Why? When you compare satellite TV to cable TV you'll discover the main reasons are cost, picture quality, program choices, and customer satisfaction.
Let's check out the differences ...
Cable vs. Satellite TV Fees
Cable TV fees across the country average $39.99 per month. In our area the cost for cable TV is $37.30 a month for 64 channels, plus $10.95 a month to add digital channels. Installation in one room is $39.95, plus $9.95 for each additional room.
Satellite TV fees from Dish Network are $31.99 per month for 60 channels, while DirecTV charges $41.99 per month for 115 channels. Both satellite TV providers currently offer free satellite TV equipment and free installation in up to four rooms.
Cable vs. Satellite TV Programming
Cable TV in most areas offers almost as many channels as satellite TV, and is broadcast in analog (over-the-air) format. If you want to have digital picture and sound you'll have to pay an additional fee, usually $10 to $15 a month.
Satellite TV offers more channels than cable TV (more than 250 channels), and more HDTV (high definition TV) programming. All satellite TV channels are broadcast in digital format for the highest quality picture and sound.
Cable vs. Satellite TV Equipment
With cable you only need cable boxes that connect the incoming cable line to your televisions. There is usually no charge or rental fees for cable boxes, however, If you want a digital video recorder, you'll have to pay an extra fee.
With satellite TV you need a satellite TV dish and TV receivers. Both Dish Network and DirecTV offer that equipment, plus installation, for free. Dish Network will give you a DVR (digital video recording) receiver or an HDTV receiver at no charge, while DirecTV charges $49.99 for DVR receivers and $299 for HDTV receivers.
Cable and Satellite TV Reliability and Customer Satisfaction
Cable TV outages average 3% to 5% per year. J.D. Powers and Associates ranks cable companies as good to poor in customer satisfaction.
Satellite TV outages average about 1%. J.D. Power and Associates has ranked the two satellite TV providers -- Dish Network and DirecTV -- higher in customer satisfaction than any of the cable TV companies for the last five years
The Bottom Line
If you only watch a couple of shows a week, and you live in an area where you can't get over-the-air TV and cable TV costs less than $20 per month, then cable may be your best option.
If, on the other hand, you want the biggest variety of shows, movies, sports, and news for the least amount of money ... you want to watch your all your shows in digital video and sound ... and you want the option of watching them in HD format and recording them
on a DVR receiver, then satellite TV is what you're looking for.
What Tv Is Best
Verizon FiOS TV service gives customers the most value for their money. These days everyone is trying to cut back and make smarter spending choices. Choosing Verizon FiOS TV service gives you the kind of quality and selection that you want at a price that won't break your budget. Here are the top five reasons why Verizon FiOS is the best value in town when it comes to home TV service:
1. Verizon gives customers more HD channels – It's true. If you have invested a lot of money in an expensive HD TV and you want to get the most of out your HD TV, then you need to get Verizon FiOS because Verizon offers more of the HD channels that you want without a huge price tag. According to news reports American customers pay more than 300% of the cost the HD viewers in other countries pay for HD TV service. Don't pay more than you have to. Get Verizon TV service and get the HD shows, channels, and movies that you want without paying a lot of extra money to get them.
2. Verizon has an interactive menu - Imagine not having to flip through endless pages of menu items to find what you want when you're using the guide or the menu on your TV. Wouldn't that be great? Verizon FiOS offers customers a state of the art interactive menu that helps customers find what they are looking for faster. Don't waste time on a TV service that expects you to spend a lot of time searching for the channels or On Demand shows that you want to see. Choose Verizon FiOS and get what you want, when you want it.
3. Verizon FiOS On Demand – Most cable companies offer an On Demand service that lets you choose from popular TV shows and movies to watch instantly. But not all On Demand services are created equal. Many cable companies stock their On Demand roster with outdated movies and obscure TV shows while they jack up the prices of new release movies or classic favorite movies in order to make more money. Verizon FiOS offers the widest selection of On Demand shows and movies and offers them all at reasonable prices. Many are free.
4. Verizon FiOS has a higher quality picture – Because Verizon FiOS uses fiber optic cable and not traditional cables like the ones used by cable services FiOS delivers more information and a higher quality feed to your home than other TV services. If you want to get the best possible picture on your fancy HD TV then you need to be using the fiber optic Verizon FiOS TV service in order to get the clearest, most vivid picture possible.
5. Verizon FiOS bundles – Verizon FiOS service is already a great value, but you can save even more when you bundle services like home phone service and home Internet service with your Verizon FiOS TV service. You can choose from different packages of channels to in order to make sure that you are getting all the channels that you want at a reasonable price. Verizon bundle pricing makes it easier to get all your favorite channels and great home phone service and home Internet service too.
Both Brian Stevens & Russell Blanc are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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