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Comments on news posted 2008-05-31 14:01:24: Comcast subcontractors are notorious for engaging in bad (often illegal) behavior that’s included everything from falling asleep at customer’s homes to murder. ..

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insomx
Premium Member
join:2003-01-26
Canada

insomx

Premium Member

Can it get much worse?

Can comcast employees get much worse? Blowing people's houses up, killing kids and torturing cats....

Mactron
el Camino Real
Premium Member
join:2001-12-16
PRK

1 recommendation

Mactron

Premium Member

Re: Can it get much worse?

said by insomx:

Can comcast employees get much worse? Blowing people's houses up, killing kids and torturing cats....
Their NOT Comcast employees. Comcast subcontracts out a lot to installer/repair contractors. Apparently Comcast doesn't require much background screening in their contracts.

insomx
Premium Member
join:2003-01-26
Canada

1 recommendation

insomx

Premium Member

Re: Can it get much worse?

Same difference, it's up to them to check out their contractors.
devnuller
join:2006-06-10
Cambridge, MA

devnuller

Member

Re: Can it get much worse?

KatherynV and Karl both know that "Comcast" in the headline is much more misleading interesting than the actual organization involved.

halfband
Premium Member
join:2002-06-01
Huntsville, AL

2 edits

halfband

Premium Member

Re: Can it get much worse?

So is the percentage of comcast contractors that screw up and get into the news really any higher than that of any other company? Comcast has a huge number of employees and contractors, so you know they have a pretty good number of idiots, just like all other larger companies. There are a lot of idiots in the world.

Titus
Mr Gradenko
join:2004-06-26

Titus to Mactron

Member

to Mactron
said by Mactron:

said by insomx:

Can comcast employees get much worse? Blowing people's houses up, killing kids and torturing cats....
Their NOT Comcast employees. Comcast subcontracts out a lot to installer/repair contractors. Apparently Comcast doesn't require much background screening in their contracts.
Yes, the unstoppable buck syndrome. As companies subcontract more aspects of their business out to the cheapest possible parties, Joe consumer can only expect this to get worse.

If company C works for company B who was hired by company A to do a job, how much worry is there with the employees of company C about company A's reputation?

Comcast is asking for everything it gets by chasing cheap labor, especially when the people they sub turn around and re-sub the sub out to another party. It's ridiculous, and why this country is on the slow swirl, currently held in place by the bowl splatter. Ooooh, that's an image ...
--

RayW
Premium Member
join:2001-09-01
Layton, UT

RayW

Premium Member

Re: Can it get much worse?

said by Titus:

Comcast is asking for everything it gets by chasing cheap labor, especially when the people they sub turn around and re-sub the sub out to another party. It's ridiculous, and why this country is on the slow swirl, currently held in place by the bowl splatter. Ooooh, that's an image ...
--
Been that way for years and not just Comcast, I think the big shift came late in the 1990's but it was starting to be done before that too. We saw signs of the sub-contract syndrome when the California tech job market crashed around 1992 and we were all trying to find new jobs.

I know that in 1999 when I was looking for a job, that was what most of the offers were, contracting firms, and I am an engineer. Had one job offer for Mississippi that I found out that I was talking to a contractor to another contractor who had the contract for an engineering job on a military base. No thanks!
ctggzg
Premium Member
join:2005-02-11
USA

1 recommendation

ctggzg to insomx

Premium Member

to insomx
said by insomx:

Can comcast employees get much worse? Blowing people's houses up, killing kids and torturing cats....
They're just people. You'll find roughly the same proportion of nutcases among non-Comcast employees.

birdfeedr
MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI

birdfeedr

MVM

Re: Can it get much worse?

said by ctggzg:

They're just people. You'll find roughly the same proportion of nutcases among non-Comcast employees.
Agreed. Around here all the electric co. people I've been in contact with were professionals, but a few years ago, I witnessed a crew of three in fairly animated activity on the ground. When I went over I saw the final blow with a piece of pipe to a squirrel that looked dazed and was having problems walking.

I was too young to know what to do then, so I got the hell out of there. Now I know better.
Claybraker
join:2002-04-13
none

1 recommendation

Claybraker

Member

Re: Can it get much worse?

said by birdfeedr:

Agreed. Around here all the electric co. people I've been in contact with were professionals, but a few years ago, I witnessed a crew of three in fairly animated activity on the ground. When I went over I saw the final blow with a piece of pipe to a squirrel that looked dazed and was having problems walking.

