If you are looking for an affordable satellite TV package, then you know that DISH Network and DIRECTV are the two options in the United States. Both offer packages including hundreds of channels, and deals for new customers.  But you might be concerned about the price after any advertised specials are finished.  In this article we will review both the promotional and regular prices for DISH Network satellite TV service.

How much does DISH Network cost?

DISH Network advertisements mainly promote a package for $29.99 a month, which is the America’s Top 120 offer.  This package includes around 90 digital channels in video format, and an additional 30 commercial free movie channels.   The monthly DISH Network cost is dropped by $15 a month during the first 12 months of service, so in reality the package price is currently $44.99 per month.  This package does include your local channels in most areas, but it does not include regional sports network like Fox Sports.  If that is something you want then you will have to get the America’s Top 120 Plus package, which is $5 more per month.

Keep in mind though that this is a basic package without any add-ons.  While this price is rock-bottom, most people will have additional costs with their DISH Network service.  Here are a few other prices that come along with your satellite television service.

While DISH Network will give you a free DVR when you set up service, there is a monthly fee to make it work.  The current Dish DVR charge is $6 a month.  The DuoDVR series will give you access to a second feed, meaning you can have one HDTV hooked up in one room and a second standard definition TV connected somewhere else in the house.  This can save you a bit of money over DIRECTV and cable companies that charge for each box that is hooked up.

There will also be an additional cost each time you watch a pay per view movie with DISH Network .  Most titles range in price from $4.99 to $5.99 each, though adult pay per view titles are usually quite a bit more.  DISH Network also offers certain seasonal sports packages like the MLS Direct Kick.

Premium channels will also cost you an extra fee each month as a DISH Network subscriber.  While you can usually get three months free of HBO or Showtime as a new customer, you will be billed after that if you keep the premium service.  Currently, HBO is $16.00 a month, while Showtime, Starz, and Cinemax are $13.00 per month.  If you subscribe to multiple premium movie channels, you get a discount.  Those looking for an all inclusive package should consider the America’s Everything package, which offers all of the premium movie content plus a full basic cable lineup for around $105.00 per month.

Each situation is different, so you should fully evaluate what DISH Network costs based on your needs and desires.  Extra DISH Network receivers, DISH internationl programming, and pay per view options can significantly increase your monthly bill.  But compared to most cable companies, the prices offered by DISH Network on basic programming packages are among the lowest available today.

Year after year, cable and satellite television companies continue to raise rates on subscribers.  But in the past year, several providers have begun to offer deals where your price doesn’t change for two years.  The Time Warner price lock has been popular in many areas served by the cable company, and in 2011 a Dish Network price lock program was instituted.  So should you go with a Dish Network deal and take advantage of the new pricing offer?

Much depends on your own situation.  Remember with either satellite TV provider, you will have to sign a two year contract to get up and running.  So with a Dish Network deal, be sure you are going to be able to say with them for 24 months otherwise you will get hit with an early termination fee.  If you are ready to commit, here is how the Dish Network price lock works in your favor.

First, as a new customer you will enjoy a discount on the programming package that you select.  These range from $10 to $20 a month for the first twelve months of service.  After that, you will pay the regular Dish Network package price.  But because they put through a hefty price hike on subscribers earlier this year, Dish Network is now advertising a price freeze on all of their packages with the exception of the America’s Everything package until 2013.

So an example of this would be the America’s Top 200 package, which is currently billed at $59.99 per month before any premium channels or additional equipment fees are added.  For a new customer, the price is discounted to $39.99 a month for one year.  Normally, customers who signed up would also face the yearly price increase which generally hits in January or February of each new year, but with the Dish price lock you are guaranteed to pay the current package price of $59.99 through at least the beginning of 2013.

Of course, that doesn’t prevent Dish from raising prices on the DishDVR or on the premium tiers like HBO.  As mentioned, this also does not cover the America’s Everything package, but all of the Five Under $50 packages are part of this offer.

DIRECTV has not yet come out with a price lock program, so they probably will increase rates once again in early 2012 along with the other major cable and telco providers.  Keeping that in mind, the Dish Network price lock may save you a few dollars if you decide to go with their satellite TV service.

Update: 2012 DIRECTV Price Increase

DIRECTV didn’t wait until 2011 to announce that there will be a price increase on subscribers.  E-mails began hitting subscriber inbox accounts over the Christmas weekend, indicating that a DIRECTV price increase would indeed be in the cards early next year.

The latest price hike from the largest American satellite TV company won’t hit quite as hard as in years past.  Most subscribers will be paying around $2 or $3 more each month, and those with multiple recievers will also be paying more each month.  Here is the breakdown of the DIRECTV price increase.

