Sports Subscriptions

On the surface comparing Dish Network to Time Warner, the nations second largest cable company, may seem like a mismatch. The results however, will shock you.

As Dish Network begins to make inroads against giant cable companies like Time Warner and competition heats up, it is Dish Network that competes with increased value and technology, while Time Warner seems more interested in increasing its bottom line with rate increases, that are not accompanied by any additional benefits for its customers.

Like most cable companies, Time Warner has become enamored with trying to make money off of its customers with three services (television, Internet and phone) rather than one. This has unfortunately caused the quality and value of its television service to be greatly diminished. Dish Network concentrates solely on making its television service the very best in the nation and their efforts have not gone unnoticed by consumers.

Let's examine the numbers:

With Dish Network pricing is very straightforward, promotions are easy to obtain and understand, packages are loaded with value and prices are the same nationwide. Time Warner in most cases is harder to figure out than Congressional Bill. Prices in New York will be different than prices in Ohio. Packages available in California may not be available in Texas and promotions in Los Angeles may be very different in San Diego. For comparative purposes we will examine one of Time Warner's most economical areas in North Carolina.

Time Warner's Premium One Digital Tier (140-channels) is $71.95 per month, it includes local channels, but DVR service is an additional $10.95 per month. Time Warner includes HD channels for Free, but there are only 18-HD channels.

Time Warner's Basic Service (45-channels) is $34.83 per month and to move up a Tier (95-channels) the price jumps to $56.66 per month. If you need a second TV serviced it will cost an additional $7.23 per month.

Dish Network has no less than three packages that provide customers with significantly more value than Time Warner’s offerings. Dish Network's Classic Bronze package has 120-channels and is regularly $39.99 per month and is currently in promotion for $24.99 for the first year. Classic Silver has 220-channels and is priced normally at $52.99, $37.99 for the first year. Classic Gold has over 260-channels and at $62.99 is still nearly $10-per month cheaper than Time Warner's best package and provides 120-more channels. If that isn't shocking enough you can get Gold for $47.99 for the first year.

Local channels are included in all of Dish Network’s packages; DVR service is just an additional $5.98 and services two televisions. Time Warner is nearly double that price for DVR service on one TV. Time Warner's current DVR capacity is 80-hours in standard-definition and 35-hours in high-definition - compared to Dish Network's 350-hours in SD and 55-HD. Now HD service will cost you an additional $10.00 with Dish Network, but they have 140-HD channels.

Movie lovers will be overwhelmed by Dish Network's America's Everything package which offers more than 295-channels for $102.99 / $87.99 for the first year. The package has 32-Premium Movie Channels from HBO, Showtime, Starz and Cinemax.

Sports fans will also flock to Dish Network. NFL Network and NFL Red Zone channels are staples with Dish Network and not available with Time Warner. Time Warner does carry MLB Extra Innings, which runs about $200 per season, and MLB Network, where Dish Network does not. Coverage of your local baseball teams is available through Dish, however.

If you are looking to bundle television, Internet and phone, or watch out of market baseball games, Time Warner may be a consideration. If you are looking to get more for your hard-earned money, Dish Network is the clear choice for value. read more »

Even though the 2009-10 college basketball season started on Monday that featured three top 25 teams (4) University of North Carolina, (25) Syracuse and (12) California all winning easily. But today is not only Friday the 13th it’s also the first weekend of this year’s college basketball season. Even though most of the top 25 teams are playing against weaker opponents, a loss will hurt not only their ranking, but also their chances of making it into this years March Madness tournament which leads to the National Championship.

Don’t forget college basketball fans Dish Network also carries ESPN Full Court, and ESPNU which allows you to watch teams from the top conferences battle it out for conference supremacy.

