Is It Time to Leave in DIRECTV and Join in DISH?
If you are a person consumed with DIRECTV and you are planning on changing over to DISH, then you must be asking yourself several questions. DIRECTV and DISH are two of the biggest satellite television service providers in the United States and the two services do have certain benefits over normal cable television. However, certain differences need to be acknowledged before switching from one to another as follows: Below, I will give an outline of the most significant advantages and disadvantages of changing from DIRECTV to DISH depending on your situation.
Price and Promotions
The first and most relevant criteria that you are likely to consider while comparing DIRECTV vs DISH is the cost. Contrary to this, DISH generally competes based on price, so this can be seen in its prices and offers. Usually, DISH comes up with offers, that allow receiving services at a lower price for the first year of cooperation with an increase in the price following the initial year, while DIRECTV prefers to use promotions, which include free or discounted premium channels and/or equipment. In the broad picture, DISH’s base packages are usually cheaper than the equivalent DIRECTV packages, making it attractive to move to this company if you are looking to cut your monthly payments for television services.
But, for a closer look at the details, one needs to read the fine print. However, it is worth noting that in most cases, when it comes to pricing, DISH offers its packages at an even lower price than those at which DIRECTV offers its packages for new customers, though the latter has a practice of offering discounts to its existing subscribers on the base price of the packages it offers. What this means is that if you switch, you’d probably end up paying more than your current bill with DIRECTV, if you consider the first year only. Another drawback of DIRECTV is that it supplies more sports channels in its basic packages than sports channels which, in turn, often belong to the higher packages in DISH. All in all, you may wind up spending the same amount or even more with DISH upon the expiration of your promotional rates, and the addition of your favorite sports packages.
Channel and Programming Options
The total channel offering is relatively similar for DISH and DIRECTV. They both include the major broadcast networks in addition to many popular cable channels such as ESPN, HGTV, FX, USA, and so on. Almost every home is likely to be able to subscribe to the desired channels on either of the services. It is where DIRECTV is a bit more favorable – at least when it comes to the choice of sports stations. DIRECTV provides NFL Sunday Ticket only with added networks including NFL Network, MLB Network, and regional sports nets. To most avid sports enthusiasts, switching from DIRECTV entails a significant compromise of the most coveted sports programming.
DIRECTV, however, does not air some of the channels provided by DISH, such as BBC America and IFC, even if they are in the basic package. Another package offered by DISH is called Flex Pack which is a better choice if you want to select channels that interest you and it costs less monthly. This makes it appealing to movie lovers, news lovers, or any other type of house who know what kind of content they are interested in. However, choosing a limited number of channels means you will receive other channels at an extra cost, making it not very suitable for families that like to flip through the channels.
Technology and Equipment
Another element that remains overlooked in the DISH vs DIRECTV concern is the equipment and technology behind your service. This smarter technology is applied in the Hopper DVR boxes and DISH’s voice-controlled remote gadget. This is regarding the specifics of this feature, which allows users to fast-forward commercials on selected primetime recordings and manage the DVR through voice commands. DIRECTV has the Genie system which is one of the most advanced available, but the company does not match some of DISH’s technological comforts for the audience.
In contrast, the DIRECTV’s modem is a satellite modem, which is more of a versatile instrument. For instance, there is a disparity in the two satellite television service providers’ performance in extreme weather conditions; DIRECTV performs better than DISH in this aspect. So, if you reside in a region that regularly experiences storms and snowfall, then you might not switch to the other services because you won’t miss the important parts of any game or show during the stormy weather. DIRECTV satellites also facilitate improved clarity of pictures and resolution of 4K, which is essential for a sports enthusiast or a movie lover.
Customer Satisfaction
Analyzing consumer satisfaction scores also provides a good picture of the general experience of the customers offered by the service providers. As per the American Customer Satisfaction Index, customers have given preference to the DIRECTV over the DISH for parameters like channel, call center, and other performance measures. It should also be noted that irrespective of offering similar services, DIRECTV is preferred by customers with a slightly higher rating when it comes to the value received in exchange for the price paid as per the survey results. However, the result of this study shows that DISH has a slightly lower total score in the study than DIRECTV for customer satisfaction which can be interpreted as the subscribers of DIRECTV feel that they receive greater value for the money paid compared to DISH.
Final Verdict
As observed in the DISH vs. DIRECTV fight, there are valid grounds for flipping sides in satellite services. To this end, DISH has lower initial costs than DirecTV and technological applications that may result in a superior viewing experience. However, the saved amount is normally lower after the first year and you will not be able to get access to key sports content that is offered by DIRECTV. Considering that DIRECTV has a better ranking concerning the customers’ satisfaction with the program offer, the program’s performance, and the value rather than the price, the balance shifts to the side of continuing to be a subscriber. What DISH may be advantageous to some viewers is most likely to be outweighed by the perceived benefits of staying with what is perhaps the familiar and preferred service for most current DIRECTV consumers.
Ready to upgrade your TV experience? Call us now at (877) 471-4808 to find the perfect Dish Network plan for you! Don’t miss out on great entertainment—our team is here to help you choose the best package and get you started today.
