Category: DirecTV

DirecTV versus Dish TV – Who Would Better Serve Your Needs?

Many people prefer watching traditional satellite TV channels, though there has been many video streaming services coming up. DirecTV and Dish TV are the two major satellite TV networks who provide coverage throughout US.

Both these providers are focused at providing ultimate entertainment to their viewers. They provide numerous channels and packages suitable to their customers with varied interests.

DirecTV versus Dish TV – Who Would Better Serve Your Needs?

The two TV service providers offer several benefits like quality oriented customer service, professional installation, and many more. So, it becomes important to consider your needs as well, when you choose between the two. Let us compare Dish TV and DirecTV on certain aspects to know who would better serve you.

Who would be better with Respect To Packages?

DirecTV Packages

If you are looking for sports, game shows, movies, music, and more to watch, DirecTV offers all these for you through its six packages. The six packages are Select, Entertainment, Choice, Xtra, Ultimate, and Premier.  

Select package offers more than 155 channels at $35 per month. Entertainment package consists of more than 160 channels at $40 per month. Choice package provides more than 185 channels at $45 per month. Xtra package offers more than 235 channels at $55 per month. Ultimate package has more than 250 channels at $60 per month. Premier package comprises of more than 330 channels at $110 per month. The prices stand valid for 12 months with an agreement period of 24 months.

Dish TV Packages

Dish TV also offers variety of entertainment channels including music, game shows, movies, sports, and others. Dish network is suitable for entertaining your whole family with its packages like America’s Top 20, America’s Top 120+, America’s Top 200+, and America’s Top 250+.

America’s Top 20 package offers 190 channels at 59.99 per month. America’s Top 120+ package comprises of more than 190 channels at $69.99 per month. America’s Top 200+ package provides more than 240 channels at $79.99 per month. America’s Top 250+ channels transmit more than 290 channels at $89.99 per month. Dish also has an agreement period of 2 years. But, the difference here is that it offers a price guarantee for these two years.

Though the starting price of DirecTV channels seems to be appealing, the price remains the same for a year. After one year, there is a good hike in price. But, with Dish network, the price remains the same for two years.

Inference: As far as the entertainment is concerned, both provide a good fun, which is of no doubt. As the price is the same for two years in case of Dish TV, it would be beneficial to opt than DirecTV.

But, DirecTV covers more than 50 sports channels, right from the low-budget plans. This helps the sports viewers to get access to sports channels at lower rates.

What’s Unique about the Two TV Providers?

DirecTV

DirecTV is owned by the internet service provider, AT&T. So, it is easily possible to bundle your internet, phone, and DirecTV services. This helps you save a lot of money and also handle a single bill for multiple services like internet, phone, and TV.

NFL Sunday Ticket service provided by DirecTV is highly beneficial. The customers will be able to watch all the live game shows on NFL games. The customers also have the benefit of watching them through their laptop or tablets as well.

With DirecTV, you can easily record 5 shows and have 200 hours of HD storage. This helps you to record your favorite shows while you are away.

DirecTV Now is a streaming service owned by AT&T, with which you also have the facility to stream the live content.

Dish TV

The HD DVR facility offered by Dish TV is incredible. You can record up to 16 shows and have 500 hours of HD storage. The high volumes of HD DVR present in this TV helps you to record nearly all your favorite programs and watch them after you come back from office. This facility ensures that you spend ample amount of time every day with your family.

Dish TV owns its streaming service, namely, Sling TV. With Sling TV, you will be able to stream live digital content just like any other streaming service.

Inference: Generally, it is the need that decides which is the best for you. NFL Sunday Ticket would be a good add-on to watch all your favorite sports happening around. So, it would be good for the sports lovers to opt for DirecTV.

But, when you want to spend some time with your family after you come home, having a Dish TV would be more useful, as it has a high HD DVR facility.

Installation and Customer Service

Both DirecTV and Dish TV provide professional installation service, once you subscribe for their services. In both the cases, it is just sufficient to call the customer service representatives and fix an appointment for installation. They would guide you further.

The customer service is rated at number 1 position for DirecTV and Dish also provides competitive customer support. Though Dish TV has not shown consistency in customer service ratings over the past years, it also maintains a good rating.

Inference: Both provide installation services but DirecTV is better compared to Dish TV, when it comes to customer service.

Conclusion

Dish TV is beneficial when it comes to 2-year price guarantee and HD DVR facility. Though DirecTV also provides DVR facility, its capacity is lower compared to Dish TV.

