Dish Network is one of the two main Satellite Broadcast Television Networks in the United States. Dish Network offers television programming through a satellite dish usually placed on the roof of a home. DirecTV is the main competitor in the satellite market. Cable and Fiber Optic networks also compete.
Dish Network pulls its programming off a satellite feed so one would expect that the picture would be excellent. For the most part this is true, as long as the dish is properly aimed and aligned.
Satellite programming also offers many channels, and Dish has a fair amount of HDTV channels available. They have several packages starting at $19.95 per month, and offer premium channels like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax and others. These packages might be offered for a few months for free, then Dish will expect you to pay for these channels.
Dish Network also has various sports packages, such as those geared for football, basketball, and baseball season. They also cover the various College Conferences in various sports.
Like most of the other broadcast providers, Dish also offers Internet service. In addition to this, they also often offer incentives such as free Digital Video Recorders. There may be a catch though. Dish has been known to offer these benefits for a limited time, and then charge you for them.
Satellite television can be a great boon, if you are in an area where cable is not available, and native television signals are difficult to receive. Dish Network is available in many of these areas. The channel lineup of Dish Network is suburb, although you must pay extra for local channels. It is only about $5.99 per month, but having to pay extra for channels that are included free in other services is a downside to Dish Network.
Customers report that their reception is quite good, usually. However, they also have many complaints about the customer service of the company. All one needs to do is to Google Dish Network and you will find a myriad of complaints about the customer service or lack thereof.
As previously stated, sometimes with any satellite provider the reception can suffer if there is an alignment problem. You need to have a line of site with a southern exposure as a rule. Occasionally installation technicians don’t get the dish aimed correctly, or do not secure it. Another issue with Dish Network is that the picture can actually be affected by weather. Rain or snow can interfere with the reception. Frost and ice are another problem.
When customers call to complain about picture they have stated that the service they receive from Customer Service is less than stellar. Cancellation can lead to charges if one has signed a contract to keep the service for a particular amount of time, usually a year or two.
In July 2009, Dish Network settled a lawsuit brought by 46 states for $6,000,000.00, involving their poor customer service track record.
While Dish Network has a great channel lineup, and when conditions are right, a crystal clear picture, it would appear that the cons outweigh the pros.