I was too young to know what to do then, so I got the hell out of there. Now I know better.
Apples and Oranges.

There's a big difference between a squirrel and a kitten. Kittens are domesticated animals, bred to trust humans, and usually very easy to catch. In fact, often they'll come bounding up to you.

Squirrels for the most part are wild creatures and very difficult to catch. My dog has tried for years, to no avail.

If that line crew were able to get close to that squirrel, then there's a good chance there was something wrong with it in the first place. If a squirrel came bounding up to me the same way a kitten might, I'd probably be a little animated too, and grab the first thing I could.

Squirrels are rodents, same family as rats, and have been known to carry some pretty nasty diseases (rabies) and deliver some pretty painful bites.

I can think of a couple of different scenarios that would have made it justifiable squirrelicide.

asdfghjklzx5
Premium Member
join:2004-05-03

asdfghjklzx5

Premium Member

Re: Can it get much worse?

Finding amusement in the pain of animals is sick, regardless of the species status under the law.

birdfeedr
MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI

birdfeedr to Claybraker

MVM

to Claybraker
said by Claybraker:

Squirrels are rodents, same family as rats, and have been known to carry some pretty nasty diseases (rabies) and deliver some pretty painful bites.

I can think of a couple of different scenarios that would have made it justifiable squirrelicide.
Understood. But the way they were joking after the final blow made it clear what was going on.
maxpower90
join:2006-10-09
Providence, RI

1 recommendation

maxpower90 to ctggzg

Member

to ctggzg
quote:
They're just people. You'll find roughly the same proportion of nutcases among non-Comcast employees.
For sure. No wonder why this site can never be a resource for technology news and info. It's "reporters" are nothing but biased cable company bashers.
manfrommars2
Premium Member
join:2003-04-05
Niles, MI

manfrommars2

Premium Member

Re: Can it get much worse?

Yeah that is absolutely correct. Nothing but bashing the poor cable Co.

»Comcast Employees Arrive Right in the Nick of Time

»Comcast Tech Aids Bridge Collapse Victims

»Comcast employees perform community services

I'd consider this news and it deals with a technological company so it is fitting for this site. When a Comcast Employee does something good, in many cases I see it posted on this site. It just "appears" there just might be more bad press than good press for Comcast.

Ebolla
join:2005-09-28
Dracut, MA

Ebolla

Member

Re: Can it get much worse?

from the first article.. "Over in our forums there have been a few jokes about the employees setting the fire themselves to play hero and give Comcast a better name. However, the consensus seems to be that the techs deserve some props from their life-saving efforts"

from the second article... "Comcast's technicians (though usually subcontractors) have been consistently in the news for falling asleep, murder, digging in the wrong yard or blowing up laptops, dishwashers or homes."

The third article doesn't toss in any digs at comcast or the subcontractors but was from 4 years ago.. isnt exactly recent.

frtty
@rr.com

frtty to insomx

Anon

to insomx
no its not the the same thing ,that's why they are called sub contractors

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

3 recommendations

dvd536 to insomx

Premium Member

to insomx
that kitten must have been trying to download via p2p.

CHPMustang
N X T1
Premium Member
join:2001-10-18
Plano, TX

CHPMustang to insomx

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to insomx
Anyone know if the contractor was Mastec?

Johkal
Cool Cat
MVM
join:2002-11-13
Pennsyltucky

1 recommendation

Johkal

MVM

What can you say?

It's unfortunate they are associated with Comcast. This isn't a Comcast issue, just some guys who are ass holes!!
93388818 (banned)
It's cool, I'm takin it back
join:2000-03-14
Dallas, TX

93388818 (banned)

Member

Re: What can you say?�

said by Johkal:

It's unfortunate they are associated with Comcast. This isn't a Comcast issue, just some guys who are ass holes!!
exactly.�

toby
Troy Mcclure
join:2001-11-13
Seattle, WA

toby to Johkal

Member

to Johkal

Re: What can you say?

said by Johkal:

It's unfortunate they are associated with Comcast. This isn't a Comcast issue, just some guys who are ass holes!!
Comcast should have general contractors.