Friday the 13th games

Top 25 Games
TIME (ET) MATCHUP
8:00 PM ET Hofstra at (1) Kansas ESPN360.com Espn Full Court
7:00 PM ET Florida Gulf Coast at (2) Michigan State ESPN360.com
6:30 PM ET Morehead State at (5) Kentucky ESPNU
7:00 PM ET Fairleigh Dickinson at (6) Villanova
7:00 PM ET Cal State Northridge at (7) Purdue ESPN360.com
7:00 PM ET UNC Greensboro at (8) Duke
9:00 PM ET Austin Peay at (11) Tennessee
10:00 PM ET Wright State at (13) Washington
7:30 PM ET William & Mary at (14) Connecticut ESPN360.com ESPN Full Court
8:00 PM ET Tennessee Tech at (18) Minnesota
9:00 PM ET Rider at (19) Mississippi State
9:00 PM ET (21) Georgetown at Tulane
8:00 PM ET Presbyterian at (24) Clemson
East
TIME (ET) MATCHUP
7:00 PM ET Fairleigh Dickinson at (6) Villanova
7:30 PM ET William & Mary at (14) Connecticut ESPN360.com ESPN Full Court
5:00 PM ET Mercer vs. Bucknell
5:30 PM ET Yale vs. Sacred Heart
6:00 PM ET Wagner at Lafayette
7:00 PM ET Dartmouth at Boston College
7:00 PM ET Harvard at Holy Cross
7:00 PM ET Miami (OH) at Towson
7:00 PM ET Cleveland State at St. Bonaventure
7:00 PM ET Lehigh at Richmond
7:00 PM ET Longwood at Virginia
7:00 PM ET Morgan State at Albany
7:00 PM ET Vermont at Loyola (MD)
7:00 PM ET Stony Brook at Maryland-Eastern Shore
7:00 PM ET Florida International at Monmouth
7:00 PM ET Navy at Radford
7:00 PM ET St. Peter's at Seton Hall
7:00 PM ET Brown at St. Francis (NY)
7:00 PM ET American University at St. Francis (PA)
7:00 PM ET Long Island at St. John's
7:00 PM ET Drexel at Saint Joseph's
7:00 PM ET Army at Virginia Military
7:30 PM ET Pennsylvania at Penn State
7:30 PM ET Lincoln PA at Coppin State
7:30 PM ET Fairfield vs. Central Connecticut State
7:30 PM ET Liberty at George Mason
7:30 PM ET Bryant University at Providence
7:30 PM ET Bethune-Cookman at Virginia Commonwealth
7:30 PM ET Boston University at Iona
8:00 PM ET Charleston Southern at Maryland
8:00 PM ET Wofford at Pittsburgh
8:00 PM ET Nicholls State at Duquesne
8:00 PM ET Maine at Fordham
9:30 PM ET Quinnipiac vs. Hartford
West
TIME (ET) MATCHUP
10:00 PM ET Wright State at (13) Washington
7:30 PM ET Colorado State vs. UC Davis
7:30 PM ET Belmont vs. Portland State
8:05 PM ET Loyola Marymount vs. Boise State
9:00 PM ET Texas A&M-CC vs. Oregon State
9:00 PM ET Idaho at Utah
9:00 PM ET North Dakota State at Utah Valley
9:30 PM ET Bradley at Brigham Young
9:30 PM ET Utah State at Weber State
9:30 PM ET South Dakota State at Wyoming
10:00 PM ET North Dakota at Montana
10:00 PM ET Mississippi Valley State at Washington State
10:00 PM ET Cal Poly at San Francisco
10:00 PM ET Santa Clara at Cal State Bakersfield
10:00 PM ET San Francisco St. at Fresno State
10:00 PM ET Stanford at San Diego
10:30 PM ET Winston-Salem at Oregon
10:30 PM ET Pacific at Pepperdine
10:35 PM ET La Verne at UC Irvine
11:30 PM ET New Mexico State at Saint Mary's
Midwest
TIME (ET) MATCHUP
8:00 PM ET Hofstra at (1) Kansas ESPN360.com ESPN Full Court
7:00 PM ET Florida Gulf Coast at (2) Michigan State ESPN360.com