The Choice package will jump up $2 a month, from $58.99 a month to $60.99 per month.  The Choice Xtra and the Choice Ultimate packages will also go up $2 each, to $65.99 and $70.99 a month respectively.   The two packages though that will remain the same for 2011 are on the opposite ends of the spectrum.  The DIRECTV family package will stay at $29.99 per month, and the DIRECTV Premier package will once again be priced at $114.99 a month.  This all inclusive package was quite a bit higher than its closest competetion, the Dish Network America’s Everything package which was around $100 a month in 2010 with no announcement yet on the 2011 price.

Legacy packages offered by DIRECTV will also be going up in price.  The Plus HD DVR will go up from $79.99 to $82.99 a month, a $3 jump, and the Plus DVR will go up by the same amount to $72.99 a month.  On average, the price hike will average 4% for the 19 million DIRECTV subscribers.

Additionally, the cost for additional receivers will go up $1 a month from $5 to $6.  One receiver is included with your DIRECTV package, but customers pay for each set top box after that.  So those who have four or more receivers in the home will be hit harder than other who just have one or two TVs in the house.  That said, the cost for DIRECTV recievers is still better than what most cable companies charge for set top digital cable boxes.

A final price hike will hit those who subscribe to HBO.  Prices on this premium movie channel will increase by $1 a month, with those subscribing to the Premier package or the DIRECTV Mas Lo Maximo package excepted from the hike.

Programming costs were cited by DIRECTV as the reason the company will raise rates effective February, 10th of 2011.  While the company has generally avoided programming disputes, 2010 has seen quite a few dust ups as the satellite broadcaster has gone head to head with Comcast.  The Versus network was missing from the DIRECTV channel lineup for several months, and the G4 Network was removed a few months ago.  DIRECTV is now facing off with the Comcast owned Golf channel over programming fees, and the network could be missing from the DIRECTV channel lineup in January, 2011 if an agreement is not struck.

One of the top reasons to switch to one of the main satellite TV companies is the promotional offers that are given to new customers.  After paying high cable rates for years, many seek relief with either a DISH Network promotion or one from DIRECTV.   Generally, the regular rates from these satellite TV companies are lower than cable, but when you combine the first year discount and other deals that are offered, its hard to say no to satellite service.  In this article we will take a closer look at the current promotions offered by DISH Network and see how they can save you some money.

The DISH Network promotions being offered right now have been about the same for the last two years, with the addition of the Free HD for life offer being the only real change. Here is what they currently offer first time customers.

Package discount – DISH Network packages start at around $40 a month regularly, and go all the way up to $100 a month for the America’s Everything package.  Whatever your selection, you will enjoy a $15 a month discount for one year, meaning a total savings of $180 on programming taken off of your DISH Network bill.

Free Installation – A DISH Network technician or qualified contractor will set you up in up to six different rooms.  Standard installation is free, if you need something custom or if it requires a lot of additional labor, the technician will quote you before the installation begins.

Free Equipment – Current promotions include one free DISH Network HD DVR, as well as two addition HD upgrades.  This means you can get up to three HDTV sets connected at no up front charge.  If you need additional receivers beyond this, a price quote can be obtained when you place your DISH Network service order so you know what you are facing up front.

Free HD for Life – This new promotional offer was started in June, 2010 and was quickly matched by DIRECTV.  Prior to this deal, all DISH Network HD subscribers had to pay $10 a month for high definition channels.  This Dish TV promotion does come with a few strings attached, mainly the requirement that you sign up for automatic bill payment each month, and also receive a paperless billing statement.  Currently this promotion is set to expire at the end of January, 2011 but will probably be extended by DISH Network .

Free HBO and Showtime – New customers also get a promotional trial of HBO and Showtime.  DISH Network carries nine HBO channels and ten Showtime channels, so this is a pretty good value when it comes to the number of movies you can watch or record with your Dish DVR.  After three months, DISH Network leaves these channels on your account and bills them at the regular price, so make a note to cancel them if you do not want them after the promotion ends.

This gives you a brief idea on what you can get with a DISH Network deal.  As mentioned earlier, the main components of the offer have been in place for about two years, but you never know when Dish might switch things up, so call them directly or visit their website before signing a satellite television contract.  Reviewing the current DIRECTV promotions and lining them up against DISH Network will insure that you subscribe to the satellite TV service that will make you happy in the long run.

One of the great things about satellite service is the low price.  Sure there are a few obstacles in getting satellite TV setup, mainly the dish that has to be places somewhere on your house facing the southern sky.  Switching providers if you are with the cable television company right now can also take a little time.  But there is a good reason to at least investigate your options, as satellite TV prices continue to be extremely competitive, and in most areas lower than cable TV rates.

