite signal no worries.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Loser, 6 May 2006 @ 11:52am

Phone line
As a former Directv customer service rep(sub contracted) I can tell you the REQUIRED reasons
1. PPV
2. Regional Sports channels
3. DVR function (DVR's need to dial out periodically to stay updated)
4. HD Programming

Not all installers are crooks (I talked with a lot of crooks, but not all were crooked)

Why don't I work their anymore?.. Could handle talking with whiners such as you people.
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SmellBouth DSL Troubleshooter, 6 May 2006 @ 1:58pm

Doesn't surprise me...
I work for a very large company that rhymes with SmellBouth. It doesn't surprise me in the least that DirectTV asks to install a land line since it is owned by BellSouth a Phone Company. And yes I know of their business practices, not always on the up and up. Ugh, I experience them first hand.
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Stu, 6 May 2006 @ 2:57pm

Mikester, Spelt is something found in food. Words are SPELLED wrong...but I think (HOPE) you gnu that.

actually, spelt is the proper english word. dont try to flame becuase you messed up our language.
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DirecTV since 1997, 6 May 2006 @ 4:32pm

Ive always had big brother installed on my TV i mean hooked up to the phone line, ive even gotten a call from them telling me what im watching, i dont care
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WaveHi, 6 May 2006 @ 6:05pm

DirecTV Sucks
At my house I have DISH, but I had DTV at my vacation house and I decided to cut it off when I put it up for sale. I called DTV and the CSR would not help me - but referred me to a "Customer Retention Specialist". This person told me it would be better to just "pause" my service for 3 months - in case my plans changed. It sounded like a reasonable suggestion - so I said that sounded OK and actually thanked him for making the suggestion.

In three months, I got a buyer for my property, so I contacted them about closing my account. The CSR on the other end of the line was snippy, to say the least, when I told him I did not want to be transferred to a Customer Retention Specialist. I said I just want my account closed because I sold the property. He tried every tactic they had on his script, but I wasn't getting it through to him that I SOLD THE PROPERTY AND NO LONGER NEEDED SERVICE.

I finally got so fed up I asked for his manager. When he transferred me to somebody who was supposed to be his manager, this person tried some of the same closing tactics! I was really getting frustrated at this point, until by some miracle the guy finally said "Ok, you're all set, your account is closed. I thanked him and was glad to finally be rid of them.

Two weeks later, I get a bill from DTV. Now, keep in mind that I had "paused" the service 3 months earlier, so there should have been NO charges. I get a bill for $8.95. I contemplated just paying the damn bill but I couldn't let them get away with it. I called up to find out why I was being charged. Another Snippy CSR tells me "Well sir, I see you had it turn on 2 weeks ago and then abruptly turned it off again. Your being charged for time you were reconnected! I was at the point of wanting to reach through the phone line, realizing that the last A-hole had turned my service on and then turned it off again so I would be charged. Again I ask for a supervisor, get another run around, and 30 minutes later, I finally get somebody who takes the charge off and says it's all clear.

So that's the last time I'll EVER deal with DTV - and I tell anyone who'll listen how much they suck.
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- Former installer, 28 Aug 2007 @ 5:35pm
  
  Re: DirecTV Sucks
  You think your DTV experience was bad, just TRY canceling with DISH. I was often the venting post for many a person who had been slapped the a $400-1000!! early termination fee after multiple years of service without upgrades.
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Hank Reardon, 6 May 2006 @ 6:13pm

They lie about HD
Direct TV HD has audio out of sync with the picture.
It is unwatchable. The first time I complained, they tried to get me to swap DVRs. But I had checked their own support forums and this is a problem nationwide, and they knew it when they sold me the service.

After soem negotiation, they now give me the "HD" service for 5.00 / month. Whoopie.
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2006 @ 9:58pm

I cand spel nuthin u taurds.
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- Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2006 @ 6:15am
  
  izzat turds or tards hilk hilk hilk
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Boris, 6 May 2006 @ 10:51pm

My mind is crying right now, CRYING. Oh my GOD! STOP SPEAKING NOW!

No more messages after this point.

Man... Techdirt can really lower your IQ in times like these..
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Anonymous Coward, 6 May 2006 @ 11:24pm

So how bout that Goss thing....
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Joe, 6 May 2006 @ 11:47pm

Dammit
I had an installer tell me the same thing. He said he could not install the box unless I had a phone line. I have vonage, I do not need a phone but he still insisted that he run phone lines from outside and into the house and install phone jacks. I didn't really question it at the time but now after reading this story, I'm pissed. I think we should class action these bastards. DTV put holes in my hardwood floor to secure the uneeded phone lines.
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- !@$#, 7 May 2006 @ 4:02am
  
  Re: Dammit
  i recommend your state attorney generals office, or department of consumer protection, for the wood floor damage it is worth contacting them
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- tom, 11 May 2006 @ 3:49pm
  
  Re: Dammit
  In addition to marring your hardwood floor, did the installer charge you to run the phone line and install the jack?
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- Anonymous Coward, 11 Jun 2008 @ 7:52pm
  
  Re: Dammit
  If you did not sign a pre drill form allowing the drilling into your hardwood floors, sue them. If you did, too bad.
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Rotten Bastard, 7 May 2006 @ 3:52am

mass ignorance
I suppose the "spelter" and those on his side smoke three packs a day too, corporate said they were cool. No one tells 100% truth when selling, period. As far as spelling and learning to communicate, (and this might be over your head a little) if you can't use the set of rules that apply to communicating in any given locality and it is no more or less than ignorange precluding you, you are one of the 5.5 billion too many people on this planet. GO H4N1, GO SARS, cull the herd, you heard?

Oh yeah, spelt has nothing to do with spelling except in half assed english. The only way spelt is acceptable is in an organic bread.

So if you spelt it otay on ur appication, u can wurk at a satelite compiny........
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Phineas Scrooge, 7 May 2006 @ 5:26am

every company lies about something
that's what pr, marketing, investor relations, and sales departments are for.

companies feel that they have to lie because to tell the truth is or not hide facts means that they would have to explain more than they are comfortable with.

the reason that satellite companies want you to have a phone is to bill you for ppv and to monitor and sell your watching habits.

tivo, dtv, dish, cable companies are all monitoring what you watch and storing that data in their dbs and when they start selling targeted ads to their clients or when the police come calling, they can, and will hand over a list of every tv show that you've been watching.

so remember that the next time you purchase a porno ppv movie or watch something that your boss would frown on.

all the information is being recorded and it's simply a matter of time before it's used against you...just like the Internet.

we've become a big brother society and it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that this is happening and it shouldn't shock these workers to get fired for admitting the truth.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2006 @ 5:44am

SAD TO WACH
The genral subjekt of this phorum iz the problom with most things in amerika. Our government lye to us, our business' lies to us our religious leeders lye to us. The result, we get lost is some non-sense, like, Jees "Buddy" you can't spels vary good, or hey there going to give us $100 gas rebate.

TRY TO FOCUS YOU MORONS. A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE ARE TAKING YOUR FREEDOM, CHOICE, AND PRIVACY AWAY FROM YOU DAILY, AND YOU ARE LETTING THEM.

YES, the spelting and grammar intenshionaly uncorrect. NOW RUNTELDAT.
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- laughing at you, 7 May 2006 @ 11:54am
  
  laughing at all of you
  I'm having more fun reading people's comments than reading the article. (And yes, I proofread what I wrote and spelled everything right.)
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  - anony, 18 May 2006 @ 10:59am
    
    Re: laughing at all of you
    I'm having more fun reading people's comments than reading the article. (And yes, I proofread what I wrote and spelled everything right.)
    
    Actually, it's ...spelled everything correctly. :D
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Danny, 7 May 2006 @ 6:08am

Why the phone line is "required"...
I suspect that satellite companies "require" their installers to install the phone line to avoid disappointing new customers. If the installer doesn't install the phone line, then the satellite representative has to explain to the customer why they aren't able to conveniently take advantage of their advanced PPV services. Then they have a potentially disappointed customer, and they might have to send a second installer out to install the phone line. Installing the phone line is just more work for the installer, especially if there's not a jack nearby. Since most installers get paid by the job, it's an easy corner to cut...and it takes the customer a while to notice the missing features. Of course, the installer doesn't care about PPV or caller ID services... they just want to fit as many jobs into one work day as possible to maximize their income. But it doesn't do the satellite company any good to offer these advanced phone features if the installers don't connect the boxes to phone lines. Plus, to some customers, on-screen caller ID is a big deal. Such customers feel short-changed when they find out that the installer didn't "complete" the job. I would imagine that this is a common new-customer complaint, so the satellite companies now "require" that the installers connect the boxes to phone lines. Competition is increasing in the video services market, so it is important for service providers not to disappoint new customers who just switched over to their company's service. Obviously the phone line is typically NOT REQUIRED to receive broadcast program information. However, it IS REQUIRED if you want to utilize all of the service provider's advanced and included features. To further complicate the issue, some DirecTV reps and installers might still think that the phone line is always necessary because TiVo boxes require the connection. Lastly, installers and contractors will continue to lie (not all, but some will)...just to get their job done with as little customer resistance as possible.

As for the spelling topic, find another forum. It was only funny for a brief moment...now it is just sad.

(What's worse is that someone actually looked up gullible in the dictionary, completely missing the point.)
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- Crossbones, 7 May 2006 @ 6:33am
  
  Re: Why the phone line is "required"...
  The fact remains, we (the installers) are forced to run phonelines for people who DO NOT want them or do not have land line phone service. We do not get paid extra for running phonelines anyway so why do it when it will never be used. Danny, you must be in managment with one of the HSP's or contractors because that is the same spill we here before you tell us, "if the customer does not believe you, lie. Just get the line in."
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- Ender, 7 May 2006 @ 5:52pm
  
  Re: Why the phone line is "required"...
  I think there are 2 real reasons DTV wants a phone line.
  
  1 -- the signal is not bi-directional. They send the signal to us, but have no way of getting info from us to them. Remembering the days of everyone having the hacked H cards and stuff like that, everything was fine as long as you didn't plug in the phone line. As soon as you did that, they can get info from your receiver and/or card.
  2 -- It's their way of knowing your location. Since they love to advertise installing up to 4 receivers for free, they wouldn't exactly want you to sharing spare boxes with your friends 2 hours away.
  
  The customer convenience reasons (ordering PPV and DVR list updates) are just nice things to tell the customer, which happen to be true.
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Jamie, 7 May 2006 @ 7:58am

re: DirecTv Installers
I've experienced this twice ( once at my home, and once at my mother's ): the installer would insist that there would be no reception for the signal, and that a pole needed to be put in the ground, and the dish be mounted to it. I then pointed to all of the neighbors houses, and the fact that had dishes on their houses, and not on poles. He was also trying to charge $60 to $80 for the pole, plus labor. I could have went to the local hardware store and got what I needed for less than $20.00.
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- dtv tech, 25 Jul 2008 @ 3:14pm
  
  Re: re: DirecTv Installers
  just because your neighbors houses do not need pole mounts that has nothing to do with your situation. and just because you can go buy a pole does that mean you have the knowledge to complete the install, set the pole right, follow nec codes, peak in the dish? i didnt think so just like any other person in the world we are just trying to make a living if it takes more time to complete the job since we are paid by the job your damn right its gonna cost you extra. were not volunteer workers. were not fire fighters. give the guy a break or go get screwed by the cable companys.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2006 @ 8:27am

Not sure why it's a big deal, it's not like you have to get another phone line installed...plus in order to use the pay per view you do need to have the phone line connected otherwise it cannot order your movie...
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- skotkolr, 28 Aug 2006 @ 8:21pm
  
  Re: PPV
  you don't need to have aphone line to order ppv you can order it online at DTV website.....
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- skotkolr, 28 Aug 2006 @ 8:21pm
  
  Re: PPV
  you don't need to have aphone line to order ppv you can order it online at DTV website.....
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- Swagstar, 27 Aug 2009 @ 2:47pm
  
  Re: PPV
  DTV ppv has for as long as I can remember, has been able to be ordered via the internet or even a cell phone. You don't need a phone line for that service!I've never paid for internet ordering.
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Not yet a DTV sub, 7 May 2006 @ 9:20am

DTV is telling me right now that the DVR service REQUIRES phone hook up, to download the cghannel schedule, and there is THERE IS NO data being uploaded from my home...commments anyone?
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- Skotkolr, 28 Aug 2006 @ 8:25pm
  
  Re: uploading info
  Whomever you spoke too LIED they when I say they I mean marketing companies who decide what commercial is appropriate for a region. They know what channel you were on and when, hence those shorter commercials that overlap another one, thats called regional marketing and direct gets paid to do that, you can bet on it.
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Joe, 7 May 2006 @ 11:05am

Hmm
Hey, check my spelling in the following, please:

The msot rteraedd tnihg abuot cmomnuicitaon on the Intnreet is liltte dmusabs kdis mtneinonig ohetr's txet bneig not porofaerd pfrceet.
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- The Human Brain, 7 May 2006 @ 2:44pm
  
  Re: Hmm
  Actually, funny thing about that, and reading ur post, Joe, I'm sure you read the study and/or myspace bulletin.
  
