Top Dish Network Retailer
800-916-3121
Code: 1004 *
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Top DIRECTV® Retailer
1-800-580-5494
Code: CD316*
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Satellite TV vs Cable
Why do millions of cable TV viewers switch to satellite TV every year? Cable companies
are trying to improve their quality but satellite TV services seem to be constantly widening
the gap. If you are looking for an informative comparison of satellite TV and cable, continue reading.
Customer satisfaction may be the best indicator you can look at to compare satellite TV vs cable.
How happy are cable customers compared to satellite TV customers? See the JD Power study below to learn how
customer satifisaction compares between satellite TV and cable customers. One area in which cable typically
has an advantage over satellite TV is in bundling broadband internet services. However, Dish Network
has teamed up with EarthLink to offer a great satellite and DSL bundle and DIRECTV® and
DirecWay give you broadband through your satellite. Visit our preferred satellite retailers to see their
special offers and to learn more about how satellite TV and cable compare:
iDishNetwork for Dish Network or
USDIRECT for DIRECTV.
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Monthly Cost Comparison
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Time Warner Digital Cable
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Comcast Digital Cable
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DISH Network Top 50
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DIRECTV® Total Choice Plus
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Package Price
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$39.95
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$39.95
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$24.99
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$37.99
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Local Channels
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Included
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Included
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$5.99
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$2.00
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Total Monthly Cost
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$39.95
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$39.95
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$30.98
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$39.99
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Satellite TV vs Cable
Satellite TV is a better value than cable.
A recent JD Power study recently rated DIRECTV® and Dish Network
higher in customer satisfaction than all major cable companies. Either DIRECTV®
or Dish Network has been awarded the top service honors for past 5 years.
Questions and Answers
Where do you live?
Apartment? Or a single-family/duplex home? A clear line of sight from a dish
antenna to the southern sky is necessary to receive a direct signal from the
satellite. Nearly 98 % of all residences are able to have a dish antenna to gain
access to satellite TV. Cable is also widely available.
Tie
What is offered by cable in your area?
Is the cable provider in your neighborhood offering analog-only, true digital,
or a hybrid analog/digital service? Satellite TV signals are considered to be the
highest quality as they are first generation (directly from the Broadcaster to
you). Digital Cable cannot be considered "Truly Digital" as it is generally a
fourth or fifth generation signal relayed from sub-station to sub-station
before reaching your residence. The relay of Digital Cable diminishes the
overall quality of your picture and sound.
Winner - Satellite TV
What's offered in what programming packages?
Cable packages range from neighborhood to neighborhood, whereas satellite TV
packages are the same across the nation. "Digital cable" offers nearly as many
total video and audio channels as satellite but at a slightly more expensive
price per channel. Savvy viewers need to think ahead about what channels or
types of programming they want to see, and chose packages accordingly.
Winner-Satellite TV
How much up-front can you spend?
Leasing vs. cash up-front vs. normal "free" offers are typically provided by
the satellite TV providers. The cable operators typically offer a "lease" model
whereby consumers pay a small percentage of their monthly bills to "lease" the
set top box. These need to be investigated and compared.
Tie
Want interactive features?
Not much interactivity is available at this stage from cable providers, except
for electronic programming guides (EPGs) made to look like satellite TV guides.
Satellite TV offers EPGs and a new line of services from DISH Network and DIRECTV®.
DIRECTV® offers TiVo, for recording, but at an upfront cost of around $400 to
buy the receiver. While, DISH Network today offers its 508 series set-top box,
with free basic personal video recorder functionality at a cost of $49 at time
of activation. This has also been supplemented by DISH Network's 721 series,
allowing consumers to simultaneously record one program and watch another.
These interactive TV services offer personal video recorders - which pause,
record and rewind live broadcasts -- plus enhanced broadcasting are only
offered on Satellite TV.
Winner-Satellite TV
Want an always-on 2-way Internet connection?
This is one area where the true advantage goes to cable. 2-way satellite
offerings do exist, however, at soonest, satellite is still several years away
from a price, speed and quality that readily competes with cable's. Yet, cable
internet connections are only available in select areas, whereas Satellite Internet
connections can be established anywhere the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Winner-Cable
Want HDTV?
Cable still is facing problems delivering HDTV. Both DISH Network and DIRECTV®
offer HDTV programming. DIRECTV®, with its single LNB (the receiving end on the
Satellite Dish) will experience bandwidth problems as programming increasingly
switches to HDTV. DISH Network has planned ahead and has launched programs to
ensure unlimited bandwidth capabilities.
Winner-Satellite TV
Want bundled non-TV services?
Again, advantage cable. Some larger cable systems offer telephone, Internet and
video services all bundled together. Satellite TV does not. Satellite TV companies
stick to what they do best-offer the best satellite TV packages at the best prices.
Winner-Cable
How many TVs will be served?
Previously, Cable's almost nationwide "lease" model allowed the maximum number
of set-top boxes to be served at the lowest cost-per-set compared to satellite
operators. Nonetheless, satellite TV (DISH Network in particular) has recently
caught up here, and new "additional box" plans of up to 4 receivers are being
offered to the consumer at a better price than cable.
Winner-Satellite TV
Top Dish Network Retailer
Call iDishNetwork at 1-800-916-3121 and
mention Promotion Code "1004" to receive
Dish Network special offers.
iDishNetwork
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Top DIRECTV® Retailer
Call USDIRECT at 1-800-580-5494 and
mention Promotion Code "CD316" to receive
DIRECTV® special offers.
USDIRECT
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