So what can you expect to pay if you are looking at the satellite service option?   Both DISH Network and DIRECTV have deals running that will save you a significant amount of money during the first year of your contract.  These incentives of course are designed to attract you to the company as a new subscriber, but smart satellite TV shoppers should be aware of what they are getting into.

The satellite television prices offered by DISH Network and DIRECTV are lower than normal in hopes you will subscribe and then remain a longtime customer.  Both companies require you stay with them for two years as part of the initial agreement, so they know up front that they will be able to get at least one year of regular subscription rates from their customers.  Of course if you are satisfied with the service, you will potentially stay for ten years or more, meaning that initial discount they give on the satellite price is well worth it.

DISH Network prices start at $24.99 a month for two of their basic packages, the Dish Family and America’s Top 120 options.  The Dish Family package is very limited, and this is the normal price, while the America’s Top 120 will go up $15 to the regular price after one year.  The America’s Top 200 starts off at $37.99 a month, then goes up to $52.99 after 12 months. The Top 250 package has an introductory price of $47.99 before jumping up to $62.99 a month. Finally, the all you can watch package from DISH Network is the America’s Everything package, which is $84.99 a month for a year before going up to $99.99.

Now with DIRECTV, you will notice a similar pattern with their satellite TV pricing structure. There is an introductory package called the DIRECTV Family bundle, which has straight pricing of $29.99 a month with no discount to start off with. The Choice package kicks off the discounted offerings, with a $29.99 a month offer. With DIRECTV, the introductory discount is $29 a month, which results in higher prices than DISH Network after the one year promotion is over.

The Choice Xtra package is probably the most popular DIRECTV bundle, and starts off at $34.99 a month until the regular price of $63.99 kicks in. The new Choice Ultimate package offers you a few commercial free movie channels and is priced at $39.99 per month, then goes to $68.99 after one year. The final DIRECTV package is the Premier bundle, which is $114.99 a month normally, but discounted to $85.99 for the new DIRECTV subscriber.

What else should you review when looking at satellite TV prices? The prices considered include one receiver, but these days most homes have more than one television set, so you will have extra charges of around $7 per receiver for the additional satellite boxes. DVR service is also billed separately, and is $6 a month with DISH Network or $7 a month with DIRECTV. High definition channels are also not included in the package prices, so if this is important to you expect another $10 a month to get the available HD channels.

While these numbers can add up, usually they are still lower than the typical cable TV package. Bundling may save you some money if you are a cable TV customer with high speed internet and home phone service. But for straight video service satellite TV prices are usually going to be the cheapest route.

If you are contemplating a switch to satellite TV from your cable television company, you need to have an accurate picture of what the DISH Network normal prices are. The reason for this is that both DISH Network and DIRECTV offer promotional pricing to new customers. During the first year of service, you get a lower rate as an incentive to switch over to these companies. After the first year, you are then charged the DISH Network regular price, and you don’t want to have sticker shock when this happens.

The good thing for 2010 is that DISH Network has kept their 2009 pricing structure intact in most areas. They have renamed their packages, and there are some higher charges for additional DVR devices, but if you only have one HD DVR then the pricing shouldn’t be much different then last year. For those looking at their cable bill and comparing it to Dish TV, then here is an overview of the normal pricing for satellite.

First up is the DISH Network America’s Top 120 package, which is normally priced at $39.99 a month. An additional option is the America’s Top 120 Plus, which adds in the regional sports networks in your area. For this option add another $5 a month, which brings your normal price to $44.99 a month. Local channels are also included in the normal price.

The America’s Top 200, which was formerly called the Classic Silver 200 package, will cost you an additional $13 per month. That brings the Top 200 regular price to $52.99 for more than 150 video channels plus around 50 CD-quality digital audio channels.

The America’s Top 250 was the Classic Gold 250 in 2009. This year’s version comes in at a regular price of $62.99 a month. Pretty much all of your basic cable channels are found here, plus a few Encore movie channels. If you are interested in commercial free movie channels, then the top-level DISH Network package is your best choice.

The America’s Everything package retains the same name for 2010, and sports a slightly lower price. This package is priced at $99.99 for everything in the America’s Top 250, plus more than 30 premium commercial-free movie channels. While the price dropped a bit from last year, it no longer includes DISH Network DVR service which will cost you another $6 a month.  By comparison, the top DIRECTV package will cost about $115 this year, so DISH Network holds a nice price advantage over the competition if you are interested in an all inclusive TV bundle.