  The human brain is pretty sweet, actually. As long as the first and last letters of the desired word are in place, the rest of the letters can be jumbled up as much as possible and we can stull comprehend it.
  
  Prtety Naet huh?
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stone, 7 May 2006 @ 2:44pm

spelt
I hate when people tell you that certain words are not actual words. The word "word", wasn't a word until mankind made it a word. Uh? right?
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- stone, 7 May 2006 @ 2:47pm
  
  Re: spelt
  ...and if you really think about it; the word "word" is really a weird sounding word. Don't you think?
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dazcon5, 7 May 2006 @ 4:36pm

buyer beware
The current methodolgy for installing cable or sattelite
work like this...

The corporations go out and offer a set fee for any install.
Each wire ran, pole set, extra equipment sold, is more money in the installers' pocket. The basic install fee is very small so techs will try to sell extras to increase what ever little money they can make from a single job. As an installer from the large dish ( C band) days, cable installers are just as dirty.

As an example...
I had pre-wired a customers new home. Two weeks after moving in, he wanted cable as well. He called the office screaming that we ripped him off, due to the fact that the contractor stated we used the wrong type of cable. After showing up and ensuring that customer that we used the same type (only higher quality) cable for our cable I confronted the tech. He kept telling the customer that the signal would be bad but after connecting to the house the signal was fine. The tech was facing a tiny fee for the hookup and trying to sell more drops to get more money.
The problem is that there are "shady" people in very business. People get taken advantage of all the time.
On the side of the techs... these folks are expected to work 12 to 16 hours a day to make quotas, and the fees for the installing the systems and wire are miniscule.
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woot!, 7 May 2006 @ 5:55pm

100
number 100!!!
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Elvis Oswald, 7 May 2006 @ 5:56pm

Whistle Blowers
The NSA wire-taps were illegal. All wiretaps require a warrant.

But I really don't give a flying sh*t if it's "illegal" or not - it's unconstitutional... and in my book that makes it wrong.

Go ahead and turn a blind eye to little w hitler... soon it'll be Hillary with all that power. hahaha
Don't worry - I'll still fight the revolution with you, but I'll have to pause for a hearty laugh when you realize the irony of your situation.

V for Vendetta!
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Ex-Direct TV Customer, 7 May 2006 @ 6:02pm

Direct TV and Phone Lines
I am an Ex-Direct TV Customer. I had several occasions to talk with Direct TV Customer Service. The only reason they ever gave me for needing a phone line was to order Pay Per View with the remote. Without the phone line I would have to call DTV and order a PPV movie and then there was a fee charged.

I got rid of DTV only because at any hint of rain I would loose service.
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Dishmandave, 7 May 2006 @ 7:48pm

Directv and Mastec firings
This is from someone who has been in the small dish business from the beginning.I have seen it all from Directv to Primestar to Dish Network and back to Directv. All the hsp's are cutting each others throats to maintain their share of the pie and Directv is watching and waiting for the day when they are going to do what Dish Network did 4 years ago, eliminate the Hsp's and bring everything in house and offer $12 dollars an hour for the jobs with a little benefit package.At 48 years old I am not looking for a career change but I am also not going to work for peanuts.The firings in Tampa is only the beginning! My prayers are with the techs in Florida and hope they get all they can get.
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Anonymous Coward, 7 May 2006 @ 8:22pm

They weren't lying to their customer...
because the satelite company is their customer. The people watching tv are the satellite company's customer's, not the installation company.
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George, 8 May 2006 @ 9:04am

My cable installer
I just had service installed in my new place. I carried my receiver to my new place. The installer insisted that the new service required the phone line to be installed. Fine no problem. After he left, I just disconnected the phone line and let things be. He's happy and I'm happy.

(Just a note. I didn't graduate, but my spelling is good.)
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Anonymous Coward, 8 May 2006 @ 10:55am

Mmm. Cake.
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JB, 8 May 2006 @ 11:33am

Dish Network and phone lines
After reading the report about DirecTV, I disconnected the phone line on my Dish Network receiver. Several hours later I got a message on the TV that disconnecting the receiver would incurr an additional charge from the company. This way [with the phone line] they can say I rrequested premium channels or PPV services. I've been charged twice in a year for services that were [supposedly] requested. After the first, I blocked them [I thought], After the second, I went through each channel, blocking all PPV and premium services. I'm wondering how they will claim I ordered new services now?
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seek it and youll find the answer, 8 May 2006 @ 9:19pm

easy come easier gone
dish sucks.. cable owns.. dsl owns.. anyone who says my speling sucks can suck my right nutt fer all i care.. ohh and btw, i wanted to read the comments to get an opinion and all i got is a bunch of idiots arguining about spelling.. goes to show why America is so fuked up.. simply becuase people are too worried about everyone elses life and forgett to take a good lok at theres... take that to heart becuase untill we stop criticizing each other and start criticizing our life America will continue to dig its own grave with the lies and deceit it shows for everyone.. we cant all win but we can all try a little harder to change the course of this country.. but who am i kidding.. any idiot or "proud american" fool will argue with me saying that america is fine.. really is it?? read some reports about chinas capitol and indias schools.. maybe that will open your eyes to whats really going on..
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Anonymous Coward, 9 May 2006 @ 12:43pm

Sooooo
PPV requires phone line for on tv ordering

What about DVR?? Nobody gave a definitive answer. If they are SENDing the video signal via satellite, why can't they send the tv schedule the same way?
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- Noonecares, 5 Jun 2011 @ 5:27am
  
  Re: Sooooo
  They do send programguides via sat vs phone on all Dtv boxes. Phones are for ppv purchased information. Caller id and now they can potentially diagnose problems or glitches prior to services being totally interrupted and a service call set up to send a tech out to repair without u having to call in
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shhhh, 12 May 2006 @ 7:35pm

its not a lie
i am a direct tv tech i install people all the time
u can order pay per view with out the phone line.. but the card stores the info then automaticly tries to call the computer down clear the history when it cannot clear u will get the message please call x 732.. now the phone line allows the call to be made hence keep on ordering.. it is also used to track view usage and programming preferences like most web sites give spyware to cater to the billion dollar advertising... go to 207.net and look at all the companies that use that one company for spy ware u be be annoyed. soooo dtv sellls advertising space as well and the phone line is real time spying if u think im lying crawl back under your rock.. Also the only way for true HDis from the satelites dope.. these content providers are not in this country to directly link u too the cable canle has a dish too dumb dumbs
the difference is the cable companies still use analog amps to boost the signal so it can travel the miles and miles through the
telephone poles... think im lying LEADTECHATLOCALNYCOMPANY
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shhhh, 12 May 2006 @ 7:38pm

its not a lie
i am a direct tv tech i install people all the time
u can order pay per view with out the phone line.. but the card stores the info then automaticly tries to call the computer down clear the history when it cannot clear u will get the message please call x 732.. now the phone line allows the call to be made hence keep on ordering.. it is also used to track view usage and programming preferences like most web sites give spyware to cater to the billion dollar advertising... go to 207.net and look at all the companies that use that one company for spy ware u be be annoyed. soooo dtv sellls advertising space as well and the phone line is real time spying if u think im lying crawl back under your rock.. Also the only way for true HDis from the satelites dope.. these content providers are not in this country to directly link u too the cable canle has a dish too dumb dumbs
the difference is the cable companies still use analog amps to boost the signal so it can travel the miles and miles through the
telephone poles... think im lying LEADTECHATLOCALNYCOMPANY u do not need the phone lines for any dtv recievers especially new dvr without tivo.
the caller id is the free thing to keep the spyware like u fools that use toolbars hello can u say spyware.. USE LINUX
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shhhh, 12 May 2006 @ 7:46pm

its not a lie
oh snd for the cursing cable clown cable is soon to be gone as soon as u hill billies get the fios by verizon. the packages are 5-15-30 mbs per second the base package is 5 times faster than cable and the max data rate for the fiber optic like is some thing crazy like 5 million mbs per sec.. that is cables demise we have it already in new york city and soon everwhere else,, come on cables guys do u see the future of high price fake hd and verizon fios package offer directv as tv fios for phone and internet connection rg 6 which is used by cable cannot come close to the fiber optic connections hello 2006 people... USELINUX
hows my spellin jerk off hahahah
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shhhh, 12 May 2006 @ 7:48pm

its not a lie
and they do fine 5 bucks for every phone line not plug in , once youy are over 50 %.. so one out of three line connnected is a fail so ten bucks fine for that one job... peace
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Steve, 13 May 2006 @ 10:51am

email from DTV
I attach the entire email. Both my original inquiry, their response, and my follow-up questions and their follow up response. You're correct. It seems what DTV people claim they do here on this forum is different from what they actually do. Liars.

Read from bottom to top...

********************
Dear Mr. C,

Thanks for writing us back. A phone line and DVR Service are required for full functionality of your DVR. DIRECTV TiVo service depends on Daily Calls and additional features with DVR (TiVo) Service are:

- Digital recording
- Season Pass
- Suggestions
- Showcases
- TiVolution Magazine
- iPreview
- WishLists
- Recording History

It is true that software upgrades come through the satellite but DIRECTV TiVo receivers also require a phone connection to complete the process.

Also, to receive the full benefits of your DIRECTV System, the receiver must be continuously connected to a land-based phone line, which means that both the phone and the receiver must have a fixed location. Unfortunately, a cell phone does not meet either of these criteria because it is mobile and usually not left on at all times.

If you can't connect your receiver to a standard phone line, several manufacturers offer wireless phone jacks that are compatible with DIRECTV equipment. There may be some limitations to using a wireless connection so we recommend that you check with your local electronics dealer to find out if one will work for you.

Thanks again for writing and stay tuned to DIRECTV.com for the latest news and information about our services.

Sincerely,

Iza
DIRECTV Customer Service

---------------------------------------------------------------
Original Message Follows:

Mr H,

After calling DirectTV I was told that the phone line is only required for
the initial setup of the DVR. After that the phone line is only required
for the Pay per View and sport packages. Can you confirm that if I never
order Pay per View and never purchase any of the sports packages, I can
still install DirectTV with the DVR? I can connect to a land-based phone
line for the initial setup of the DVR, but thereafter will not be connected
to a phone line. As I mentioned in my initial inquiry, I live in an
apartment and use my cell phone for all phone calls. My understanding is
that the DirectTV box will download the programming schedule for the DVR via
satellite. The phone line would only be required for periodic software
updates? For which my neighbor says I can plug into her phone once a month.

Or, as an alternative, I have access to broadband internet in my apartment.
Can the receiver utilize that for the software updates? Seems like a much
more efficient method.

Steve

_____

From: DIRECTV Customer Service [mailto:directvcustomercare@directv.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2006 11:47 PM
To: steve@*******.com
Subject: Phone Requirement [Incident: 060405-003979]

Dear Mr. C******,

Thanks for writing. In order to use the DIRECTV DVR service, it's critical
to have a land-based phone line continuously connected to your DVR receiver.
In fact, we can't even activate the DVR service for you unless a phone line
is connected to your DVR. This important link is the only way your receiver
can check for DVR software upgrades and Showcase updates. Be assured that
this connection will not interfere with the use of your phone.