But, subscribing a DirecTV package would be advantageous for budget seekers, sports lovers, and for those requiring good customer support. DirecTV would be beneficial for bundle packages also.

As DirecTV has more number of advantages over Dish TV, it would be good to go for DirecTV packages. But, your needs surpass the number of advantages that the providers have.

DirecTV – A Review

It is a satellite service provider, which is a subsidiary of AT&T. It broadcasts satellite television network to all the 50 states across US.

Generally, the TV lovers prefer watching traditional TV channels rather than availing streaming services because of the affordable rates and existence of multiple packages suitable to the interests of various people.

It allows its television subscribers to pay a lesser cost during the first year, for the packages availed. This would help the customers to take a breathing time on entering the services. Let us take a look at a few features of It to know more about it.

DirecTV Packages and Prices

DirecTV serves people with varied interests including movies, sports, game shows, and other entertainment programs. Keeping into account its customers belonging to different age groups and interests, the It offers six packages, covering 325 channels.

The DirecTV packages include DirecTV Select, DirecTV Entertainment, DirecTV Choice, DirecTV Xtra, DirecTV Ultimate, and DirecTV Premier. It offers 155+ channels for Select, 160+ channels for Entertainment, 185+ channels for Choice, 235+ channels for Xtra, 250+ channels for Ultimate, and around 325 channels for Premier.

It requires a 2-year contract period. The channel costs are lower which varies between $35 and $110 per month for the first year and then increased to $78 to $181 per month for the second year.

Though there is a hike in price during the second year, the packages are worthy paying. The packages include all the popular channels watched in US. When you subscribe for any of these packages, you can be sure about having 100% entertainment at your doorstep.

Premium Channels

Premier Package of It includes all the premium channels like HBO, Starz, Cinemax, and Showtime.

As all the popular and premium channels are available at affordable prices, it would be worthy for the viewers to opt for the Premier package of It.

DirecTV for Sports Lovers

DirecTV offers its customers, a chance to view NFL Sunday Ticket. It comes free with Choice package. It gives you access to all live sports happening out there every Sunday.

There are a few sports packages available with It. They include NFL Sunday Ticket Max, It Sports Pack, MLB Extra innings, Fox Soccer Plus, NBA League Pass, and NHL Center Ice.

NFL Sunday Ticket Max allows you to watch channels like NFL Sunday Ticket, Red Zone Channel, and others. It Sports Pack includes ESPN classic, Universal Sports Network, and the like. MLB Extra Innings includes channels like MLB network and Mix Channels. Thus, these It packages are focused at serving the interests of sports lovers.

DirecTV for Movie Lovers

DirecTV offers HD channels, movies, and other entertainment programs. It offers a good picture quality, which many movie lovers prefer. The number of HD channels and channels which include movies and shows depend on the package you opt for.

DirecTV HD DVR

DirecTV provides one Genie HD DVR receiver, when you subscribe. If you prefer using more than one, you get a monthly charge of $7 per receiver.

In spite of opting for satellite TV network subscription, sometimes you might miss out your favorite programs when you go out with your family or for functions.

But, with DVR option, It’s Genie HD DVR allows you to record up to 5 shows. It can cover up to 200 hours of movies and shows. You can watch these favorite shows with your family later.

Bundle Options with AT&T

With It, you can also opt for bundle packages with AT&T or CenturyLink. These bundle packages have two main advantages.

One of the major advantages of bundle packages is that it is possible to save money. When the services opted in the bundle packages are subscribed separately, then the bills are likely to go high compared to the bundle packages.

The other advantage is that you have the ease of managing a single bill for the services subscribed.

Customer Service and the Quality of Service Offered

DirecTV offers a good customer service compared to the other competitors in the industry. Customer service representatives provide a quick response to your queries related to the It packages and cost.

The quality of service offered by It is also quite good. With It, you can expect for a reliable TV connection, except for certain cases of extremely bad weather conditions.

The representatives also provide all the information regarding the installation for the new customers. Installation of It subscription is done free of cost.

Both the customer service and installation service offered by It are professional and satisfactory, which makes it the most preferred one amongst the satellite TV providers.

Conclusion

Though its cost is slightly higher after the first year and has a lock-in for 2 years, no one would feel like terminating the service with It, as you can expect a reliable service all the year round.

Availability of wide range of packages allows you to choose the channels as per your interest. Since It is available in all the 50 states, it is easy to transfer the services to the place you move, if required.