What other pricing considerations should be factored in if you are considering DISH Network?  If you want access to HD content, there is an additional $10 a month charge. Most cable TV companies do not charge for HD, but their HD channel selection is usually less than Dish TV.  As mentioned already, there is a $6 monthly fee for DVR service, and there are additional charges for each receiver or additional DVR device you have.  Overall, Dish TV  is still the low cost provider of satellite TV service when compared to DIRECTV.  They area also usually  lower than cable TV companies when comparing the DISH Network regular pricing against regular cable rates.

If you are in the market for a new pay television provider in 2010, then you may want to take a close look at the DISH Network bundles that are available to you.  With DISH Network, you can enjoy all of the local and national networks that you get from your local cable TV company, and in most cases at a lower price overall.

DISH Network Bundles

If you are currently subscribing to basic cable, you are probably paying at least $60 a month.  For digital or premium cable through a provider like Comcast, the bill moves into the $80 to $150 a month range depending on how many premium channels you have.  While a DIRECTV bundle may save you some over cable TV, their overall pricing structure is a bit more than with DISH Network.  With a DISH Network bundle, you can start with a package as low as $19.99 a month for the Dish Family package, but since very few subscribe to this package, we will start off with the Dish Classic Bronze bundle, and consider how it compares to cable.

The DISH Network Classic Bronze bundle is a great choice if you are currently a basic cable customer. Depending on your cable company, you probably pay anywhere from $50 to $75 a month for basic cable, and for that you probably get around 100 channels.  With the Classic Bronze bundle, you will get 120 channels total, of which around 25 are music stations.   Current pricing is $24.99 a month, which is a $15 discount from the regular price during the first year.  After that you are looking at $40 a month.  DVR service is another $6 per month, but even at the regular price this bundle compares well against basic cable.

The Classic Silver bundle is next up from DISH Network.  With more than 200 all digital channels, this package matches up well against digital cable or the DIRECTV Choice Xtra bundle.  This package is priced at $37.99 a month when considering the $15 first year discount.  Regular pricing is $52.99, which again compares well with something like your typical digital cable bundle.

The DISH Network Classic Gold bundle is next on the list, and comes in at $47.99 a month, or $62.99 a month if you are considering the price once the promotional period is over.   Here you will find over 260 all-digital channels when you count both audio and video.  Quite a few of these are Sirius satellite radio stations, so if those are not high on your list, the Silver 200 bundle may be a better choice.

Finally, the America’s Everything Bundle is the all inclusive choice available from DISH Network.  Everything in the Classic Gold package is included, plus more than 30 premium movie channels like HBO and Showtime are included.  This Dish bundle is just under $100 a month, and is also eligible for the new customer discount for 12 months.

A few additional factors to consider when looking at a DISH Network bundle.  All of the above packages include local channels where available.  DISH Network reaches more than 95% of the country with local channel programming, so this shouldn’t be much of an issue.  If you want high definition content with your DISH Network package, then you will be paying an additional $10 a month.   The number of HD channels you get depends on the bundle you pick, obviously the bundles with more channels overall also offer more HD channels.

Finally, none of the DISH Network bundles include the monthly fee for DVR service.  Right now, DISH Network charges $6 a month per DVR, though there are rumors circulating that Dish may be raising rates on their HD DVR service.  This does compare well with cable TV providers, some of whom charge upwards of $15 a month for DVR service.

Two of the big companies that compete head to head for your business are DISH Network and Time Warner cable. While Time Warner is the second biggest regional cable company, DISH Network is a national satellite TV provider. If you have access to both of these companies, you should line up and compare DISH Network vs. Time Warner cable before signing up for cable TV service.

With people looking for the most bang for their buck, cable and satellite TV companies are being scrutinized closely to see exactly how much they are charging. That is the case with both Time Warner and DISH Network, just like all other providers. Which should you choose if price is your number one consideration?

It depends on what you want from your satellite or cable provider. Many cable companies are offering triple play bundles of service, where you not only get your cable TV, but also your high speed internet service and home phone line. Time Warner cable, or TWC, is no different than Comcast or Cox cable in this regard, as they of course would rather make money off of their subscribers with three different services rather than one. If you want all of these services, you can usually get a good deal on a Time Warner triple play bundle.

On the other hand, many do not want a home phone because they use cell phones. Or they don’t have a computer so they don’t want internet service. They are just looking for a high quality cable TV service at an affordable price. If this is the situation you are in, then DISH Network satellite TV is probably the better choice rather than TWC.