In addition, you must have a land-based phone line continuously connected to
your DIRECTV receiver so you can order pay per view movies and events with
your remote control. Without a phone line connection, you may not be able to
access your local Regional Sports Network (if it's included in your monthly
package), or popular sports subscriptions like NFL SUNDAY TICKET and NBA
LEAGUE PASS.

Thanks again for writing and stay tuned to DIRECTV.com for the latest news
and information about our services.

Sincerely,

John H
DIRECTV Customer Service

---------------------------------------------------------------
Original Message Follows:

DIRECTV FEEDBACK MESSAGE

Name: Steve C****
Status: Prospect
[Account Number: ]
Email Address: steve@*****.com
[Topic Selected: GettingStarted]
Subject: Phone Requirement

Details: Hello,

I do not have a land-based phoneline in my apartment. I use a cell phone for
all of my phone needs. Can I still get DirectTV? I understand that I would
not be able to get Pay Per View type stuff, but I would like DVR/Tivo.

Thanks
Steve
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- Carol Helsel, 31 Aug 2007 @ 8:20pm
  
  Re: email from DTV
  I had a friend ask me if it is absolutly necessary to use a Direct TV dish to get reception through Direct TV. Please respond to me e-mail box. Thanks
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Captain Bly, 13 May 2006 @ 12:10pm

Mobile installations
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Captain Bly, 13 May 2006 @ 12:20pm

Mobile installations
There are thousands of DTV installations on Boats ,RVs ,Trucks etc that work perfectly well without landlines .

My experience with boat installations is that Tivos still work but complain about not getting its daily call . Occasionally plugging into a phoneline and forcing it to phone home will cause it to upgrade its firmware/software but it's fine otherwise .

When you call DirecTV for activation they still give you the party line about "It might not work ......I don't think it will work" but you can tell they don't beleive it and hook it up anyway .
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shhhh nyleadinstaller, 15 May 2006 @ 5:49am

guys the new dvr that u will receive the r 15 does not require the phone line for any functions,, dtv does not use the tivo service any more.. same functions new look at u can force any software downloads by pressing 0-2-4-6-8-0-enter .. during the welcome your directtv reciever is starting up screen and u can FORCEthe software down load. WE DONT USE TVo ANY MORE IN THE DVR 'S.. take my advice
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shhhh, 15 May 2006 @ 5:57am

all crucial updates come through the satalite
like i said if u are nervous 024680enter will get them
but u dont need them unless u are using a two or more year old reciever that is try to access international programming.. in the two thousands to three thousands u know who u are otherwise dont worry about software updates.. phone is for over the screen ppv so they can bill u for what u purchase and monitor what u watch for advertisement and marketing resons.. they throw u the caller id thing so poeple will think it is convenient...nyleadtech
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scott, 16 May 2006 @ 5:28pm

Now they are checking all custom work on new a3 installs to make sure no customers are being overcharged.
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exmastecsupervisor, 19 May 2006 @ 5:57pm

Mastec did backcharge installers for non-responders. I quit 6 months ago due to this. It is even worse now. I still have friends that work there, but don't know what else to do. Mastec brought this on themselves.
"YES I THINK THEY'RE GUILTY AND I HOPE THEY BURN IN HELL!!"
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merry, 21 May 2006 @ 4:11pm

Directv installation charges
I've been a longstanding customer of DTV and today i wanted to install 2 addtional receivers that I already own. CAlled DTV and they told me it would be $100 per receiver to install unless of course i wanted new equipment and then it would cost $50/receiver to install.
What a freaking rip off!
$200 to connect a couple of wires?? Are you f------ kidding me???????
Something needs to be done about this.
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- josh aka shhh, 23 May 2006 @ 5:38am
  
  Re: Directv installation charges
  where u live gimme 50 bucks ill do it nyc eastern nj
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josh aka shhh, 23 May 2006 @ 5:36am

wow what a shitty job
yo lead tech nyc again... i hate this job now my boss is cool as a person but as a buiness man suck our trucks arent registered we get paid shit... we use to work for mastec now directech and nobody cares guys all over ny/nj have been doing such shit work we are not getting anymore,, supposedly directv is saying the hsp home service provider is fucking up so the alternate s p /maztec/ is getting the work is that true.. will a maztec guy let me know? if they paid more instead of treating us like shit guys would be able to spend more time at the customers house right now its like u have to work six days a week and as fast as possible to make a profit that blows.. oh the 6 days has been mandatory for the last 4 years............can i get a day off?
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- working for mastec, can't wait to run, 27 May 2006 @ 3:43pm
  
  Re: wow what a shitty job
  If you're thinking of coming to work for mastec, think hard. Do you want to be mistreated? Written up for the stupidist things? (like getting parts if you need them, and it's not your day to get parts because you only can get them 2x's a week) Putting up with supervisors that don't know shit about the satellite industry. Forced to pick up additional work against your will or be either suspended or terminated. If you really want to come to work for Mastec, bring plenty of grease because you're going to be royally fucked in the ass.
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GUS.REY.IS.A.FAT.PIECE.OF.SHIT, 29 May 2006 @ 12:49am

Mastec Firings
Guys the firings will not stop here, I am in the mist if two lawsuits that I filed against Mastec, One of those lawsuits has Directv named as well. I figure if Mastec is gonna fire us, humuliate us and degrade us then Im assuming that Directv is aware and fully backs up Mastec in all their wrongfull terminations and mistreatement.

BTW: Get Dishnetwork thats where all the good Mastec Techs are going to. At least you will get a quality install.
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OSCAR.PENA.IS.A.MARICON, 29 May 2006 @ 12:55am

I like it when Gus Rey
I am the Operations manager for Mastec, I like it when Gus Rey gives it to me in my rear, I then inturn give it to Mariano in the rear as well, but he REALLY enjoys it. Then Mariano passes the buck on to the techs, but I dont think they really understand him because he just MUMBLES.

Go see: A DAY WITHOUT A MASTEC MEXICAN

Great Flick playing now...
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pat harrington, 30 May 2006 @ 11:14am

No hard line phone-no DVR
This is a response from DirectTV concerning my request to get a DVR absent a hard line phone.

"In order to use the DIRECTV DVR service, it’s critical to have a land-based phone line continuously connected to your DVR receiver. In fact, we can't even activate the DVR service for you unless a phone line is connected to your DVR. This important link is the only way your receiver can check for DVR software upgrades and Showcase updates.

Since the receiver must be continuously connected to a land-based phone line, this means that both the phone and the receiver must have a fixed location. Unfortunately, a cell phone does not meet either of these criteria because it is mobile and usually not left on at all times. If you can't connect your receiver to a standard phone line, several manufacturers offer wireless phone jacks that are compatible with DIRECTV equipment. There may be some limitations to using a wireless connection so we recommend that you check with your local electronics dealer to find out if one will work for you."
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- whatever you believe, 30 May 2006 @ 3:33pm
  
  Re: No hard line phone-no DVR
  it is NOT true that a landbased phone connection must be connected to a directv dvr. While it is true that you MUST use one for a directv tivo, the same is not true for a directv dvr. The difference is tivo service downloads info via a phone line while directv dvr ie: R15 downloads info via satellite. I have installed many dvr's without a phone connection and they work just fine. The only drawback, no PPV ordering through the remote. You can still either phone in an order or use the internet. They will tell you anything. They just read off a card.
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dracozny, 28 Jun 2006 @ 8:02pm

forget the phoneline unless its a tivo
This came from my manager at Ironwood, when you call to activate recievers tell the CSR to deactivate the pay per view or just say deactivate the phoneline. you should see a 732 code on a payperview showing.

if its a tivo such as the HR10-250 then your screwed.

anyways if you do this on your installs your nonresponder report will always be 0%!

keep in mind that report is f^&*ed up anyways! its not at all acurate and my regional manager has put a hold on using the figures for any sort of action against techs.
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- Ron, 13 Jul 2006 @ 9:55pm
  
  Re: forget the phoneline unless its a tivo
  We were told the same thing at our local Ironwood office in Pittsburgh. If this is true, why did I get hit for six installs I busted my ass on when I verified each receiver had message 732 like you said? Have you tried this and been hit for any non-responders. There has got to be a way around all this bullshit. Anybody who knows anything about this please help.
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  - Disturbed & Disgusted, 15 Jul 2006 @ 4:23am
    
    Charged for not connecting IRD's to phone lines
    These HSP's need to get sued over this. Or have a massive shutdown on the work being done by us. This can't be legal. They are stealing from us no doubt. But the courts are such a joke that it's hard to believe that anything positive will come out of turning to them for one of their assinine decisions that take years to come up. We're getting charged $10 per receiver. If the customer has no phone service or cell phone only we're still expected to do the install which I have no problem with but the customers should be paying us $10 cash per receiver not hooked up at time of install. Why should we have to pay for other people's shit? There are a lot of good Techs in this industry who work too hard to get screwed like this. There's has got to be a way to get these receivers not to show up on those reports. If anyone out there knows please share. We were told to disable the IPPV at time of install as well but it didn't keep the receivers from showing up as non-responders according to the report that just came out the other day. Would complaints to the Attorney General in the states this practice is taking place do any good? This has to be stopped!!!
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john smith, 23 Jul 2006 @ 12:23pm

directv hsp's
I worked for DirecTech, a major HSP (home service provider) . I feel really sorry for people living in certain regions (new jersey, mass, east texas, louisiana, others). Only good team we have going is in Vermont. The rest of them really dont care. If you are ever rescheduled or don't know where your technician is during the scheduled time frame, chances are greater then 50% you are going to be lied to, repeatedly. They start this with their CSR's right during the first days of training. Never allowed to reveal to the customer or directv that we 'don't know where the tech is'. Rescheduled due to 'emergency?' Tech probably just doesn't have your dvr or hd box on his truck and can't be bothered to call you early on and let you know, so you'll get some excuse you can't rebuttle like 'family emergency' after you've been waiting all day. The list goes on....
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- matthew, 1 Aug 2006 @ 6:25pm
  
  Re: directv hsp's
  i know exactly how all installers feel, cause i am one myself. i have alot of issues with certain chargebacks.
  One, is that we had to go thru and and guarantee all of our work. doesn't matter if its an install, upgrade,or service call we have to guarantee our jobs for 60 days, if there is ever an issue with the system within the 60 days wee catch a chargeback. i catch alot of cahrgebacks on little shit like customer education or bad switch. this is not my fault that most of these customers have there dish for years and then all of a sudden dont know how to operate something, and its definetaly not my fault that directv quit having good name brand companies producing these ird's. it seems like anymore all the hardware is mass produced by the lowest bidder somewhere in malaysia.we have to guarantee our service longer with cheaper parts that are pushed out by directv. i also get hit $5 for every phone line that does not respond. i cant help it that customers are getting rid of land lines, they want there cell phones its cheaper and more convenient after all isn't that why they are switching to directv. if directv wants ird's hooked to phone then they should provide the landline for the customer. my paycheck shouldn't be a gamble every week wether or not its phone lines or cheaper parts. just goes to show you how well you actually are taken care of. my opinion is that customer service is horrible and that technical support isn't on the same page as the field techs with alot of issues. i can argue till im blue in the face but my company doesn't give a shit about me and it shouldnt be an ass kissing contest for irate customers either
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Worst than that, 5 Aug 2006 @ 1:59pm

Charges
I heard that Direct TV got a big fined for charges offs
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- skotkolr, 28 Aug 2006 @ 8:53pm
  
  Re: Charges
  here is the fine information I found on Direct tiv
  http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/12/13/1947230
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- Fred S., 27 Jun 2007 @ 12:08am
  
  Re: Charges
  You are so right. I am a installer also, I've been doing Dishnetwork and Directv and can tell you that it seems like there receivers are getting worse. After we do a Install we are
  obligated to that customer's system for 3 months.
  even if it is do to faulty equipment or bad switches.
  Most of the time we are sent out with refurbrished receivers, LNB's . which create trouble calls. I live in California where
  gas prices are $3.40 a gallon. I have to pay for my own gas
  I am looking to get out of this business no way to make money!!
  Directv and Dishnetwork are corporate hilters and if you don't play there game your out!!
  As a former installer there was to much bullshit with not enough pay.
  Some how the installers from Dishnetwork and Directv need
  to get some source of Union together.
  Until then Directv or should I say Ironwood communications
  and Dishnetwork will constantly screw over the small guy!!
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HSP Subcontractor Owner, 13 Aug 2006 @ 7:31pm

What really gets me
I own a subcontractor for one of the largest HSPs in the nation. We have seen probably about everything that could happen, but I'm sure that things will get worse.