But they save money. Besides that guy has a crazy first name, wouldn't expect any better.
SipSizzurp
Fo' Shizzle
Premium Member
join:2005-12-28
Houston, TX

SipSizzurp

Premium Member

Re: What can you say?

said by toby:

... crazy first name, wouldn't expect any better.
Damn strait ! GeeZiss.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

1 edit

1 recommendation

pnh102

Premium Member

Kill These Things

I sincerely hope nothing but the worst possible outcome happens to these jerks. I sincerely hope that they die slow, horrible deaths for torturing that poor kitten. If someone took an axe and hacked these things to death, I would give that person a medal.

Hopefully, someone will end the miserable, worthless lives of these things before they can hurt more animals, or worse, hurt or kill a human.

And yes, I am serious.
BosstonesOwn
join:2002-12-15
Wakefield, MA

BosstonesOwn

Member

Re: Kill These Things

said by pnh102:

I sincerely hope nothing but the worst possible outcome happens to these jerks. I sincerely hope that they die slow, horrible deaths for torturing that poor kitten. If someone took an axe and hacked these things to death, I would give that person a medal.

Hopefully, someone will end the miserable, worthless lives of these things before they can hurt more animals, or worse, hurt or kill a human.

And yes, I am serious.
Here ya go buddy.

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· yyhmHICU


Relax a little bit.

They should be fined and thrown in jail for cruelty to animals.

pnh102
Reptiles Are Cuddly And Pretty
Premium Member
join:2002-05-02
Mount Airy, MD

pnh102

Premium Member

Re: Kill These Things

said by BosstonesOwn:

They should be fined and thrown in jail for cruelty to animals.
I'd go for that only if they were viciously beaten to death in said jail. The human race is better off without these savages.

The idea that this sort of animal cruelty merits a lenient punishment (not saying you suggested this, I am referring to the penalties in place right now) is disgraceful.
Austinloop
join:2001-08-19
Austin, TX

Austinloop to pnh102

Member

to pnh102
You are correct. My first thought would be too fast, a hollow point.

jbob
Reach Out and Touch Someone
Premium Member
join:2004-04-26
Little Rock, AR

1 recommendation

jbob

Premium Member

Rant?

You know some of this info that gets posted as News about Comcast really should be posted as a Rant. This is one of them.
ctggzg
Premium Member
join:2005-02-11
USA

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ctggzg

Premium Member

Re: Rant?

said by jbob:

You know some of this info that gets posted as News about Comcast really should be posted as a Rant. This is one of them.
MOST of the "news" here is anti-business rants.
maxpower90
join:2006-10-09
Providence, RI

maxpower90

Member

Re: Rant?

quote:
MOST of the "news" here is anti-business rants.
x2!!

Shamayim
Premium Member
join:2002-09-23

Shamayim to ctggzg

Premium Member

to ctggzg
said by ctggzg:
said by jbob:

You know some of this info that gets posted as News about Comcast really should be posted as a Rant. This is one of them.
MOST of the "news" here is anti-business rants.
Anti-business? Care to elaborate, with examples?
degauss1
join:2001-07-02
Hillsboro, OR

degauss1 to ctggzg

Member

to ctggzg
OK, so I guess pro-consumer is considered anti-business. I suppose that's why the country is in the shape it's in. Let's let business do what-ever it damn well pleases to make a profit and consumer be damned.

jester121
Premium Member
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL

jester121

Premium Member

Re: Rant?

That's pretty silly. How about a happy medium? The anti-corporate ranters here always conveniently overlook the fact that evil companies like Comcast and AT&T do employ many thousands of people and in many cases the pay isn't too shabby. They also do a pretty good job providing millions of homes with a source of entertainment (TV and internet).
vortex91
join:2000-08-18
Glendale, CA

1 recommendation

vortex91 to jbob

Member

to jbob

Sub Contractor

I used to be a contractor for TCI cable which than got bought out by ATT broadband than Comcast.

Cable Co. contract out some tasks to a company/s which in turn employ their own employees. Comcast does not higher these people nor do they do any background checks on them in anyway. So its not comcasts fault. They can request that that employee not work for them or they can fire the company they contracted to. But they sure as hell cant know the background of these folks before hand

••••••••••••••••

kfsutops
Premium Member
join:2002-08-19
Lutz, FL

kfsutops to jbob

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to jbob

Re: Rant?

said by jbob:

You know some of this info that gets posted as News about Comcast really should be posted as a Rant. This is one of them.
Why? It actually made the tv news media. Sounds like news to me. If Comcast doesn't want this stuff being news they should screen their employees/contractors a little better.