Now if you are just comparing DISH Network prices vs. Time Warner cable pricing, you probably won’t find a big difference overall. Lets take a brief look at what each company offers so you can make the right decision when comparing TWC vs satellite TV service.

With DISH Network, pricing is fairly straightforward, and it is easy to figure out the package rates no matter where you live. Dish TV offers the Classic Bronze 100, the Classic Silver 200, the Classic Gold 250, and the America’s everything package. As you can probably figure, the number listed with each DISH Network package corresponds to the approximate number of channels in the package. If you are mainly interested in movies, then the America’s Everything is the way to go, with more than 30 commercial free movie channels.

DISH Network pricing starts at $39.99 for the Classic Bronze 100 and moves all the way up to $102.98 for the America’s Everything package.  Right now, the current DISH Network offer gives new subscribers a $15 discount for the first year of service.  While these packages do include your local channels, they do not include HD channels, which cost an additional $10 per month.  Another extra is the DISH Network DVR, which is another $6 per month up and above the base package price.

Now with Time Warner cable, the price can vary a bit from area to area.  Time Warner cable reaches across the country and is in several areas including New York, Ohio, California and Texas.  Major cites served by TWC include Los Angeles, San Diego, Cleveland, San Antonio and Austin.  In each area served by Time Warner, the company has to obtain a cable franchise and set rates with the approval of local authorities.  So while the price differences are minor, you won’t find them uniform in the different areas.

To give you an idea of the rates charged by Time Warner, we pulled up some of the pricing in the North Carolina area served by TWC.   Here you will get Digital cable including one digital box, one premium digital tier, as well as basic and broadcast cable for $71.95 a month.  Local channels are included, but DVR service is not, that will cost you another $10.95 per month.  Time Warner does offer Free HD, but the number of HD channels can vary quite a bit, especially in areas that have not been upgraded yet.

If you aren’t interested in Digital cable and the On-demand features that come with that service, you can get basic cable from Time Warner.  Pricing on that is listed from $34.83 a month up to $56.66, so you will probably want to call TWC directly to get an accurate quote.  Several add on bundles are available as well.  The Time Warner Spanish package is called Nuestra Tele, which can be added for $24.95 a month, or $34.95 a month if you want Spanish HBO programming.  The Family Choice offer gives subscribers a package of 15 family themed channels for an additional $12.99 a month.  If you are looking for Spanish channels, a better way to go would be the DishLATINO package on satellite.

Additional receivers are another consideration when comparing Dish TV and Time Warner service.  Each additional Time Warner cable Box will cost $7.23 per month, so keep that in mind when counting up all of your television sets.  An alternative is using the CableCard option for $2.50 a month.  Each DISH Network DVR and receiver is capable of delivering signal to one HDTV and one standard definition TV.  If you are hooking up more than two sets, you will pay $7 per month for each additional receiver, and another $5.98 per DVR.

Now pricing isn’t everything when comparing TWC to DISH Network, so lets look at a few additional considerations.  Finding your favorite channel is of course important when you are looking at selecting a cable or satellite TV company.   Both DISH Network and Time Warner carry all of the regular cable television channels you are used to including CNN, Fox News, ESPN, and Discovery.  Where you may find some issues is when you look into some of the second tier sports channels out there.

In particular, if you are a big NFL fan you probably won’t be to happy with the hard line Time Warner cable has taken when it comes to carrying the NFL Network and the new RedZone channel.  The NFL and Time Warner cable have been battling for years over carriage of the network over the cable system, and it looks like there will not be a resolution for the 2009 season.  The NFL also rolled out a new channel airing just on Sundays called the RedZone channel, and while it has been picked up by DISH Network on their Multi-sport tier, it has not been picked up by Time Warner yet.  Neither company has access to the NFL Sunday Ticket package, which is locked up with DIRECTV through the year 2014.

Other out of market packages are fairly even when looking at TWC against DISH Network.  Both carry the NBA League Pass and the NHL Center Ice packages which usually run about $200 per season.  DISH Network does not carry the MLB Extra Innings or the MLB channel, while Time Warner does, so that may be a factor in your decision if you are a big baseball fan.

Now when it comes to high definition, both Time Warner HD and DISH Network have been working hard to roll out as many  channels as possible.  DISH Network is considered the national HD leader, offering access to more than 140 channels currently.  While Time Warner’s channel count is a bit lower in most areas, they are doing better than most cable TV companies.   Time Warner expanded to about 100 HD channels in the New York City area in February, 2009 mainly in response to all of the high def being offered by Verizon FiOS.  While this is great for some served by TWC, others continue to wait for the cable company to upgrade their network so more HD content can be added.  Call your local Time Warner office to find out exactly how many HD channels are in your area when comparing services against DISH Network.