#1 DirecTV could give 2 craps about anyone.
#2 HSP's are under such pressure they could too
#3 Sub Contractors are so overworked so could we
#4 Installers get the brunt of all of the above

In our contract, we are required to run 2 cables to every tv dvr or not

We are required to run a phone line in the same manner that coax is. ie: 150 ft, through walls etc...

We are being charged 10 bucks for each phone line that isnt hooked up. 40 for a 4 box.

Our pay has been cut 4 times in the last year.

Gas price has nearly doubled in recent years. Wages have dropped.

There is even more demand for DirecTV then ever, so we have to slam out as many jobs as we can, our HSP Doesnt care if we dont have all the techs to complete the jobs they give us. We give them schedules weeks a head of time and every saturday I still have to go out and work, and I own the damn thing.

We hear pretty soon we'll be required to use 100% copper cable at over twice the cost. That would put a lot of smaller companies out of business. They could go work for In and Out and make as much with a lot less hours and sweat.

If DirecTV would learn how to run their operation more effectively they would not have to earn their money on the backs of the people who keep them in business. If their response is you do crappy work. Then give us the money it takes to keep talent. Dish does.
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asdf, 14 Aug 2006 @ 12:00pm

HR10-250
I'm getting the HR10-250 (HD DVR) installed soon. I have no land lines. Will it work without a land line.

that's all i want to know.
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jkl;, 16 Aug 2006 @ 12:47pm

hr10-250
hr10-250 hd dvr will not work w/o landline. HD DVRs are still using tivo service i believe.
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Rudy Rodriguez, 20 Aug 2006 @ 8:28pm

i want to know
I want to know if mastec is going to be sue. If so do you think thoughs tech are going to win. And do you think mastec is going to be hit hard by the courts,because i hear the government already past charges on Mastec and Directv. And if thats the case good,Mastec is a company that treats there worker like shit, and to me it is a company that has there employees work in sweat shop conditions. No one should have to work 6 days a week and 10 to 12 hrs a day, i thought this country had laws to protect the working class. This government needs to hit Mastec hard, and use them as an exsample to other companies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The dirt 30 will always be remember, because they stand up to those assholes at mastec. And i know for a fact that Mastec is already regarding there decision on firing 30 or so techs because Directv is slowing doing away with them. They lost Altanta,Washington area,parts of california, and they are moving into florida. So Chris Brown you keep on telling people not to hire those techs, because you will be looking for work soon to and guess what you will be know for how you fuck up a company with your famous words of tell the customer that the boxes will blow up if we dont put the phone line to the box.Also i hope you know i have the list you gave to directv not hire the guys you fire, you and Mastec are going to be fuck. And herbert you ass kisser fuck you to will be looking for soon, ill be seeing you at the employment line.
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skotkolr, 28 Aug 2006 @ 9:04pm

Mastec
I didn't take the job with mastec I was offerd, $40.00 a week for their truck because they dont have a parking area where I am located is theft of my money for their use. and these charge backs and such are unacceptable to me for what I cannot control. The reality is that Mastec got into a very badly worded contract. but like all contracts I am sure that Direct told them" do you want the work or not?" that is a line I recieve alot when I examine a contract and the contract is totally Bogus. everyoe is leaving the industry simply because not one person can afford to run a vehicle for any hsp at the pay they are "giving" except mabey dish and I am thinking about switching due to the price difference.
Its time to break up the satallite install companies and the telco's they are all to big for thier britches AGAIN!
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mikeyman, 2 Sep 2006 @ 9:19pm

mastecemployeeguy
i work for mastec in dallas and i frikkin love my job. that's all i have to say mother fuckers.
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- ronnie, 11 Jun 2008 @ 8:21pm
  
  Re: mastecemployeeguy
  If you love your job, you must be willing to get fucked daily. I worked for Mastec and they are doing nothing but running a sweatshop. Requiring you to work 60 to 70 hours per week and reporting not over 40. They say they pay you $3.00 per phone line hook up. I worked there 4 months and did not receive a penny for phone hookups. No one in management can give you an answer as to why. If that is all you have to say, I guess that says it all. Hopefully you will get educated before you are 18 and you can see what is really going on.
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mikeyman, 2 Sep 2006 @ 9:24pm

you know what I'm sayin and stuff?
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- notsomeonenamedmikey, 2 Sep 2006 @ 9:29pm
  
  Re:
  i heard that mikeyman. you rule ! you are the greatest. don't work too hard on labor day okay. hehehe : P
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rude22, 4 Sep 2006 @ 5:30am

kiss ass
well see how long you like your, much less have one with mastec.You must like being treated like shit. Sooner or later you going to realize the crooks you work for!!!!!!!
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Henry, 14 Nov 2006 @ 11:25pm

WHO SHOULD I COMPLAIN ABOUT DIRECTV TO???
I subscribed DirecTV about a year ago. I have been on an extended vacation in Australia since Feb. this year, and will not be returning to the States until at least January or Feb. of 2007. I have been emailing DirecTV requesting to discontinue all of my services with DirecTV repeatedly, and all I got was emails telling me that there are "guidelines" that needed to follow, and that a representative would call me and discuss the issues with me. I gave them my telephone number (and postal address) here in Australia, but nobody ever contacted me. Who should I complain to about this???
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dracozny, 26 Nov 2006 @ 10:38am

forget the phoneline unless its a tivo
well now that the tivos are phased out for hsp installs the tivo part doesn't matter in the subject, however I have been told that there is a 40% error rate when it comes to phone lines.
viewing the nonresponder report for my site over the last month I have put this to my manager and asked how they can justify this, we have been told that turning the IPV off is no longer applicable due to abuse. our subcontractors are feeling this hit more than anyone as they are directly charged for every box on the report.

not sure what to say beyond that, I definately do not like the everchanging contract between hsp's and directv. ofcourse right now the phones are the least of my worries as dtv has made it clear that i need to get productivity up in my site or face having another company contracted to take all of our installs.
which is hard to do when you don't have the man power, Pretty much wanted to slap the heck out of the FOM when he told me I can't overbook techs but I have to keep productivity up.

I know DTV is not the only home entertainment comapny pulling this crap, but it doesn't make them look any better.
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Shalyn, 14 Dec 2006 @ 7:27pm

DirecTV phone line-people have become too paranoid
What is the big deal? If the phone line isn't connected, you have to call the 800 number to order PPV, with this enormous increase in phone calls to DirecTV, they have to hire more people to take these calls, just because a customer thinks they are being watched through a phone line hooked to their receiver. I am a dispatcher for DirecTV, we can get around the non-responders somewhat by typing notes on the customers account, NO LAND LINE IN HOUSE, these are excluded from the report, but, obviously, we can't type that on every job, the ones where the phone jack is too far away or would take to long to hook up, that's when we use it. We tell our techs, do what you can to get it hooked up, tell the customer the receiver needs to be hooked up just for the first month, that's enough time for the non-responder report to come, after that, you can unhook it if you want. We do get charged $5.00 for every non-responder, but that is because they have to pay something to these people that are taking all the pay per view phone calls because customers don't want a phone line hooked up. WHATEVER!
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Rudy Rodriguez, 19 Dec 2006 @ 5:46am

the hell with directv
Directv trys to put a spin on all there stupid practices. The bottom line is there greeded. I think they want the install not to put the phone line so they can paid the techs less. Take more money from the techs and put it in there pockets. But let me tell you something all the good techs are leaving,tired of the bullshit. Directv will feel it,when they dishing more money out because they have guys that dont know what they are doing. And with all the lawsuit out they will feel. Thats what happens when you low ball your hard working techs, they get angry and they fight back.
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- Anonymous Coward, 29 Dec 2006 @ 7:49pm
  
  Re: the hell with directv
  As a tech i will comment.
  
  It is true we were told to hook up a phoneline by any means neccessary, and yes that includes lying. They overbook us and pay us by the job, and not the hour. How can you promise a customer a install time of between 8am and 12pm and load the tech with 4 Am Installs.
  
  What tends to happen is if your scheduled in the AM you git pushed further to the PM if your the last pm you git rescheduled.
  
  Directv doesn't tell you about DVR's needing second lines and thats because they don't want you thinking there will be any added extra cost. Well hello me dropping a cable down your wall will run 52.00 that's not my fee its the company I work for fee, and out of the 52.00 i git 30.00 why does the company git paid 20.00 who knows, so what do tech's do, they start doing them for under 52.00 and pocket it all, then and only then does it become worth while.
  
  If a installer installs a system, that customer becomes his for 2 months. now if in this 2 month time frame anything goes wrong a service call is placed. Did you know if a service call is opened it is given to another tech, and the original tech has to PAY the new tech out of his check. If you look at it on a large scale its basically free labor for service calls.
  
  As far as phonelines are concerned, can i run them.. Yes, will i run them.. ONLY IF ASKED. Or i will say thats the phone company's job. How can i do 7 jobs a day and run phone lines to each reciever and still be home before 11PM. Because if your not home by 6 or so your day breaks into like 9.00 a hour.
  
  We dont git paid for driving to a jobthats 150 miles away, and if by chance they do decide, the somehow figure 75 miles = 1 hour so are they condoning we speed?
  
  Life as a tech really sucks, and as soon as i find a better job im out. It would be great if they pay was a little better and if it wasn't half the bullshit we put up with.
  
  And customers please dont think we ride around with laptops looking to mapquest your house. the procedure is. attempt to call you if you dont answer you go in Can not find status. wait 45 in between each try and on the 3rd try your cancled. They don't give us time to hunt customers down.
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ShowMe Cable Guy, 27 Mar 2007 @ 2:41pm

Yes you do!
You do need a phone line connected to the receiver. If you do not, it is possible to order PPV, but then the data will not dump back to DirecTV in order for them to bill you. Eventually, the PPV will disable, but you can order PPV until this happens and never pay for the programming.
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Roman B., 13 Apr 2007 @ 7:37pm

Hey "Anonymous"
I have to disagree. Life as a tech is great.
In your case it sounds like the company you work for abuses theire installers. if you are ever in New jersey I will give you a job. Your radius is 75 miles, you get paid for the phone lines, Master Tech bonuses, No more than 4 jobs a day 2PM and 2AM.
All you have to do is install and take pictures of your installs, so you can submit them back to me.
If interested shoot me an e-mail.
Thanx
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- hey.... im tim, 18 Sep 2007 @ 9:30am
  
  i jus applied to be a directv installer..
  hey im tim and i have a interview to marrow at 9am to be a installer and i was wonderin and sorta worried about how good my driving record has to be and how much should i expect to bring home...
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Mitch, 1 Jul 2007 @ 4:27am

lier,lier!
some dtv receivers need to be connected to a phone line. ALL dvr services,including Tivo need software upgrades and the new HR20- will actually turn there selfs off from recording. If the the Tivo doesn't make a daily call to the CAMC it will actually stop recordings in the middle of shows wanting to be watched. Sounds to me like those guys have a major lawsuit pending if there smart.
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Tech, 7 Jul 2007 @ 5:34pm

Phone lines, etc.
Working for DirecTech...

DTV tells contractors that phonelines are required on every job and they are only used for PPV ordering, caller ID, and to check reciever firmware so they can send an update if needed. Reciver PPV orders are an additional $3.50 charge, Phone orders are $1.50, and online orders are free. A tech can tell activation that there is no landline in the house. It is not used for any type of programming features.