7:00 PM ET Cal State Northridge at (7) Purdue ESPN360.com
8:00 PM ET Tennessee Tech at (18) Minnesota
5:00 PM ET UAB vs. Green Bay
7:00 PM ET Ohio Valley at Ohio
7:00 PM ET Valparaiso at Ball State
7:00 PM ET Samford at Kent State
7:05 PM ET Nebraska Kearney at Indiana State
7:30 PM ET Youngstown State at Xavier
8:00 PM ET Idaho State at Iowa State ESPN360.com ESPN Full Court
8:00 PM ET Northern Illinois at Northwestern
8:00 PM ET Howard at Indiana
8:00 PM ET NW Missouri State at Missouri
8:00 PM ET Concordia University-St. Paul at Milwaukee
8:00 PM ET SIU-Edwardsville at Illinois ESPN Full Court
8:00 PM ET Concordia ILL at Chicago State
8:00 PM ET Loyola (IL) at Kansas State ESPN360.com ESPN Full Court
8:30 PM ET Centenary at Marquette
9:00 PM ET Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Colorado
9:30 PM ET Northern Iowa at Denver
10:00 PM ET Western State at Air Force
10:00 PM ET McNeese State vs. Northern Colorado
South
TIME (ET) MATCHUP
6:30 PM ET Morehead State at (5) Kentucky ESPNU
7:00 PM ET UNC Greensboro at (8) Duke
9:00 PM ET Austin Peay at (11) Tennessee
9:00 PM ET Rider at (19) Mississippi State
9:00 PM ET (21) Georgetown at Tulane
8:00 PM ET Presbyterian at (24) Clemson
6:00 PM ET Virginia-Wise at East Carolina
6:00 PM ET Houston Baptist vs. South Alabama
7:00 PM ET Averett at Stetson
7:00 PM ET New Orleans at Georgia
7:00 PM ET Arkansas-Little Rock at Mississippi
7:00 PM ET Lees McRae at Furman
7:00 PM ET VA Intermont at Chattanooga
7:00 PM ET North Carolina-Wilmington at Appalachian State
7:00 PM ET Massachusetts at UCF
7:00 PM ET Florida Tech at Florida Atlantic
7:00 PM ET Brevard College at North Carolina A&T
7:00 PM ET Alabama A&M at South Carolina
7:05 PM ET Kenyon at Citadel
7:30 PM ET Reinhardt at Georgia Southern
7:30 PM ET Charleston at Coastal Carolina
7:30 PM ET North Greenville at Kennesaw State
7:30 PM ET North Carolina-Asheville at Charlotte
7:30 PM ET Erskine at South Carolina State
8:00 PM ET Alcorn State at Arkansas
8:00 PM ET Louisiana-Monroe at LSU
8:00 PM ET Oral Roberts at Wake Forest
8:00 PM ET St. Andrews at Campbell
8:00 PM ET Hendrix College at Central Arkansas
8:00 PM ET King College TN at Middle Tennessee State
8:00 PM ET Webber Int. at Savannah State
8:00 PM ET Univ. of Science and Arts (OK) at Southeastern Louisiana
8:00 PM ET Siena at Tennessee State
8:45 PM ET East Texas Bapt at Northwestern State
9:00 PM ET Jackson State at Memphis
9:30 PM ET Niagara at Auburn
Southwest
TIME (ET) MATCHUP
7:00 PM ET South Dakota at Texas Tech
8:00 PM ET St. Mary's (TX) at Tulsa
8:00 PM ET Norfolk State at Baylor
8:00 PM ET Angelo State at Texas A&M
8:00 PM ET Cameron at North Texas
8:00 PM ET Howard Payne at Texas State
8:00 PM ET Mid-America Christian at TCU
8:05 PM ET Huston-Tillotson at Lamar
8:30 PM ET Sacramento State at Rice
8:30 PM ET South Florida at Southern Methodist
8:35 PM ET Southwestern (AZ) at Northern Arizona
9:00 PM ET Western Illinois at Arizona State
9:05 PM ET Texas Southern at UTEP read more »