One area where Time Warner beats DISH Network is in the on-demand programming available.  Similar to other cable companies like Comcast and Cox, Time Warner has upgraded their cable TV network so that there are nearly 10,000 on demand programs available at any given time.  Now many of these are just short clips, and who can really watch 10,000 shows?  But it is a feature that becomes fairly addictive in that there is always something on, and you can watch episodes of your favorite shows that you may have missed in the past.  DISH Network does offer Pay per view movie on demand, but not much more than that.  The alternative is to record your favorite content on the Dish DVR so you can watch it at your convenience.

Speaking of DVR devices, which is better?  The DISH Network DVR vs Time Warner’s DVR.  When it comes to capacity, the DISH Network DVR wins hands down.  The Dish TV DVR holds 55 hours of HD content, or up to 350 hours of standard definition content.  The current Time Warner cable DVR’s hold 35 hours of HD, or up to 80 hours of standard def content.  While Time Warner DVR’s will do the trick when it comes to recording and playing back programming, the Dish Duo ViP 722 has been praised by CNET and others for its functionality.

A final consideration when comparing Time Warner against DISH Network is the other services available with cable TV that aren’t with satellite.  Bundles include your choice of digital cable TV, TWC digital phone, and Road Runner high speed internet service.   Usually the best Time Warner deals come into play when you are a new customer signing up for all three services.  Depending on the level of service you want, you can get all three services for around $100 per month for the first year.  Be sure to confirm with Time Warner what the price is after the deal is over so you know what to expect as far as regular pricing goes.

So there are a few of the factors to consider when looking at Dish vs Time Warner.  Hopefully you will find the package that fits your needs at a great price.

For many years, people who wanted cable TV only had one source, the old cable television company. In the mid 90’s, satellite TV companies Dish Network and DIRECTV were finally able to break the cable monopoly. Now in many areas, consumers have a third option, as Verizon and AT&T have rolled out new technology allowing cable TV service to be delivered through the phone network. In this article, we will compare two of these relative newcomers:

Dish Network vs. AT&T U-verse

Dish Network and AT&T have a bit of history, as in the past they used to be business partners.  AT&T used to sell Dish Network satellite TV until early 2009.  So you might wonder, why did AT&T sell Dish Network and now DIRECTV service when they have their video service?

The reason for this is because U-verse is still in the early stages of deployment. AT&T cable packages are introduced slowly as the needed technology is deployed from city to city. Plenty of red tape must be overcome by AT&T in applying for a cable TV franchise for every area they intend to serve with U-verse.

This of course is the first major difference when comparing U-verse vs Dish Network. AT&T uses their existing network of copper lines to deliver U-verse, while DISH Network of course installs a small satellite dish unit to deliver content. AT&T does have fiber optic lines going to the neighborhoods it that have U-verse, then the signal travels the rest of the way to each hope on copper pairs.  Many are under the impression that U-verse uses a satellite dish, but this is not the case.

If you are concerned about reliability, you should be fine with both U-verse and Dish Network.  Satellite TV has been around now for more than 15 years, and usually only goes out during very intense storms.  With AT&T U-verse, the issues usually only come up during installation.  Once the U-verse installer has you up and running, you shouldn’t have any significant downtime.

So how do Dish Network and U-verse compare when it comes to pricing and programming options?   Of course AT&T wants you to buy more than one product when you are buying their U-verse TV option, so if you are in the market for high speed internet or home phone service it is a good idea to price out the U-verse bundle options.  AT&T U-verse now offers a triple play package which also combines U-verse voice along with your cable  TV and internet service, so you don’t have to have a home phone line if you don’t need or want it.

There was a small U-verse price increase in February 2009, so these prices reflect the current pricing for just U-verse TV service with one receiver.

The U-verse Family and the U100 packages are both quoted at $49 per month.  This is a $5 increase over the price in 2008 which was $44 per month.  The U-verse family package has 70 channels, and the U100 has 130 channels, so why you would select the U-family package at the same price is quite a mystery.  The U-100 package is comparable to the Dish Network Classic Bronze 100 package, which has around a hundred channels total, and regularly priced at $39.99 per month.

The AT&T U-200 package is next up, and has up to 230 channels of programming depending on your area.  Currently priced at $64 per month, the U-200 increased $5 from last years price of $59 per month.  Here you will find all of the major cable channels, but no premium movie networks.  There is also a U-200 Latino package which adds quite a bit of Spanish language programming for an extra $10 per month.  The comparable Dish Network package would be the Classic Silver 200, which has in the area of 200 all digital video and audio channels.  The Classic Silver 200 is regularly priced at $52.99 per month.