As far as finding customers goes, we are told to print directions to the house, and call all the days customers at 7:30 am to give them an estimated time after looking at work orders. If we arrive at customers house or can't locate it and can't get in touch with a customer we're given a 30 min. time frame from the time we arrive or are in the general area. Keep in mind that new subdivions and roads are not on mapquest, etc. So if we can't get in touch, we can't get there.

As far as life as tech for the company goes. Average 700/week but that's usually 8-12 hours a day 6 days a week non-stop. Gas expenses are covered and we can make a decent amount of money on custom work but because DTV never tells their customers there may be additional charge we almost always have to waive these fees in order to maintain customer satisfaction. If a tech tells you he's going to have to do additional work for an additional fee he's usually not going to lie. I know I avoid as much work as possible. The reason the fee is there is because of the extra work and time these jobs require. I like to be home before 8pm everyday. If a tech tells you there's only one way to do something then they are NOT supposed to charge. Ex- If you cannot get signal from the roof of a house or if the dish cannot be mounted to it and REQUIRES a pole mount then the tech CANNOT charge for it. The pole mount charge is if it's a customer REQUEST. A wall fish is a customer request, it's a lot more simple for us drop it out of the attic along an exterior wall and into the house from outside.
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- Anonymous Coward, 11 Jun 2008 @ 8:41pm
  
  Re: Phone lines, etc.
  When going to a customers house and they can not get a signal from the roof, they are told there will be a charge for a pole mount. If they want it on a pole, they are requesting a pole mount.The pole, concrete, cable burial are time and money I will not do for "free". They will pay under those circumstances or find someone like you to work for nothing. You say a wall fish is a customer request, what if that is required to do the install, then you can not charge for that. Too many variables, use you common sense and make some money doing it.
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  - EXP TECH, 14 Apr 2012 @ 11:02pm
    
    Re: Re: Phone lines, etc.
    I AM WITH "COWARD" A WALL FISH IN MOST COMPANIES IS NOT REQUIRED AS A REGULAR DUTY FOR INSTALLATIONS! THAT IS THE BIG $$$ MONEY MAKING MATERIAL THERE SON IM SURE YOU GET A$$ RAPED IF YOU DO IT SUBBED THROUGH A COMPANY CAUSE THEY PROBABLY CHARGE A GOOD $75-$200 EXTRA FOR THAT AND WOULD PART YOU WITH *MAYBE* $30 OF IT! WATCH FOR YOUR RED FLAGS IF IT SEEMS LIKE YOUR MIND AND HEART IS GOING MAN WHY DOES IT SEEM I AM DOING A $300/INST IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE AND YOUR GETTING 15% OF IT AND THAT IS ALL!!! LET THE LIL BEANS DOWN THERE DROP N MAN UP!
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DTV Tech, 12 Jul 2007 @ 3:52pm

I haven't read all of the post below me or all of the ones regarding the original story but I've read enough to get the just of the matter.

I am a DTV installer, tech, sub-contractor, whatever... I also install Dish Network and have for the last four years. I deal with customers on a daily basis that have flat out been lied to by the sales associates in order to get the conusumer to purchase the system. Happens on a regular basis. As far as the different retailers telling their techs to lie, yeah it to happens every so often too. Usually white lies with little consequence other than a scolding. So I can see why the techs who blew the whistle did and from a techs point of view I can see why the retailers charged and subsequently fired them. Retailers (for the most part) are the lowest of the low, doing whatever it takes to make a buck. The company I work for currently is one of the best I have ever worked for and yet I still feel they are little more than slime.

So, in conclusion my point is... it's not right, but it is what it is and will not change anytime soon.

On a completely different note, post # 181 is from a current tech and alot of what he says is not true. It might be true at the place he is currently employed but is def. not the standard. Like Gas expenses paid... never seen that before. Not being able to charge for something required... hell that's how I make my living. It varies from tech to tech, retailer to reatiler, just like how a sub-contractor is treated and/or backcharged for different things. There is no standard set in place.

By the way, I never hook up phone lines, and no-one cares... however my employer backcharges for being late to a job and threatens to fire you if you wear jeans... what a world.
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DTV Tech, 12 Jul 2007 @ 3:56pm

I haven't read all of the post below me or all of the ones regarding the original story but I've read enough to get the just of the matter.

I am a DTV installer, tech, sub-contractor, whatever... I also install Dish Network and have for the last four years. I deal with customers on a daily basis that have flat out been lied to by the sales associates in order to get the conusumer to purchase the system. Happens on a regular basis. As far as the different retailers telling their techs to lie, yeah it to happens every so often too. Usually white lies with little consequence other than a scolding. So I can see why the techs who blew the whistle did and from a techs point of view I can see why the retailers charged and subsequently fired them. Retailers (for the most part) are the lowest of the low, doing whatever it takes to make a buck. The company I work for currently is one of the best I have ever worked for and yet I still feel they are little more than slime.

So, in conclusion my point is... it's not right, but it is what it is and will not change anytime soon.

On a completely different note, post # 181 is from a current tech and alot of what he says is not true. It might be true at the place he is currently employed but is def. not the standard. Like Gas expenses paid... never seen that before. Not being able to charge for something required... hell that's how I make my living. It varies from tech to tech, retailer to reatiler, just like how a sub-contractor is treated and/or backcharged for different things. There is no standard set in place.

By the way, I never hook up phone lines, and no-one cares... however my employer backcharges for being late to a job and threatens to fire you if you wear jeans... what a world.
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Jason, 24 Jul 2007 @ 11:23pm

installers need a change now!
ANYONE WHO WORKS FOR IRONWOOD/DIRECTECH,MASTEC...
TIRED OF BEING ABUSED BY OVERTIME PAY,NON-RESPONDERS,COST OF LIVING INCREASES,BENEFITS,PENSION AND 401K[WHAT IS THAT]?

WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY ORGANIZED A UNION here.!!!
NO pay increases in this industry for over 10 years.Just pay cuts!
Sick and tired of busting your @## for what?
Big wigs flying around in lear jets while your in an attic/crawl spaces.........

Join us

we are many,do not believe the lies about DTV cutting your contract/shutting your office down,firing you...
heard it all,I found out what my federal law rights were..
knowledge is power...WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL HERE...
Putting respect back in work place.

YOUR INFO IS 100% CONFIDENTIAL AND SECURE!
I WOULD LIKE TO HERE FM YOU!!!
dtelephoneman@yahoo.com

Trying to feed my family and do quality work.
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Stephen Zimmett, 27 Jul 2007 @ 9:44am

DIRECTV INSTALLATION
My mother wishes to cancel the installation for the DirecTV system. When the installation person arrived at her home his morning I called DirecTV to verify the amount being charged for her monthly service. I was told by a representative that the bill would be $49.95 less a $10.00 credit. I then told her to cancel the installation. She told me to talk with someone at direcstartv. I then spoke with that person, Stephanie and she told me that the person I spoke with did not give all the credits due her. She said that the service charge would be $49.95 plus two $10.00 credits so that the bill would be $29.95 plus $5.95 for the DVR plus tax, or about $38.00. I received 2 emails one week ago claiming that the bill would be about $38.00. Who am I to trust?
The original order was placed on or about June 28th. The DirecTV website claimed that the Choice package would be $29.95. A second order was placed on July 11th.
On July 12th the price changed to $44.95 a $5.00 savings. This bothered me and that is why I called to verify.
The following is an email I received from DirecTV on July 15th.
From : DIRECTV Customer Service
Reply-To : "DIRECTV Customer Service"
Sent : Sunday, July 15, 2007 9:06 AM
To : zimmett@hotmail.com
Subject : RE: dvr [Reference #: 070711-001750] [Reference #: 070714-002184] [Reference #: 070715-000253]

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Subject
RE: dvr [Reference #: 070711-001750] [Reference #: 070714-002184]

Discussion Thread
Response (Maricar T) 07/15/2007 07:06 AM
Dear Mr. Zimmett,

Thanks for writing us back. I understand that you ordered for your mother on July 11. As you are aware, if you have placed an order for new equipment for your mother anytime between 5/2 and 7/11, she can be eligible for a Choice package offer at $49.99 with $10 monthly credit for 12 months. Also, she may be eligible for the cash back offer which will be paid in $10 monthly programming credits over 10 months. Here's the breakdown for your reference.

--------------------------------------------------
Choice - $49.99
DVR Service - $5.99

Less:
Programming Discount (12 mos.) - $10.00
Cash Back Credit - $10.00
--------------------------------------------------
Total (Monthly) = $35.98 plus tax

If you have any questions or concerns, or if you wish to discuss the matter further, please call us at 1-800-531-5000 and one of our Customer Service Representatives will be happy to assist you.

Thanks again for writing.

Sincerely,

Maricar T
Employee ID 100130112
DIRECTV Customer Service

Make the most of DIRECTV by registering your account on directv.com. You'll learn about exclusive online promotions, new features of DIRECTV and the latest programs and packages. Visit www.directv.com/register today.
Customer 07/15/2007 05:55 AM

Again, if someone could verify this perhaps there is no need to cancel. But as it stands right now, I wish to cancel this order and get a credit for $5.94, the amount I paid for the installation service. Please get back to me as quickly as possible.
Respectively,

Steve Zimmett a customer of DirecTV for over 4 years.

Buy the way, my mother has Dish Network and was billed an additional $6.00 on her last bill and way unhappy with this.
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Patrick Bailey II, 3 Aug 2007 @ 5:59pm

unfair wages
patrick bailey II

1-724-813-0197
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Tom, 5 Aug 2007 @ 8:01am

DirecTv Contractors in Arkansas
Who knows of any DirecTv contractors or sub-contractors in the Little Rock area? I am looking to move to Arkansas and have been installing DirecTv for about 2 months. Within those 2 months I have advanced to a field trainer due to my high quality of work and customer service. I have never charged more than DirecTv allows for custom work when I am allowed to. Honesty is key in every installer as the Tech is the only face the customer is able to associate with DirecTv. I have called DirecTv prior to installing many accounts to ensure that the customer is receiving the proper equipment and programming as well as credits due. All Tech's need and must, if they aren't already doing it, complete a "Installation Site Survey" and review it with he customer prior to beginning any work on their home. The survey lists all of the work that will be completed and i the customer has any objection to how the DirecTv is to be installed they can say so. If custom charges are necessary, because of the increased time the installation will take, they must be disclosed and approved by the customer. Every single customer I have installed a DirecTv for has been beyond satisfied due to my honesty and superior quality of work and customer service. I am looking to bring my work ethics and high moral standards to the Little Rock area. Can anyone help me?
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I'm tha real deal!!!!!={), 8 Aug 2007 @ 7:14pm

Re:truth?
It's not a lie! For the system to operate as advertized and designed, you need an active phone connection. The system is designed to order ppv by remote. No phone line, no ppv by remote. You can still order ppv via phone call (for a charge) or free online.
Here's a tech tip, the phone line gets "pinged" for no more than 72 hrs after that, you're good on the $5.00 backcharge.
I personally don't trust idiot customers to do that so I don't hook up phone lines at all. When you activate, tell the csr @ directv to disable IPPV and you won't get charged.
By tha way, as with any service, you get good guys and bad, so don't hate everyone....that's just ignorant.
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Nicole, 24 Aug 2007 @ 7:46pm

hooking up the phone lines messed up our phones
I've had my phone company for over a year with no problems with the phones. Ever since we changed to directv and they said they had to hook up phone lines for 48hrs which we did our phones don't work as they should. If we hook them up to the recievers for either pay-per-view or the caller ID the phones don't work for a couple hours. Every time it rains, it's atleast a day before the phones are working again. I don't understand because we have internet also and every time the phones stop working the internet still works just fine. We've had the phone company come and look at the box and they say it has nothing to do with the box. We could spend $120/hr + another trip charge for them to see whats wrong and fix it. I cant afford that right now. I've ran new phone wire and put in another line but we still have the same problem.
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george, 23 Sep 2007 @ 7:38pm

i am a direct tv installer and the 5 dollar backcharge those techs were getting would be a godsend my contractor charges us 9 i dont feel right about paying it and will start passing on that charge too the customer as well or i will have too refuse too install direct tv in houses that dont have land lines when i am driving 40 miles one way too install a job for 105 bucks and use up 4 hours of my time and pay for my wires and conectors zip ties fasteners groundblocks i'm already barely making money now if they wack me 9 bucks a phone line it just cuts into whats left and somtimes i lose money so that whistleblower is right and i'm behind him 100%
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Steve, 23 Oct 2007 @ 9:45am

spelling
My Webster's dictionary has: "shone", "shined", "spelled" and "spelt" in it. My OED says: "shined" and "spelled" are American spellings.