••••

avantare
Go Tribe
join:2000-02-16
Rome, GA

avantare to jbob

Member

to jbob
said by jbob:

You know some of this info that gets posted as News about Comcast really should be posted as a Rant. This is one of them.
It is a rant and therefore non-productive in general except for the poster. Someone blowing off steam. I can always deal with that.

To continue on... (and I have NEVER had the pain?\pleasure? of of dealing with Comcast).

My theory is "put company here" saves money by hiring subcontractors and when ANY "put company here" does this they might well end up shooting themselves in the foot. I've seen this time and time again as we all know the grief of "put company here" really sucks.

That being said and knowing how subcontracting works. I need to say this is really not what "put company here" wants, but as the consumer you get what THEY pay for. In these instances with the subcontractors why is "put company here" to blame??? I am NOT defending them. I'm being realistic.

They're wanting to make money like every other publicly owned company so "put company here" goes the cheap route... hire subcontractors!!! DUH! It is MUCH cheaper for "put company here" to go this route than hire full time employees to do the same job. Think about it. "Put company here" doesn't have to pay overtime, medical, workman's comp, 401K, etc. Best ever example, Wal-Mart.

Before you take any company to task one needs to look at the bigger picture. Yes, I'll agree it sucks and the consumer pays for crappy service all the time. The question is; what can we do about it as consumers?

Chuck

Cthen
Premium Member
join:2004-08-01
Detroit, MI

Cthen

Premium Member

Re: Rant?

My question is why is it ok to let "Put company here" off the hook because "Put company here" outsourced their labor? Did anyone here realize that the money being paid to outsourced companies is comming from "Put company here"? So that would mean the outsourced company is an employee of "Put company here".

So yes, I do see why "Put company here" should be held responsible.

avantare
Go Tribe
join:2000-02-16
Rome, GA

avantare

Member

Re: Rant?

said by Cthen:

My question is why is it ok to let "Put company here" off the hook because "Put company here" outsourced their labor? Did anyone here realize that the money being paid to outsourced companies is comming from "Put company here"? So that would mean the outsourced company is an employee of "Put company here".

So yes, I do see why "Put company here" should be held responsible.
I was being the devil's advocate with my previous post. That being said; I absolutely agree with your post. Now you know why I will NEVER shop at Wal-Mart. Their employees are hired and treated not much better than sub-contractors.

You get what you pay for and I absolutely vote with my wallet.

Chuck
krazymon2
join:2008-01-13
Coraopolis, PA

krazymon2

Member

Were they working then?

My question is were they working when this act was performed? Either way its terrible but its like saying a guy that works for X company killed his wife yesterday. Does it really matter who they work for? Like I said either way still sad to hear.

ykronic
Premium Member
join:2006-01-31
Canada

ykronic

Premium Member

Re: Were they working then?

The report did say they were working in the area IIRC, and they were wearing orange safety vests, my guess would be a drop bury crew or something similar

JahsDisciple
Living my life like it's golden
Premium Member
join:2007-07-07
Baltimore, MD

JahsDisciple

Premium Member

contractors not employees

definitely sad to hear but if your company grew and you havent had the opportunity to hire the necessary field techs to maintain the subscribers, you may have to get contractors instead of making the subscribers suffer on tech visits and/or response times. not Comcast fault that individuals, who are not even technically "Comcast employees," acted in this manner.

vernny23
@verizon.net

vernny23

Anon

Honestly I don't understand how people could be so cruel

Honestly I don't understand how people could be so cruel to animals such as this, there should be a mandatory 2 years locked up to start with for such stupidity.

Dogfather
Premium Member
join:2007-12-26
Laguna Hills, CA

3 recommendations

Dogfather

Premium Member

Out of Comcast's control

Can't blame Comcast for the lunacy of a 3rd party contractor. Most criminals are employed by someone.

Meanwhile it's lame that the punishment is a maximum of $300 and 6 months. I saw a sign today in Garden Grove, CA that illegal fireworks was a $1,000 fine. Carpool lane tickets start at around $400.

A kitten for Christ's sake...these asswipes need to die.

•••••••••

gilligun
Shipwrecked
Premium Member
join:2002-11-22
Denver, CO

2 recommendations

gilligun

Premium Member

worm food

I dont care whos employee they are....They are just lucky I didnt catch em in the act.