The next offer from U-verse is the AT&T U-300 bundle for $79 per month.  Here you will basically find the U-200 package with the AT&T Movie package added on to bring the channel count up to nearly 300 networks.  The movie package contains 31 commercial free feeds from Starz, Showtime, Encore and Flix.  You won’t get HBO or Cinemax channels here though.  The closest comparision to this from Dish Network is probably the Classic Gold 250 package which is offered at $62.99 per month, though is does not contain the premium movie channels like the U-300.  With Dish Network, you can add on premium movie channel feeds and get discounts based on the number of channels you want.  For example, you can get two premiums for $22 a month, or three premiums for $31 per month.

Finally, we come to the all inclusive packages offered by U-verse and Dish Network.  The U-450 offers nearly 400 channels for $109 per month on a stand alone basis.  In addition to all of the channels in the U300 package, the U-450 adds several HBO and Cinemax channels.  It also adds the Sports pack, which carries dozens of regional sports networks from around the country.  The U-450 compares to the Dish Network America’s Everything Pack, which has over 280 channels of service for $102.98 per month.  This Dish Network package does include several feeds of the premium movie channels like HBO and Showtime.

Now if you are a big sports fan, there may be some things to factor in when comparing Dish TV vs U-verse.  While both Dish Network and U-verse carry the main sports channels like ESPN and Fox Sports, they aren’t equal when it comes to premium sports packages.  Both are locked out of the NFL Sunday Ticket package which is only on DIRECTV.  But when it comes to the NBA League Pass or the NHL Center Ice packages, you won’t find them on U-verse yet.   Dish Network does offer both of these packages, which currently run in the area of $200 per season.   ESPN Gameplan is available through both Dish Network and Uverse.

Now when it comes to promotional deals, you should closely compare Dish Network vs AT&T U-verse and see what they are willing to offer you.  Currently, both Dish Network and U-verse offer free installation, so you don’t have to worry about having a big upfront cost with either service.  They also will throw in equipment such as the U-verse Total Home DVR or the Dish Network ViP 722 DVR.   These advanced DVR devices allow you to watch and record television programming on your terms, and save you plenty of time as you can skip through commercials on programs already recorded.  Keep in mind, you do have to pay additional monthly service fees for DVR service with Dish Network, which is about $6 per month.  AT&T includes DVR service for the first unit in the package price.

U-verse and Dish Network do offer other deals though to entice you to subscribe.  AT&T has been big on their “cash back” offers with U-verse, which can net you anywhere from $50 to $250 back when you subscribe as a new customer.  One thing U-verse has been pushing is the online ordering process, so if you decide to go with U-verse, you can usually get a bigger check back in the mail by ordering U-verse service online.  Dish Network deals currently offer a monthly discount on programming during the first year of service, which is $15 off of any programming package except for the DishFamily package.  So basically you will save $180 during the first year with Dish Network, while you will get a nice check within a few months if you go with AT&T U-verse.

If you are looking for lots of high definition content, you really can’t go wrong with either Dish Network or AT&T U-verse.  Right now, Dish Network offers 140 national HD channels, though they do count pay per view HD in there so it is a bit inflated.  AT&T HD currently offers more than 110 channels in almost all areas that have U-verse.  One thing you will find is that if you are a premium movie channel fan, U-verse has quite a few movie channels in HD than are not yet deployed by Dish Network HD.  As far as cost goes, right now Dish Network and U-verse charge a $10 fee for access to HD channel content.  The only exception to this is the U-450 package, which currently includes HD access in the package price.  Dish Network Turbo HD used to be an option for those who only wanted HD content, but it looks like this has been eliminated for new customers.

Both U-verse and Dish Network offer DVR service, though depending on your situation you may want to go with one company over another.  AT&T U-verse offers a fairly unique device called the Total Home DVR.  Basically, the unit allows you to move from room to room and still watch the content saved on your DVR device.  The AT&T DVR also allows you to record up to four shows at one time, while with Dish Network you can only save two shows at a time on the ViP 722 DVR.  Dish Network’s DVR does offer Duo DVR service, which allow you to save and watch content on two different TV’s in your home.  As far as storage capacity goes, the AT&T DVR can hold up to 133 hours of SD content or 37 hours of HD programming.  The Dish Network ViP 722 holds 350 hours of SD or 55 hours of HD content.  U-verse does have an offer for their higher end customers that promises a DVR with larger capacity.  Customers subscribing to the U450 can get 233 hours SD/65 hours high definition DVR device from AT&T.

