Television Service Providers - DirecTV
DirecTV is a television content provider which delivers content to its subscribers via satellite. DirecTV primarily competes against local cable companies and its rival satellite company Dish Network. Recently it has also had to begin competing against fiber optic television providers as well since both Verizon and AT&T offer FiOS® and U-verse now offer television content along with optional additional bundled phone and internet which some cable companies now offer as well.
Features:
- Lots of On Demand movies provided in HD at resolutions up to 1080p24
- On screen menu guide layout and looks and functions very well and is updated often
- Large capacity DVR available
- High number of HD channels
- Offer completive prices and discounted package promotions
- If you want the best/most sports available DirecTV is the clear choice but be prepared to pay top dollar to add all of the sports packages as they add up quickly
- Schedule DVR recordings from your computer or internet accessible phone
Please note:
- Require a two year contract and often restart it after hardware upgrades such as adding a new receiver when adding another TV
- On Demand movies and shows must be downloaded over the internet hence an internet connection is required
- Requires the mounting of a satellite dish on the house or property
- May not have all local HD channels in your area although they do have most local channels
- New cables will need to be run from the satellite dish to your TVs inside the house (usually there is no additional cost for running these cables)
- Satellite television receives it's signal from satellites orbiting the earth therefore the satellite will need a clear line of sight path to your satellite dish. Unfortunately, tree branches, clouds and in rare cases even airplanes can disrupt the signal transmission resulting in the loss of picture until the satellite box can receive a signal again. Most interruptions are brief usually only lasting a few minutes during a heavy thunder-storm but be keep this in mind if you are in a region that often gets afternoon thunderstorms you may likely lose picture for a minute or two during heavy rain storms depending on cloud coverage.
DirecTV offers four different packages to choose from. They are:
- The CHOICE package with 150+ channels starting at $58.99 a month, now on sale for just $29.99 a month* for 12 months.
SHOWTIME FREE for three months. Plus, a free HD or DVR upgrade when they enroll online – a $99 value.
- The CHOICE XTRA package with 210+ channels starting at $63.99 a month, now on sale for just $34.99 a month* for 12 months.
HBO, Cinemax, SHOWTIME and starz FREE for three months. Plus, 2 FREE upgrades - HD DVR & HD receiver – a $298 value.
- The CHOICE Ultimate package with 225+ channels starting at $68.99 a month, now on sale for just $39.99 a month* for 12 months
SHOWTIME and Starz FREE for three months, plus 11 extra movie channels. Plus, 2 FREE upgrades - HD DVR & HD receiver – a $298 value.
- PREMIER package with over 285 channels starting at $114.99 a month, now just $85.99 a month* for 12 months.
HBO, SHOWTIME and Starz FREE for three months. Includes over 35 speciality sports networks, like CBS College Sports, GoITV, Yes Network and many more.
Plus, 2 FREE upgrades - HD DVR & HD receiver – a $298 value.
All packages offer free installation and no equipment to buy.
Additional receivers can be leased for $5 a month. *Prices include a $24 bill credit for 12 months after rebate, plus an additional $5 with online rebate, and consent to email alerts. **To be eligible for Free HD for Life, you must activate and maintain the CHOICE package or above, at least one (1) HD receiver, HD Access and enrollment in Auto Bill Pay.