In recent months DIRECTV has begun a campaign of falsehoods directed at Dish Network in an effort to slow Dish’s momentum in the marketplace. Customers haven’t been fooled by DIRECTV’s claims and here is why:

Dish Network Does Not Carry Local Channels

For some time now it has been stated Dish Network has lost local programming for affiliates like CBS ABC NBC…. this is not true. Dish Network carries local programming in 184 local markets, encompassing 97% of the country. By comparison DIRECTV services only 150 local markets or 94% of the country. In fact Dish Network delivers local channel in high-definition to 93% of the country. DIRECTV services just 84% of the country with HD locals.

Dish Network charges for Local Channels

Not true! Local channels are included in all Dish Network programming packages. The misconception comes from Dish Network offering customers a $5.00 discount if they choose not to get locals. Also there are some International programming options that require the customer to add a local channel package for $9.99. DIRECTV requires one of two a base packages be purchased for International customers, Basic $12.99 or Preferred Choice $34.99.

Dish Network loses channels

Not true! Dish Network has been adding channels to its lineup month over month more than any other service provider. Programming like The NFL RedZone Channel, which has launched to tremendous reviews. DIRECTV has recently lost Versus, hope you’re not a hockey or PBR fan. In fact Dish Network now carries more than 295-channels in its America’s Everything Pak. DIRECTV, just 265 in its Premier Package.

Dish Network has Inferior HD Quality

Not true! This all marketing done by DIRECTV to justify their higher prices. Dish Network is the first Satellite Provider to broadcast in 1080P true high definition. Dish Network is currently offering 140-HD channels to DIRECTV’s 130.

Dish Network is plagued by installation problems

Not true! With accessible call centers and a departments devoted to making sure your installation is a pleasurable experience there would be no reason for a customer to experience an installation problem. A Dish Network installer will even install a satellite dish on a pole at no cost to the customer. DIRECTV installers charge $150 for pole mounts. Dish Network installations take place within 2-4 days typically. DIRECTV 5-7 days on average.

Dish Network out sources its Customer Service Centers overseas.

Absolutely incorrect! Dish Network has customer service centers in Texas, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Arizona, New Jersey, New York and Oklahoma, to ensure a customer speaks to a representative that can understand what they are experiencing and unlike DIRECTV these are free calls.

Dish Network has poor signal strength

With new satellites launched in November 2008 Dish Network has Satellites devoted to both sides of the country, known as the Eastern Arc and Western Arc. The Arc’s provide Dish Network with greater elevation angles than DIRECTV giving Dish Network customers better satellite signal and better picture quality. The placement of this satellite has ensured Dish Networks signal remains second to none with a 99.9% reliable rating.

Dish Network has inferior sports programming

Dish Network provides college and pro basketball with ESPN Full Court, NBA League Pass and NBA TV. Hockey is covered through NHL Center Ice, NHL Network, and Versus (not carried by DIRECTV). Soccer, College Football and even International sports like Rugby and cricket are covered. The main differences between DIRECTV and Dish Network when it comes to sports are Baseball and Football. DIRECTV carries MLB Extra Innings at a cost of $180 per season, Dish does not. You can watch your local baseball teams on Dish Network, but if you are into paying for out-of-market baseball games than DIRECTV would be the place to go. When it comes to the NFL, Dish Network has launched the NFL Network RedZone Channel, which is getting tremendous reviews. DIRECTV’s signature programming is the NFL Sunday Ticket, which they have paid nearly $750-million for the exclusive rights to. Sunday Ticket programming will cost you $300 for the season and an extra $100 to get DIRECTV’s version of the Red Zone Channel. With only 3% of DIRECTV customers subscribing to NFL Sunday Ticket, perhaps that explains DIRECTV’s higher rates. Incidentally, you can watch NFL games on Fox, CBS, NBC, ESPN and NFL Network in crystal clear high-definition on Dish Network.

Dish Network has inferior equipment

Dish Network possesses an HD-DVR, the ViP722 that can be utilized on 2-TVs at once. Providing High-Definition and DVR on one TV and Standard Definition and DVR on the other. This receiver was voted CNet Editors Choice best in class. Dish Network does all it’s manufacturing in-house, which allows them to expand technology and keep costs low for their customers. Currently in development is a sling system, which will allow a dish customer to access their TV, and DVR through any Internet connection. This includes your cell phone!