I wonder if Noah Webster would have reformulated the spelling of English if he'd known how many stupid arguments it would cause over the centuries?
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Thomas M. Strange, 29 Nov 2007 @ 5:00pm

If the Federal Gov't can lie to us what is so surprising about DirecTV doing it.
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Mike, 11 Dec 2007 @ 8:07pm

overtime pay lawsuits against directech and others
I'm a paralegal at a labor law firm and I just wanted to share that there are numerous lawsuits against satellite TV installation contractors for failing to pay overtime to their technicians.

To read about some of those cases, see:
http://www.getmanlaw.com/investigations.html
http://directechovertime.com
http://jbmovertime.com
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brannon, 19 Dec 2007 @ 2:41pm

another sub that got screwed
AFTER APPLYING AND TAKING THE DRUG AND BACKGROWN CHECKS , I WAS HIRED AS A SUB CONTRACTOR WITH SKYLINK TO INSTALL DIRECTTV. THEN AFTER SPENDING ALMOST 2000,00 DOLLARS ON THE BIRDDOGS, INCLINCOMETERS, TELEPHONE CABLE, COAX CABLE ETC, I WENT TO WORK INSTALLING . OVER THE NEXT 9 MONTHS I TOOK VERBAL PROFANITY ABUSE FROM THE HEAD SUPERVISOR IN HURRICANE WEST VA, WHILE INSTALLING FROM 7 AM TILL SOMETIMES 11 PM . THE AREA I INSTALLED IN IS VERY RURAL AND SOMETIMES IT WAS AN HR OR MORE DRIVE TO THE NEXT INSTALL. I WOULD BE CALLED AT A CUSTOMERS HOME TO FIND OUT WHY IT TOOK ME MORE THAN THE COMPANY RECCOMMENED 15 MINUTES TO THE NEXT INSTALL JOB. WHEN I WOULD EXPLAIN THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE TO THE NEXT INSTALL IN THIS RURAL COUNTY I WOULD GET A VERBAL PROFANITY LACED RESPONSE.AFTER 9 MONTHS OF INSTALLING , I HAD JUST FINISHED AN INSTALL AT 9PM , AND WAS HEADING TO THE NEXT INSTALL, WHEN MY BRAKES THAT I HAD JUST PUT ON THE DAY BEFORE LOCKED UP ON ME. I CALLED IN AND LEFT A VOICE MAIL STATING THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THE LAST INSTALL I WAS HEADING TO BECAUSE OF MY BRAKE TROUBLE. MY INSTALLS FOR THE NEXT DAY WERE FAXED IN AS USUAL TO ME . THE NEXT NIGHT I CALLED IN TO SEE WHY I HADNT GOTTEN ANY INSTALLS FAXED TO ME FOR THE NEXT DAY , AND WAS TOLD THEY DIDNT NEED ME ANY MORE AS I SHOULD HAVE CALLED IN WITH MY BRAKE PROBLE BEFORE 8 PM WHEN THE OFFICE CLOSES , NOT LEAVE A VOICE MAIL AS I DID. I GUESS I WAS SUPPOSED TO FORE SEE AN HR AHEAD THAT I WOULD HAVE TRUCK PROBLEMS . OK SO NOW WHN ALL THE CONTRACTS WERE ORIGINALLY SIGNED BEFORE STARTING WITH DIRECT TV, ONE LINE IN THE CONTRACT STATED THAT 20.00 PER WEEK WOULD BE WITH HELD , SO THAT WHEN AN INSTALLER QUIT OR WAS LET GO , THAT THEY WOULD RECIEVE THE MONEY WITHELD WITHIN 6 MONTHS, LESS ANY DIRECT TV EQUIPMENT THAT WAS NOT RETURNED. WELL AFTER A MONTH OF CALLING AND GETTING THE REPLY , THAT OH AS SOON AS WE CAN WE WILL REPLY TO YOU BY PHONE.WELL THAT CALL NEVER CAME . SO HERE THEY HAVE APROX 9 MONTHS OF WITHOLDING 20.00 PER WEEK FROM MY PAYCHECKS, AND IM WONDERING HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF FORMER DIRECTV INSTALLERS HAVE NEVER GOTTEN BACK THIS 20.00 PER WEEK DEDUCTION AND HAVE GIVEN UP TRYING . IT IS VERY HARD TO GET TO TALK TO ANYONE IN THE CORPORATE OFFICE OF SKYLINK ,BECAUSE WHEN ANYONE CALLS THE HURRICANE SKYLINK OFFICE THAT I WORKED OUT OF AND ASKS FOR THE PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL ADDRESS OF THE CORPORATE OFFICE OF SKYLINK, THEY ARE TOLD THAT THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE OUT THAT INFORMATION. WHO HAS EVER HEARD OF ANY MAJOR COMPANY NOT WANTING THEIR PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL ADDRESS GIVEN OUT ? WHICH LEADS ME AND OTHER INSTALLERS HERE TO WONDER WHETHER THE CORPORATE OFFICE OF SKYLINK ACTUALLY HAS ANY IDEA THAT THEIR OFFICE HERE IN HURRICANE WEST VA , IS OPERATING THE WAY IT IS. IT SURELY CANNOT BE ANY GOODWILL FOR THE PR OF DIRECTV THEMSELVES TO HAVE A CONTRACTOR SUCH AS SKYLINK LETTING CUSTONMERS THINK THAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH DIRECTV. THEY HAVE RUN DAILY CLASSIFIED ADS IN THE LOCAL PAPERS IN THIS RURAL AREA STATING THAT , URGENT NEEDING DIRECTV INSTALLERS , MAKE 1000.00 PLUS PER WEEK. THIS IS ALSO A GREAT MISREPRESENTATION FOR THESE INSTALLERS SUB CONTRACT POSITIONS. BECAUSE AS STATED ABOVE ONE MUST LAY OUT CLOSE TO 2000.00 INITALLY FOR THE EQUIPMENT NEEDED, COAX CABLE , BRASS GROUNDS ETC ETC AND ALSO , LETS TAKE THE 1000.00 DOLLAR FIQURE THEY STATE IN THE AD THAT ONE CAN MAKE PER WEEK. FIRST DEDUCT 153.00 THAT YOU MUST SET ASIDE FOR THE SS SELF EMPLOYMENT TAX ONE WILL HAVE TO PAY INTO SOCIAL SECURITY. THEN SET ASIDE ANOTHER 150.00 FOR INCOME TAX THAT MAY BE OWED AT THE END OF THE YEAR . SO THAT LEAVES APROX 700.00 INCOME LEFT. NOW DEDUCT APROX 250.00 FROM THAT FOR A HELPER . LEAVES 450.00. NOW PUT ON APROX 200 MILES A DAY IN THIS RURAL AREA FOR 6 DAYS AND YOUR GAS WILL BE APROX 150.00 TO 175.00 PER WEEK DEPENDING ON THE MILAGE YOUR TRUCK GETS .THAT LEAVES ME APROX 275.00 . THEY REQUIRED A MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTORS POLICY WHICH COST ME 20.00 PER WEEK AND TRUCK MAINTENCE SUCH AS BRAKE PADS, TIRES LUBES,ETC ETC RAN APROX 50.00 PER WEEK . SO ALL IN ALL IF I CLEARED OVER 200.00 PER WEEK I FELT LUCKY .HERE ARE THE PHONE NUMBERS THAT I WISH THE WV LABOR BOARD TO CALL AND FIND OUT WHY THIS HOLDING OF THIS MONEY THAT WAS WITHHELD IS SO HARD FOR ANY PREVIOUS INSTALLERS TO GET RETURNED. IT IS OUR MONEY NOT SKYLINKS TO KEEP.IM WONDERING HOW LONG THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON, AS ANY COMPANY , BANK, UTILITY COMPANY ETC ETC THAT HAS HELD DEPOSITS , HAVE TO HAND OVER ANY FUNDS TO THE STATE THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED TO THE OWNER , SO THAT THE STATE CAN ADVERTISE TO TRY TO FIND THE PERSONS THAT ARE ENTITLED TO THE RETURN OF THESE WITHELD DEPOSITS . SKYLINKS PHONE NUMBER IN HURRICANE WEST VA IS 1-562-0800 IN OHIO THE PAYROLL OFFICE NUMBER IS 1-888-745-9717. ANY HELP WILL BE GREATELY APPRECIATED
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tech 56808, 19 Dec 2007 @ 6:59pm

RE: Lying to the customers!!
I too was a victim of the same crap....
but I also tested the waters to see what would happen if I didn't disable the IPPV and I was Charged back $65 !!!!
what kind of crap is that anyway?
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Pedro, 13 Jan 2008 @ 3:17pm

over time work
is incredible but to many employee have to sign a paper where they declare are working only 40 hrs a week,when that is no right the worker have to lie because if they pass over 40 hrs can by hunder suspension for two o more days whit out rute ,every worker actually are working maybe 10 to 13 hrs for each day that mean minimum 50 hrs a week and they never see any over time on the pay cheq that is not rigth,
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Feb 2008 @ 6:14pm

Dish Network in Dunbar, WV is hiring.

You dont have to pay for any of your tools or equipment and you only have to work four days of week (sometimes five). You get paid by the hour and i think their starting pay is over $11.00 per hour.
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Anonymous Coward, 2 Feb 2008 @ 6:14pm

Dish Network in Dunbar, WV is hiring.

You dont have to pay for any of your tools or equipment and you only have to work four days of week (sometimes five). You get paid by the hour and i think their starting pay is over $11.00 per hour.
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Dan, 3 Feb 2008 @ 2:07am

onley
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Dan, 3 Feb 2008 @ 2:07am

onley
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Dan, 3 Feb 2008 @ 2:07am

onley
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J, 23 Feb 2008 @ 8:48pm

Phone lines
Connect televison does the same thing they lie to customers and cheat on their audits they fabricate false documents. The auditor does not know about how customer invoices are not real. They tell customers that the phone lines are required or the system wont work. All this companies lie, lie, lie and DirecTV don’t know or don’t care. They also make their employees eat their overtime and yell at you all the time.
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Jack G, 26 Jun 2008 @ 10:40am

Ripe off
Can anyone help me in finding the proper contact needed to get paid for instalations completed and not paid for.
This was a company called Interlink through Directv. I cant seem to find anyone at DTV that really cares if their contractors are not are paying their installers.
Any help would be appreicated.
Thanks, Jack
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- Peter Carter, 23 Jul 2008 @ 10:37am
  
  Re: Ripe off
  See my post in this thread (after yours was posted). Have you had any response?
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- ruben, 22 Feb 2009 @ 8:42pm
  
  Re: Ripe off
  your screwed dtv has nothing to do with sub contracting
  look for a better sub company or start your own
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- Antonio, 7 Aug 2009 @ 6:10pm
  
  Re: Ripe off
  Call department of labor. Or bounced checks Your local district attorney.
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Rita, 12 Jul 2008 @ 2:01pm