PhoenixDown
FIOS is Awesome
Premium Member
join:2003-06-08
Fresh Meadows, NY

2 recommendations

PhoenixDown

Premium Member

Re: worm food

Someone needs to crack a wrench across their f'ing faces
patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY

patcat88

Member

prison bus job applications

Sounds like Comcast is handing out job applications at the bus stop where the prison released recently released convicts off the prison bus into the free world.

viperpa33s
Why Me?
Premium Member
join:2002-12-20
Bradenton, FL

viperpa33s

Premium Member

Tighter leash

Seems like Comcast needs to put a tighter leash on there contractors. Wonder if Comcast requires there contractors to go through the same background checks like new employees have to go through.

cfm117
join:2004-02-13
Winnetka, CA

cfm117

Member

Re: Tighter leash

IDK about there, but over here in LA, most of the subcontract CATV and satellite installers look like illegal aliens or just got out of prison. They speak no english and have to call in for a translator.

jrobert69
How High?
Premium Member
join:2001-05-19
Las Vegas, NV

jrobert69 to viperpa33s

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to viperpa33s
Not for nothing, but you would think that would have happened already.

BoboJ
@telus.net

BoboJ

Anon

Bad Reputation rising!

How much more worse of a reputation can comcast have!? No wonder they were targeted for the hack...

BTZed
@verizon.net

BTZed

Anon

Union?

You see crap like this happening because these companies are using loser contractors. I see allot of union bashing on the board but you never see anything like this coming from a union company like Verizon or AT&T.
EPS4
join:2008-02-13
Hingham, MA

EPS4

Member

Re: Union?

I have to think similarly- maybe Comcast should rethink their current labor practices, if it keeps leading to all of these events.
Expand your moderator at work

Suntop
Wolfrider Elf
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Fairfield, MT
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Suntop

Premium Member

Anarchy in the US?

Is this anarchy? This is pretty bad it seems now that That Comcast is tring to save 50 cents by hiring maniacs Poor kitten and YES COMCAST should be held accountable as well as the 3rd party contractors. That person should be fired fined 100 grand and throw into prison for 10 years.

••••••
devnuller
join:2006-06-10
Cambridge, MA

1 edit

2 recommendations

devnuller

Member

Faux News

This is generally editorial based fodder. I've noticed it getting worse of the past few months. The readers should challenge the editors of BBR to become more professional and start focusing on real news and technology that intelligent people are interested in.

defe15
@comcast.net

defe15

Anon

We're not al badl

I know that the media always makes a point to emphasize the whole "contractor" deal, but that causes us all to be lumped into the "dangerous, killer, incompetent" category. As a contractor for comcast, I will admit that there are quite a few bad apples but we don't all deserve to be lumped into that group. When I was hired I waited 3 weeks before starting while background checks , dmv reports and drug tests took place. They took this very seriously. As for the incompetent thing, Comcast takes our numbers very seriously, running reports on returns on trouble calls, service calls on installs, etc on a weekly basis. I for one have less than 1% in all categories. As do many of my co-workers. A lot of our numbers are better than the In-House techs. If your numbers are bad for too long, you are removed from that system. Plain and simple. No excuses, no exceptions. May not be that way everywhere, but that is the fault of the local management, contract coordinator etc....
Rick5
Premium Member
join:2001-02-06

2 recommendations

Rick5

Premium Member

As far as I'm concerned..

throw the bastards in jail for 10 years.

In my book..mistreating animals is akin to mistreating kids.

With that said however..this has what to do with Comcast?

••••

netwire
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Dallas, NC

netwire

Premium Member

If these where my animals...

It's a good thing these animals did not belong to me because those nice contractors would have got like-n-kind treatment.

mattfa
@comcast.net

mattfa

Anon

NEDM

NEDM

in all seriousness, comcast should be held liable for their contractors, the contractors are carrying their name and doing work under comcast's banner, the least comcast should do is keep them in line.

if they screw up, their contract should be wiped and the contractors should have to pay comcast fines.

FastiBook
join:2003-01-08
Newtown, PA

FastiBook

Member

??

We only get genuine comcast employees here & i've never had one reason to complain the 20 years we've had them. Now, their tv service on the other hand... dont even get me started.

- Andy
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