Add Your ReviewFounded in 1980 by Charlie Ergen, Candy Ergen, and Jim DeFranco, DISH has grown from humble beginnings into a Fortune 250 company. It provides satellite TV to roughly 14 million users around the world. In 2014, it increased revenue 1.6 percent surpassing $14.6 billion. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, it employs approximately 19,000 technicians, customer service representatives, and more throughout the United States. DISH is a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ exchange with the symbol "DISH."
The Good
- Competitive Pricing
- DVR and Other Technology
- Mobile App
Competitive Pricing
DISH offers a variety of packages, each with its own value and unique price. The old adage of "you get what you pay for" definitely holds true with its packages. For example, the "America's Top 120" is on the lower end of the price range but you still get over 190 channels to choose from in that package. Depending on the package, you can enjoy upwards of 290 channels to choose from. Unlike some other Satellite TV providers, DISH offers its services in all 50 states in the United States.
One feature it holds over other satellite TV providers is free DISH Movie Pack for three months. DISH Movie Pack is a premium movie streaming service only available with DISH packages . Like DIRECTV, DISH Network offers HBO, Cinemax, STARZ, and Showtime free for three months with America© Top 120+ package and above.
Finally, DISH offers 24/7 customer service, so feel free to call in at any time of the day. However, despite DISH's promise of customer service being available 24/7, there have been a number of complaints from customers not getting their issues resolved.
DVR and Other Technology
DISH's premier product is Hopper HD DVR. The Hopper has a 2 terabyte hard drive, which is twice that of the Genie, DIRECTV's competing product. With the extra space, the Hopper can store up to 500 hours of HD recordings, more than DIRECTV.
If you ever get tired of commercials, DISH allows you to skip them during primetime programming on major networks. While DIRECTV allows you to view four different shows in four different rooms, DISH increases that standard by allowing six different shows in six different rooms.
If you ever lose your remote, you can use DISH's remote locator to find it. And once you find the remote, you can use it to choose from a selection of 15,000 On Demand movies, which is more than twice that of DIRECTV.
Mobile App
DISH also offers its customers a user-friendly app to keep track of their favorite programs while on the go. Currently, they have been given 4.1 out of 5 stars on the Android Apps site for Google Play. There have been between 5,000 and 10,000 installs. New features of the app include the following:
- Home screen that allows user to quickly find content
- All content that is available on your homes tv is available on the app, making it perfect for catching your favorite sports action away from home
- DVR compatible
The Bad
- Two-Year Contract
- Service and Equipment Issues
Two-Year Contract
DISH requires its customers to sign a two year agreement when officially becoming a part of the DISH family. This is not unlike many other TV providers. DISH provides a ton of information regarding its packages and related fees. Even though you have to sign a two-year contract, there is a welcome assurance that DISH offers a two-year price-lock, which means your monthly rate will not increase over the duration of the contract.
Service and Equipment Issues
Another common user complaint involves problems with equipment and reception services. Having a TV provider that doesn't provide consistently good service is not worth the time or the money. Many customers have felt their service with DISH was poor in this regard, making their experience unsatisfactory. While many are quick to blame DISH as a company, a number of the issues complained about are simply results from the satellite industry as a whole and are not DISH specific. Unfortunately, simple things like weather can seriously impact the equipment and service provided.
The Bottom Line
DISH provides fantastic service for a great price. Coupled with cutting edge technology for your home, DISH is a great choice as a satellite television provider. DISH offers a great HD DVR in the Hopper, which boasts twice the memory and smaller dimensions than its closest competitor. DISH always has great promotions to help make your choice easier.