Direct TV installers
When your not qualified to work for a carnival, you can get a job as a Direct TV installer. Morons!
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Peter Carter, 22 Jul 2008 @ 12:52pm

directv, mastec
DirecTV and Mastec have used deceptive business practices to gain an unfair business advantage against the very workers providing installation services. These practices include charging companies full retail value for equipment that was installed and activated in customers homes, deducting money from pay with no back up or documentation to support legitimacy, providing forged documents in an attempt to collect money from contractors for equipment not received by contractor, charging for phone lines that were allegedly not connected at time of install with no regard for phone service availability at time of install or customer requests and/or denial of this connection, back charging contractors for faulty equipment that was beyond the control of the contractor (DirecTV of course having full knowledge of the inadequacies of their manufacturers), back charging contractors for problems as a result of customer error, collecting a large percentage of ancillary work fees despite the fact that the contractor provides all of the materials for the installation, and numerous other deceptive actions. Legal action is in progress, and reports have been filed with the Federal Trade Commission, The BBB and other Government agencies. If you have been a victim of these unjust employers please respond to cablinginnovations@yahoo.com, we would like to gather enough evidence to proceed with a class action lawsuit against DirecTV and Mastec (or other HSP companies following this example.)
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Piss on comcast, 28 Oct 2008 @ 5:58am

piss on comcast
Any company with a contract lies. If you noticed the comcast guy sayed THEY NEED THE SUPPORT. I guess Its because Directv are better liers. lol Have fun winning.
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ruben, 22 Feb 2009 @ 8:36pm

direct phonelines
the reason dtv wants recievers connected to phone lines is to track recievers on the same account to the same location some people have up to 8 recivers on one account at various locatins this is called mirroring fraud all recievers if connected to a phone line call in to report ppv activity
and location of that reciever there is a way to get free ppv if you unplug the phone line before you order after watching your ppv event go to settings menu goto reset reciever goto reset everything it will erase all your history including ppv purchases (not recomended for dvr you will lose all your recordings) once your reciever restarts you will need to do the set up once thats done check history it should be erased and connect phonline again without dtv recieving a hit from the reciever they will deactivate your ippv, that is being able to order through your remote the reciever will say check phone connection error 732
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ed, 24 Feb 2009 @ 12:31pm

hey, I have a few marks on my background,(ie: non-felony pot posessions and domestic violance charges, I swear judge-I did'nt do it-- she's lieing )I also have some exp. in doing dish installs, I like the work and can see that there is money to be made as a sub-contractor, does my past exclude me from being in bussiness for myself doing this work in the tampa area, and, if not, who do I get ahold of in the area to set something up, thanks.
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mixerMatt, 3 Mar 2009 @ 4:36pm

Directv
ok, here we go. this past sunday I went online to check my bill for March and what I had found was a .57 cent late fee on my bill. I gave to Directv and asked why was their a .57 cent late on my bill when I'm set up for auto pay.. the tech. I talked with could not give me an answer, when I never been late, and my bill was alway payed on time throught auto pay. still i could not get an answer. So what they did was Directv gave me 5 bucks off my bill.. So thinking that I called on a sunday.. I called them back on Monday and still samething no one could answer my question
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DirecTV Satellite Installer, 30 Apr 2009 @ 10:01pm

Ok, I don't know WHY a contractor would have his techs (installers) LIE to customers saying that the phone line HAS to be installed. Whoever came up with that bogus B*LL SH*T of, "for them (DIRECTV) to track usage and to push pay-per-view content on users" needs to get their facts straight before they publish such nonsense. The reason DirecTV requires receivers to be hooked up to a phone line is to call and ping the receiver to make sure that everything is okay and to see if the software is up to date. If the ping to the receiver finds that the software is out of date, then the server sends the signal through the mainframe to the transmitting dish, to the satellite 22,300 miles in the sky, then back down to the customers receiver where it then gets the needed software update. The other reason to have the phone line plugged in is to receive your local programming. If the mainframe is unable to ping the receiver, then the local channels will be removed from the channel line up. This is a way for DirecTV AND DISHNETWORK as well to make sure that the receivers are hooked up to a working phone line. The other reason for the phone line needing to be plugged in, is to pay for Pay-Per-View movies. Once you select Order, then your order is approved and put in a "basket". All of your pay-per-view movies will remain in this "basket" until the satellite company mainframe calls the receiver to ping it and this happens just about the billing cycle is about ready to end. That's just crazy to someone to say that DirecTV is keeping an eye on someone's viewing patterns to push more Pay-Per-View stuff at them. The people just need to stay away from the preview channels if that's what they're talking about. There are a lot of people that just lack common sense.
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Andy, 13 May 2009 @ 11:47pm

Yes it is needed
I work for DirecTV in a call center and the phone lines only purpose is to order PPV movies through the remote. If the phone line is not connected, DirecTV has no idea what you ordered. If you order a movie without a phone line you will never be charged. And that is stealing in the eyes of the Hollywood movie companies and DirecTV can be held liable. That is why they urge people to hook up a phone line. It isnt to go over on customers and moniter their activities.
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- Andy, 13 May 2009 @ 11:50pm
  
  Re: Yes it is needed
  I am sure the technicians were told that and good for them for being fired. As a DirecTV customer you have 3 ways to order PPV's:
  1. Remote--Phone Line Connection needed w/out movies will not be reported. Information is sent down from sattelite, not up.
  2. DirecTV.com--No phone line needed in back of reciever.
  3. Call in--no phone line needed in back of reciever.
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Benjamin Cooper, 10 Jun 2009 @ 6:04am

directv
i am a contractor with directv (ironwood communications)... and we arent fined 5 dollars when we dont hook up a phone... actually if we hook up a phone we get 5 extra dollars... same if we get them to sign a protection plan... most contractors i know dont even bother with the phone and just tell directv that they only have cell phones because the 5 dollars extra for running new phone line and all is not worth it. now for the protection plan we usually do that because... well its easy money... just say sign here letting me know that i did install everything and you are happy... boom bam bang they have protection
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- Alan, 16 Jul 2009 @ 4:32pm
  
  Re: directv
  It works differently for sub-contractors. The contracting company gets X dollars per install. The contractor pays the sub Y dollars. However, for every receiver that doesn't pass the initial ping, DTV charges back $5, which then is charged to the sub.
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Anonymous Coward, 26 Jun 2009 @ 7:04pm

Corporate scum
The retailers push the marketing department to make the sales, they will tell the customer anything to make the sale. When I arrive at homes to install people think everything should be given to them for free, because thats the way they were led to believe if they do not read small print. Corporations are so greedy they will not give up one penny on thier end to get the instlall completed, such as the SWM equipment out they are more than happy to try and get the installer to run 4 lines instead of one after all its his time and material. I am suprised the unions have not gotten on this labor issue with them trying to give away custom labor that any electrician would charge $75.00 per hour. The entertainment industry is the pirate of the utilities world, ran by the cheapest and greediest people in the country who boast their profits every quarter while cutting down the working man and his work that he should be compensated for, mark my words this will catch up with these corporate pigs, the workmanship in peoples homes that I come across is dispicable they can be sued for allowing this the people must stand up to it.
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Antonio, 7 Aug 2009 @ 6:03pm

Can some one tell me why DTV wants phones kids room?
So, thay can order by accident and the parent gets billed. These people that run DTVs operations, are clueless. They want to lower service calls, When they created the Ka/Ku. They were the ones allowing facia board mounts. Humnn tech fault or stupid company. The reason DTV is #1, is because of the hardworking techs out their. Fuck them!
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uwish, 6 Oct 2009 @ 3:46pm

i work for this company and whoever said this is a person from wv who got hillbilly rich and missed work cuz of there drug addiction so go on and talk shit and show up for work.anything to get a welfare check
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uwish, 6 Oct 2009 @ 3:46pm

i work for this company and whoever said this is a person from wv who got hillbilly rich and missed work cuz of there drug addiction so go on and talk shit and show up for work.anything to get a welfare check
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Chris H, 18 Oct 2009 @ 3:00pm

Lies never
DIRECTV does require phone lines for caller ID to work too.
They will fire employees if they don't hook up phone lines to the receivers, unless they are a cell phone only customer, if a home phone is used when signing up, its required. The customer service people at 800-DIRECTV, aere only trained in signing up customers and don't know what DIRECTV requires installers to do.
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Unan I mus, 11 Dec 2009 @ 8:05am

Empty Promises
The point is that we the people are sick of empty promises.
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- for subcontractors, 11 Jan 2010 @ 10:53am
  
  Re: Empty Promises
  for sub contractors that work for Direct tv/ Skyllink good luck trying to get the pay that the Supervisors are supposed to be paying. They said that I was going to get paid $1,000 a week but I havent got over $300.00 They say that I owe them money for the things that I need to install for customers that isn't even right I'm in the hole my bills are getting cut off my car payments are due an if you say something to them they say that's not there problem. Yes it is there problem cause no money is sent for the time you spend away from your family an can't even pay bills cause everthing is getting cut off just because they don't pay like you was promised? What should we do?
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Anonymoose Crowrd, 14 Feb 2010 @ 8:37am

Man...this has to be one of the longest-lived threads on Earth....Pay attention, DTV....When you piss people off, they keep talking about it for a LONG-A$$ time...
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Brion Davis, 10 May 2010 @ 8:39pm

Class Action Coming Against Skylink
I worked for Skylink as well through the Hurricane, WV office. The stories I see here are like a broken record with regard to lack of payment and so many ways of taking money out of employees' pay checks. A group of former employees are fighting back now. We are getting ready to file a lawsuit. It was originally going to be an individual lawsuit, but it's going to be a class action now by the looks of things. If you want some contact information for the lawyer and wish to get involved, feel free to e-mail me at scibax@aol.com. The office for the lawyer that is handling this case is in Charleston, WV.
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Anonymous Coward, 25 May 2010 @ 5:12pm

if the phone line is not connected the receiver, you can order ppv's with remote control, but dtv can't see a charge for ppv in their system.Most of the account holders are leasing equipment (receivers)so once you canceled your service, you have to return your receivers)and after a month you will receive a bill with all charges for your all ppv's, cause everything is saved on your access card.
and once you will connect the phone line to the receiver, they will charges for ppv immediately.
when techician activates account, he tells to the agent if the phone line is connected or not)if the phone line is not connected to the receiver, agent must cancel this option with ordering ppv in their system)
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David, 25 May 2010 @ 5:13pm

if the phone line is not connected the receiver, you can order ppv's with remote control, but dtv can't see a charge for ppv in their system.Most of the account holders are leasing equipment (receivers)so once you canceled your service, you have to return your receivers)and after a month you will receive a bill with all charges for your all ppv's, cause everything is saved on your access card.
and once you will connect the phone line to the receiver, they will charges for ppv immediately.
when techician activates account, he tells to the agent if the phone line is connected or not)if the phone line is not connected to the receiver, agent must cancel this option with ordering ppv in their system)
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Anonymous Coward, 30 May 2010 @ 3:10pm

Seriously, shut the **** up people. Who cares about spelling? This is not a spelling B. Smarten up or shut up. Some of you dumb idiots running your mouths had a few spelling errors yourselves. Now how about that d*mn tv stuff?
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Mark, 18 Jul 2010 @ 3:19pm

OFFER FOR SUB CONTRACTORS
If you looking for dispatch i can do it i'm working with bundel off contractors as a dispatcher
I can save your FSR Otg's OOP and also take care your customers
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heehaa, 20 Jul 2010 @ 2:05pm

how do you spell spell
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Danielle, 17 Jan 2011 @ 8:12am

DIRECTV
So if the installer never showed up, that could only mean one thing; they don't value your business. I have had DISH along with many other TV providers and I can't complain about anything. I also work there so I see the company frim two standpoints. One being from the consumer standpoint and another being from the company's view and I can honestly say that DISH is only looking out for the interest of the customer. If I wanted to go to DIRECTV and try to get their new customer promos, I'd need to mail in rebates to get the price they advertise which can take anywhere from 6-8 weeks to process and DIRECTV has received an "F" by the Better Business Bureau with over 40,000 complaints from customers for false and misleading advertisements. So there is no guarantee my rebate would be processed. I love DISH Network, I genuinely do and DISH is here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide you the best in class customer service and answer any technical, customer service or general questions about our business!

*Danielle
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Danielle, 17 Jan 2011 @ 8:12am

DIRECTV
So if the installer never showed up, that could only mean one thing; they don't value your business. I have had DISH along with many other TV providers and I can't complain about anything. I also work there so I see the company from two standpoints. One being from the consumer standpoint and another being from the company's view and I can honestly say that DISH is only looking out for the interest of the customer. If I wanted to go to DIRECTV and try to get their new customer promos, I'd need to mail in rebates to get the price they advertise which can take anywhere from 6-8 weeks to process and DIRECTV has received an "F" by the Better Business Bureau with over 40,000 complaints from customers for false and misleading advertisements. So there is no guarantee my rebate would be processed. I love DISH Network, I genuinely do and DISH is here 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide you the best in class customer service and answer any technical, customer service or general questions about our business!

