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Frequently Asked Questions about Satellite TV
Who offers satellite TV?
There are two major satellite dish providers in the United States. The largest is DIRECTV, with about 16 million US subscribers. DIRECTV is partially owned by News Corporation, who bought their stake when it was sold by Hughes. The second company, Dish Network, is owned by Echostar Communications, and has over 12 million subscribers. For those with more land available to them, the original large dish (C-Band) service is available. This website focuses on comparing Dish Network to DIRECTV.
I heard Dish Network and DIRECTV are merging. Is this true?
Dish Network (Echostar) made a buyout proposal in 2002, which was rejected by the FCC and the Department of Justice as anti-competitive. Hughes (the owner of DIRECTV at the time) subsequently sold its stake to News Corporation. At this point, a combination seems unlikely.
Can I get satellite TV?
Most people can get satellite TV. There are basically two criteria you must meet:
- An unobstructed view of the southern sky
- A place to install your dish that meets criteria #1
These may sound like they overlap, and if you are a single-family homeowner, they do. It gets a little trickier if you live in an apartment or condominium community, rent a home, or have a picky homeowner's association.
I live in an apartment or condo. What options do I have?
- Check with your landlord or property manager to see if you can install the dish on your rooftop.
- If you can't, the FCC has ruled that you can have a satellite dish on your private balcony, patio or garden. You do not need the approval of your landlord to do this. Click here for the relevant FCC regulation on this issue.
Is high speed Internet access available with satellite TV?
Higher speed Internet is available over satellite, but is offered by companies other than Dish Network and DIRECTV, requires additional equipment and is priced separately. Satellite is not as fast as other high speed options, so DSL or cable modem are preferable, in our opinion, if they are available where you live. For more information on Internet access over satellite, click here.
Where is satellite TV available?
DIRECTV and Dish Network are only licensed to broadcast in the United States. The programming options discussed on the other pages of this site include the options available in the 48 continental states. Somewhat modified programming options are available in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. These two services are not available internationally, although DIRECTV does have a division that broadcasts programming to parts of Central and South America. For more on that, visit http://www.directvla.com.
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