With so many options available when seeking out pay TV these days, it can be difficult to know the best options for you and your family. Is cable the right call? What about a live TV streaming service like Fubo or Hulu + Live TV? There are more options available than ever it seems, and less clarity on which platform or service is the right call.
Viewers who are searching for their next source of TV would do well to look into DISH Network. Satellite TV is still a great alternative to cable, and can offer features that even internet-based pay TV simply can’t match. A DISH satellite isn’t the right call for all viewers in all cases, but there are definite times when DISH offers a clear advantage over its competitors. That may seem strange coming from writers who are cord-cutter enthusiasts, but let us explain…
When Does a DISH Satellite Make Sense? If You Live in a Rural Area
This is one big advantage that satellite holds over cable in general. Cable is great for urban dwellers, but for those living a little further outside the city, it’s often difficult or impossible to get a cable subscription because the infrastructure necessary simply isn’t in place.
Satellite TV covers 100% of the map, so if you can’t get a cable provider to come out to your house because there aren’t any cables to hook up to, a DISH subscription makes complete sense. Once your DISH satellite is installed, you’ll be set to watch the most popular channels in the United States like ESPN, FX, TBS, TNT, and all your other favorites.
When Does a DISH Satellite Make Sense? If You Want to Maximize Your Channel Count and Get Free DVR
The ability to record shows and movies from live TV and watch them on-demand later is critical, and many providers make you pay extra for the privilege. Not so with DISH; the service offers up to 2,000 hours of DVR recording for the entire length of your contract, with no extra fees required. DISH plans start at $84.99 per month for 190 channels.
DISH customers also get access to up to 290 channels (depending on which plan you subscribe to), which is far more than the average cable subscriber. Subscribers will get all of the top cable news, entertainment, and sports channels in the U.S., plus a host of international selections so audiences can stay up-to-date on the most important stories from around the world. Check out a full list of all channels available on DISH plans here.
When Does a DISH Satellite Make Sense? When You Want to Lock In Your Price For Years
If streamers like YouTube TV make you nervous with their seemingly constant price increases, DISH could be just the ticket for you. DISH customers don’t have to worry about month-to-month uncertainty with their account, because a two-year contract means that no surprise price fluctuations will upset a consumer’s budget. In the past year alone, DIRECTV STREAM has announced two price increases, one taking effect in January with the second coming just last month.
With DISH, that won’t be a problem, because your price will be locked in even longer than the length of their contract. DISH offers a three-year price guarantee, locking in your rate at sign-up for 36 months even though your contract length will only be 24 months.
DISH installation is free in up to six rooms of your house, and the service also comes with a money-back signal guarantee, so you can rest easy about having to pay for channels that get blacked out thanks to weather or other interruptions temporarily.
But to sweeten the deal to lower your price, Dish has a current promotion that offers you a get a $300 gift card when you switch from DIRECTV. All you need is a bill within six months from DIRECTV and sign up before Jan. 17, 2024. That drops your monthly payment on the lowest tier to $72.50, which is lower than any of the big live TV streaming services that we constantly rave about.
There are plenty of situations in which a DISH satellite TV subscription makes much more sense than a cable or streaming TV plan. It all depends on each individual subscriber’s situation, but if the above conditions align with your needs, you should head to DISH's website and see about grabbing a subscription for yourself!