*Danielle
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MacPointMan, 22 Jan 2011 @ 2:00am

DirecTV Installers (Technician) Lying
Here is the deal on the phone lines. DirecTV obviously wants its subscribers to use the Pay Per View features of its service. The phone lines make it much easier for the customer to utilize that feature. DirecTV also tracks the usage of its services through the phonelines as well. DIrecTV verifies equipment and the installation of it through the phone lines. DirecTV also verifies that the receivers that are being used on its network are valid by using the phone lines thus protecting itself from counterfit receivers or access cards being used on its network.

The only thing DirecTV pulls from your receiver is your Pay Per View programming and your viewing habits so that it can track what the most popular programming is. Many times this can result in a channel being kept in the lineup. DirecTV obviously does not want to spend MILLIONS of dollars per year for one channel in the lineup that noone is watching. NO Directv is not spying on you. They are simply keeping strack of network usage.

It makes sence that DirecTV pushes technicians to install the phone lines. As a technician myself I can tell you that we are rated on how much we are installing them. However we are NOT and I repeat NOT Told to lie to our customers. More times than not a customer does not have Home telephone service and I am unable to install any phone lines. I am not giged on it but it does reflect upon my numbers. I am given a bonus at the end of the quarter if I meet a certain percentage. Yes I have heard of some technicians getting charged for not installing phone lines if they do not meat the number. That depends upon the Contractor that they are working for.

Remember the technician that comes to your house will most likely be an independant contractor. Who is working for a company who has a contract to install DirecTV services for an authorized Retailer or Contractor for DirecTV. Most of those Independant coontractors PAY for thier own DirecTV services themselves. They do not receive ANY type of discount on thier service.

Yes I most definately to have each and every one of my customers best interest in mind when I am at thier house. Yes every Customer Service agent I have talked to on the phone reguarding customer issues HAS THE CUSTOMERS BEST INTEREST AT HEART. Remember though that DirecTV is a Business and Has a responsibility to earn a Profit for its Owners (Share Holders). Giving away free services is not in their best interest. Providing a top of the line service is in everyones best interest.

I WILL NOT LEAVE A CUSTOMERS HOUSE UNTILL THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED TO THE CUSTOMERS SATISFACTION IF IT IS AT ALL POSSIBLE. We all know that we can not satisfy EVERYONE but we can do our best. IF the customer knows that then we have done our job.

MacPointMan
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tech done wrong, 3 Feb 2011 @ 11:13am

that was when i worked for skylink so called non responders. that is what we would get charged back for. that word chargeback just doesnt sound right. most of the companies directv has working for them are all corrupt like skylink
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Feb 2011 @ 11:19am

how about investigating the criminals at skylink at hurricane wv
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Ron, 8 Feb 2011 @ 9:47am

This blog
1. That guy can't spell for chit! I hate when people act like they have a valid complaint but can't convey it because they are typing too quickly, just don't care, or just plan can't spell or use the proper grammar.

2. Phone lines are to be connected by Dish because they require it. DirecTV wants them connected only to track where the receivers are in order to keep tabs on their equipment and eliminate fraud/piracy. Sure they help with charging the customer with the PPV they have used, but when the receivers get turned in they get charged anyways.

3. As a former DirecTV installation tech for an HSP here in northwest ohio. If we didn't hook up phone lines we got docked $5 per receiver that wasn't hooked up.
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w.w, 27 Mar 2011 @ 2:22pm

DIS-CONNECTED
aS A SENIOR CITIZEN I FOUND THAT THIS SERVICE WAS VERY UN-USUAL. THE TECHS. DID THEIR JOB CORRECTLY AND IN GOOD TIME, BUT THE NUMBER OF PHONE SERVICE "HELPER" WAS UN-BLEIVERIABLE ( SPELL AS I FEEL ) I TALKED TO PEOPLE FROM KENTUCKY, TEXAS, OHIO AND ?????????????????. i FELT THAT NO ONE KNEW WHAT SHOULD HAVE APPEARED ON THEIR COMPUTER SCREENS. I GOT VERY ANGER THAT EACH ONE REQUIRED THE SAME INFORMATION THAT I HAD GIVEN TO THE LAST PERSON. EACH HAD THEIR OWN PROCEEDER AND ASK THE SAME QUESTION. BY THE TIME I FINALLY GOT FINISH PLACING MY ORDER ( AFTER 4 DIFFERENT PEOPLE PASSED ME AROUND TO THE NEXT ONE ) I HAD LOSS INTEREST IN GETTING THE SERVICE. PLEASE TRY TO MAINTAIN ONE ( 1) PERSON PER CUSTOMER.
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anonymous, 28 Jul 2011 @ 5:32pm

i happen to be a directv employee and if you were to actually take the time and read the contract that you sign it clearly states that receivers must be connected to phone lines. it is not only for tracking purposes it is also for softwar updates. i am sure you ticked off customers are to upset to understand this. and as for as the contractor getting charged 5 per box that is an actual charge that is placed on them for not doing their job properly. they also get charged for putting in jacked up jobs that need repair 2 days later. that is why you go in house or not at all.
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kelly, 11 Jan 2012 @ 2:38pm

directv
i'm both a directv retailer and an installer when someone calls an 800# or goes online you it put you in new territory you will never talk to the same person again if you go local with a good dealer you will be much better off same people ever time as for ph lines we ask the client it's person service and respectability if you deal with people face to face local local local I have been involved with directv in some way for many years and still believe that we are the best
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Anonymous Coward, 24 Feb 2012 @ 6:41am

so call phone line requirements and fees to techs
as a former installer yes it is true that the contracting companies are enforcing this phone line lie in fact the company i worked for actually handed us a form from management of directv with percentages of what tech did the lowest install of phone lines and our contracting boss took back money from our paychecks for the low install of phone lines and stated to us that directv is charging them so they are charging us. who is telling who what? sounds like an investigation is needed for all parties.
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Pia Lyotier, 13 Sep 2012 @ 12:53pm

VERIZON vs. APPLE
I spent about 10 hours on the phone with Verizon about 3 months ago, trying to figure out why my new Apple4s did not run on 4G when they offer it on Droid phones. The truth is that AT&T has an exclusive contract for Apple 4G. But Verizon sales people will lie and their tech people and upper management will also lie, and tell you that the equipment Apple sends to Verizon is different and that it does not have the same antennae. This is just on of the issues with Verizon. You also can not get a land line in a name that is not on your Drivers License, even if you have the credit and another account. Lastly but not least, I have to say someone named Lucy in Customer Service at Verizon has some common sense and worked hard to get everything worked out. But that was after 15 more people, 2 trips to the Verizon store and another 8 hours on the phone.
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Larry, 28 Jul 2013 @ 6:38am

directv
Want to get back at these assholes? Look up " tobringdownmultiband" on face book.
Learn how to get a $100 for the tech being late.
Learn what it is he will do to your install.
Protect your family
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Anonymous Coward, 13 Jan 2015 @ 1:58pm

Directv is a fucking joke to work for fuck directv there a fucking cheap company that doesn't want to pay there employees cheap fucks can't be leave i wasted 7 years working for these scumbags
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chris, 26 Oct 2015 @ 1:48pm

FUDIRECT TV
As the title states this is to inform people about how Direct T.V REALLY is . This is going to be long and a bit redundant however it must be that way in order to correctly tell the story.
I recently moved to Lake Havasu City AZ from California. The plan was to RENT a house while i was actively looking for one to BUY. I moved into my rental house at the end of 2014. The house had already had direct t.v prior to me moving in. ( nicely installed dish on the roof etc. We went a couple of months just watching Netflix and DVDs but around Christmas we decided to get Direct T.v. I called Direct and explained my situation (rental house but looking for a house to buy) and asked the sales person "what happens when i find the house i want to buy here in the next few months? the answer and i quote :"no problem at all sir , we here at Direct T.V want to make your move as painless as possible... simply take your receivers and remotes to your new house and leave the dish on the rental house... we will come setup everything and get you going again FREE OF CHARGE with a 2 year agreement". Great!!!! so i thought!! When i found the house that i was to buy .. i did EXACTLY what i was told and took the receivers and remote with me to the new address. I then called Direct to have them come set it up.Direct T.V then told me it was going to be $214.00 to move my service!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I explained calmly what i had been told when purchasing my contract .... directs response " sorry sir there is nothing i can do " ... i then talked to a manager .. same result !! I HAD BEEN BOLD FACE LIED TO AT THE SALES STAGE OF MY DIRECT T.V EXPERIENCE.. !! LIARS!!! WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD SIGN A 2 YEAR AGREEMENT KNOWING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS WHEN THEY BOUGHT A HOUSE 6 MONTHS LATER???!!!!!!!!! NOBODY ...LIARS!! Anyhow I RELUCTANTLY paid to have them "move my service . IT GETS BETTER WAY BETTER ... when setting up the appointment for the tech to come out .. I explicitly said " there is already a dish here at this house .. HOWEVER it is on a tripod on the side of the house. I cannot have it on a tripod because i am adding on to the house and having a concrete slab poured in the next week right where the existing dish is" The person on the phone said that they noted it on the work order and it would be on the roof or high up on the side of the house.
Well guess what ?? Yesterday when i was out of town the installer came to connect everything. My wife and daughter were home in pajamas on the couch sick ( it was 8am) My wife AGAIN told the installer that the dish had to be on the rood or up high on the side of the house ( like everyone else that i know has theirs), the installer said "no-problem". The installer did his thing and came back into the house telling my wife that everything was done and all good to go .
I came home about 3 hrs later from California and being a typical man , I decided to check out the installers work . HE USED THE OLD DISH AND LEFT IT EXACTLY WHERE IT WAS !!! HE LIED DIRECTLY TO MY WIFES FACE!!! (he should be fired immediately !!) he also installed the SWM box directly behind my t.v and allowed just put it on the ground ! ( It should be mounted on the wall in the garage nicely ( like everyone else that i know has it) !!!!!! IT GETS EVEN BETTER .. I call Direct and after their ridiculous automated crappy phone system i finally get a human on the phone. He was actually quite nice and told me that the Local Dispatch office would be contacting me to setup a time to come fix it withing the hour (the call not the fix) He took my number down because my wifes number is on the account and she was going to work. EVEN THOUGH HE TOOK MY NUMBER THE continually tried to call her and couldnt get through because she was working!!!!! GETS BETTER ......DIRECT T.V LEFT A VOICEMAIL THAT SAID THEY WERE SORRY BUT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO CHARGE US AGAIN TO COME MOVE THE DISH!!!!!! WTF!!!!! THIS COMPANY IS NOTHING BUT THIEVES AND LIARS !!!!! I WILL BE POSTING THIS EVERYWHERE THAT I POSSIBLY CAN , YELP , YELLO PAGES , CRAIGSLIST , FORUMS , EVERYWHERE AND I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL I AM COMPENSATED CORRECTLY !!!! If you are DIRECT TV and are reading this my phone number is 928-846-7647 Chris
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Technician, 6 Dec 2015 @ 2:37pm

DirecTV
I have been working with DirecTV for some time as a sub-contractor and the first thing that was drilled into my training class was to be honest with ourselves and our customers.
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Vegas_Jen, 14 Aug 2018 @ 4:58pm

DirecTV Tech Scam?
So yesterday I had a DirecTV tech install my new service. He tells me that he needs to use more cable than the installation qualifies for and that it would be $45.00 more. I wasn't thinking anything of it and said okay(my house is only 1330 sq ft and should have made it with the 125 ft the installation comes with).

When he is finished, he tells me that it is $90.00 total and tells me cash or check only. Says to make it payable to himself. I wrote the check but had second thoughts when he was leaving.

I chatted in with DirecTV to only be told that it was NOT a valid charge and I would NEVER pay a tech directly. Said they would bill any extra charges. Placed a stop payment on the check immediately and now I am being stalked by this guy. He just sat outside my house for an hour. He is harassing my family and my neighbors.
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