Satellite TV (again)

[fredhargis]

We'll be moving within 6 weeks or so, and the new place doesn't have land line cable. So I have to go with a satellite system, and may through in the internet as well. Is there a real reason to choose Dish over Direst TV? I know I could do the research, but having first hand experience is better. What about those who have satellite internet...how is that working for you?

[bottd]

The only advantage I see is if you use ATT for your cell service you might get a good deal on a bundle package with Direct TV.

[fredhargis]

That actually introduces another thing that may happen. We do not have a cell phone, and it may be time to cut the land line phone cord and go wireless. I guess if there's little difference between the two TV services, it just becomes a cost comparison (?).

[Cub_Cadet_GT]

Dish sucks, I would go Directv. I had both and stayed with Directv for many years. I luckily have FIOS now.

As to satellite internet I don't have any direct experience but slow and expensive are the two adjectives I hear most.

[Mr_Mike]

I'll have the same problem in a couple of years.

One of my new neighbors said they used a Verizon MiFi with good success for internet. Of course, you won't want to use it for Netflix.

I currently have DISH with great success. I wouldn't say it sucks. It is certainly cheaper than DirecTV too.

I'll try to avoid Satellite based internet if I can.

Perhaps in two years, I'll be able to get decent high speed internet at my new location.

[Snipe Hunter]

We've had Dish and DirecTV. The functionality of both were fine but we liked dealing with DirecTV much better. Dish dropped channels all the time as a negotiating tactic with their networks. It was always the ones we watched. Never had problems with DirecTV.

Our new place has too many trees and we had to go with Cable... We really miss the satellite.

[Herb G]

I used to have DirecTV. We couldn't afford it anymore & had to drop it. But, it had a much better channel lineup than Dish ever did.
It would go out on occasion when it got really stormy here.
But it was leaps & bounds better than Comcast cable.

[crokett™]

I've had both Dish and DirectTV, have DirectTV now. I dropped Dish for the same reason Snipe Hunter did, they were blacking out channels as a negotiating tactic. 2 years ago the NBC affiliate here went poof for a month, then last year it was both CBS and Fox affiliates for 6 weeks. All the outages occurred during NFL playoff football time.

Assuming you can get 4G speeds where you are for cell phone, I would get a hotspot or a smart phone and use that for my internet access before I got satellite internet. My phone provided by work has unlimited data and hotspot capability and I've used it a few times for work. It's fast.

[R Clark]

crokett™ said:

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Assuming you can get 4G speeds where you are for cell phone, I would get a hotspot or a smart phone and use that for my internet access before I got satellite internet. My phone provided by work has unlimited data and hotspot capability and I've used it a few times for work. It's fast.

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Our internet is through our 4G data plan. If you tend to stream video, then you will need to buy a lot of data, or an unlimited plan.

That said, we're perfectly happy with Over The Air TV. The satellite companies and their shenanigans just p*$$ me off. Direct...Dish...they're both the same.

[Pirate]

I have a love/hate relationsip with DTV.
Signed up for DTV, billed to my Verizon acct.
After about 1 year the DTV portion went up $40/mo! (It was a 2 year contract)
Called a few times (at least 1 hour phone time) and they agreed to cut it $40. That didn't happen. More calls, and got promises, but no results.
Finally after talking to a client retention person for the 3rd time, she said they would reduce the bill by $50/mo.
Next bill was reduced $50.
The following mo. it was $8 higher!
Called and they said prices went up.
I said I agreed to a 2 yr contract.
She said the contract allows for price increases! Great contract! For them.

After signing up for Fios with Verizon 4 years ago, the bills were $35 higher than I agreed to. It took monthly calls for 3 months to get it straightened out.

Never have those bills "auto paid"

3 other people I know had same billing problems with Verizon, when signing up for Fios.

I think there should be a class action suit.
Imagine all the people who auto pay and don't realize what they are paying, over what was agreed on.

Too much coffee this morning ! I'm done.