Number_Six's profile

New Contributor

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1 Message

Friday, September 20th, 2013 9:35 PM

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Whole Home DVR Self Install

My question is very simple. Why is it that very well qualified professionals are not allowed to install their own service?

My credentials: I am among other things a network technician with experience in LAN/WAN/Cell networking, a satellite technician with over 500 installs to my name,  a cable technician with over 2000 residential and commercial video and data installs under my belt, combined satellite and cable builds (multiplexing) and have even worked head-end data build-outs. I have worked for AT&T Broadband, Comcast, Cablevision, Charter, DirecTV, and Dish Network among many others. I am regularly offered jobs working on cable modem firmware and electronics across the country (they aren't as good as project management).

By contrast, when I bought my house, I found a rat's nest of cabling done by Cox technicians that constituted a modern horror movie. No ground, RG-59 to RG-6 to RG-59 splices over and over, hex crimp fittings, improper fitting application, non-standard cabling not approved by Cox field service including no-shield copper braid coax of the sort used in ham radio applications. I rebuilt it all to modern specs including the downstream amps (same sort deployed by cable companies, NOT civilian Radio Shack junk).

Yet, Cox still refuses to allow me to do my own install. Can anyone from Cox tell me why? Everyone at Cox on Level One support merely repeats the extremely insulting company line that it is too complex for the consumer to do by themselves. Given that I am qualified to work at any MSO from NOC to head-end to outside plant to premises, to say nothing of provisioning an IP/ATM/Frame Relay network, this seems rather unfriendly and maybe even offensive.

Valued Contributor III

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2.8K Messages

12 years ago

Resumes not part of signing up for cable. Nothing to prevent an electronic ignoramus from claiming he has an EE Doctorate. Cox must treat all of its customers like the morons that the majority seems to be.

 

Valued Contributor

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755 Messages

12 years ago

The simple answer is policy. To be more exact having checks and balances when handling installs and having issues noted or fixes verified would be the reason a technician is still needed when activating services that require it. Whole Home Networking and Ultimate tier of internet installs require it due to the verifying the quality of the line and that signal levels are in specification needed.

Contributor II

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699 Messages

12 years ago

So if Cox is requiring it why make the price so high since there is no self install option?

Valued Contributor III

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2.8K Messages

12 years ago

wees41 said:

So if Cox is requiring it why make the price so high since there is no self install option?

Truck rolls cost the same regardless of the availability of self-installs.

 

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