Remember when considering Dish Network vs U-verse your personal situation.  Research each company and get a price quote based on the number of HDTV’s and regular TV’s you want hooked up.  Additional charges will apply based on the number of receivers needed, so keep that in mind when reviewing the prices here. For addition information, we invite you to read our AT&T U-verse review, and our collection of Dish Network articles.

Update: Classic Gold 250 has been re-titled Americas Top 250

Picking a satellite TV package can be a difficult decision.  Between channel counts, HD access and  DVR devices, the customer sometimes doesn’t know what is true when claims are being made by satellite and cable television companies.  That is why we provide you comprehensive reviews of different packages, such as the DIRECTV Premier package and the Turbo HD Gold offer from DISH Network.  In this article, we will review the Classic Gold 250 package which is also a DISH Network offering.

The DISH Network Classic Gold 250 was formerly the America’s Top 250 package before DISH Network renamed their programming packages last year.  As the name implies, it contains 250 plus audio and video networks.  When you subscribe to a package like this from Dish TV, you can expect 100% digital and audio quality, free installation in up to four different areas of your home, and access to one of the best DVR units out there today, the Dish ViP722 device.

Now if you are either a cable TV or DIRECTV customer and are thinking of switching over to DISH Network, you might wonder where the Classic Gold 250 package falls as far as comparing it to your current provider.   When comparing this with DIRECTV, it probably falls closest to the Choice Xtra package.  That package offers 200+ channels and the regular price is $60.99 a month, while the Classic Gold 250 package is $57.99 per month.   When comparing it to your cable company, it is probably comparable to a Premium Digital cable package, though what is offered in these can vary depending on providers.  For example, the Comcast Digitial Preferred runs $72.94 per month in the Denver, Colorado area and includes 150 audio and video channels.  It also includes Comcast HD, which is not included in the Classic Gold 250 and will cost you an additional $10 per month.

Now the Dish Classic Gold 250 currently runs $57.99 per month.  But because Dish TV prices things on an a la carte basis, you should be aware of the extras that will bring you bill up a bit.  Local channels like CBS, NBC and ABC in addition to this package will cost an extra $5.00 per month.  As mentioned earlier, to receive the DISH Network HD feeds that are available will also cost another $10 per month.

Another monthly charge to be aware of is for the DVR that is provided when your DISH Network satellite service is installed.  While DishNetwork will provide you with a new, top of the line ViP 722 DVR when you set up service, you do have to pay monthly for the DVR to be operational.  Current pricing is $5.98 per month for each DVR that you have in use in your home.

So what can you expect when it comes to programming content with the Dish Classic Gold package?  Of course all of the major cable network are to be found here like ESPN, CNN, TBS and TNT.  Quite a few movie channels are also in this package, such as the Encore lineup, and the Lifetime Movie Network and Turner Classic Movies.

Unfortunately, you won’t find any premium movie channels beyond the Encore channels in this bundle.  To get these, you will either have to go with the America’s Everything package, or add on the premiums that you want individually.   Here is a listing of the channels in the Classic Gold package up and above the DISH Network Classic Silver 200 package.   Channels in the Silver Package can be viewed here.

Biography Channel
Bloomberg Television
Boomerang
CNBC World
Discovery Home
Discovery Kids
Discovery Times
DIY
Encore (West)
Encore Action
Encore Drama
Encore Love
Encore Mystery
Encore WAM
Encore Westerns
ESPNU
Fine Living
Fox Movie Channel
Fox Reality
Fox Soccer
The Golf Channel
GolTV
Great American Country
Hallmark Channel
History International
Lifetime Movie Network
LIME
Military Channel
Mun2
National Geographic
Nickelodeon Games & Sports
Nicktoons Network
The Outdoor Channel
The Science Channel
Sleuth
Style
The Tennis Channel
The Movie Channel (West)
TMC xtra (West)
Versus

So now that you know all the channels available in the Classic Gold 250 package, what kind of DISH Network deals are out there on this bundle.  Promotions are always changing, so its a good idea to check with both satellite TV companies to find out what they are offering.   Currently, the Classic Gold deal gives you a $25 dollar discount on the monthly rate for 6 months, bringing the price down from $57.99 to $32.99 per month.  In addition, you can also get free access to the Turbo HD Gold channels.  As mentioned earlier, free professional installation and one HD DVR box is also included to you can watch everything in crystal clear HD.

Of course with the NFL season starting soon, the  DISH Network Classic 250 may not fit your needs as there is no NFL Sunday Ticket availability here.  Our recommended alternative if you are looking to try out the Sunday Ticket package is the Choice Xtra package or the DIRECTV Plus HD DVR offer with a $21 discount for the first year.