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DISH Network: Home Satellite TV Service

, Editor | Updated October 30, 2018
My3cents Rating: 4.13/5.0

DISH Network is a satellite television network that lets you get premium television channels delivered to your home over-the-air. The company offers multiple packages that come with a variety of channels and services like free voice remotes and smart HD DVR.

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DISH Network Plans, Bundles, and Cost

When people are comparing TV services, the thing that they really care about is whether they’ll get the channels that they want. The bells and whistles are nice, but unimportant if you can’t watch your favorite shows.

What are the packages offered by DISH Network?

DISH Network offers four packages. The basic package, America’s Top 120 offers approximately 190 channels. It comes with the most popular national channels plus all your local networks. The most premium package, America’s Top 250 comes with 290 channels including premium networks like the NFL network plus access to Sirius XM satellite radio.

What DISH Network package should I get?

The DISH Network package that’s right for you depends on what you’re looking to get out of the service. If you just want basic cables channels, you can probably settle for the America’s Top 120 option. This gets you the basics like ESPN, USA, and the Disney Channel. If you’re a sport or movie junkie, you’ll want to shell out for a more premium package that includes channels like the NFL Network or Starz.

Does DISH have any 4K channels?

DISH Network does not have a dedicated 4K channel, but it does transmit content in 4K when individual channels show 4K shows and movies. It also offers 4K content on-demand.

What is included in DISH Network bundles?

DISH Network bundles include the channels that are part of the satellite TV package you choose, as well as a voice remote and DVR system. You can use the voice remote to control multiple aspects of your TV experience, even using it to navigate services like Netflix. For an additional $7 each month, you can add DISH Outdoors to an existing account and bring your TV on the go. DISH Outdoors bundles start at $348.

How much does DISH cost?

DISH Network’s cost ranges from $59.99 for its basic package to $89.99 for its most premium package. These prices are guaranteed for two years after you sign up. There’s no surprise rate hike after the first year.

Our Review: The Deep Dive

DISH Network is the low-cost satellite TV option, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad service. You can get all the channels that you want to watch and premium services like DVR. You can also rest easy knowing that the price you have in the first year is the true price. There isn’t a second-year rate hike. With DISH Anywhere, you can stream live TV, your DVR and movies-on-demand anywhere you have the internet using your computer, phone, or tablet.

Benefits:

Lock in a low price for two years, no surprise rate hikes.

Drawbacks:

Channel packages are less customizable than the competition.

Bottom Line:

People who want satellite TV, but who don’t need a dozen packages to choose from to customize their service will do well by choosing DISH Network’s service.

DIRECTV vs. DISH Network

DIRECTV DISH Network
Minimum Price $35 / month ($78 / month in year 2) $59.99 / month
Maximum Price $110 / month ($181 / month in year 2) $89.99 / month
Minimum Channel Count 155 190
Maximum Channel Count 330+ 290+
DVR Included? Yes Yes
Streaming Included? Yes Yes

Consumer Reviews

Posted on 02/25/2020

PENN YAN, NEW YORK -- After being a Dish Customer for almost 10 years, we decided to go with Roku to lower our costs(1/3 price of Dish). Boxes were sent to wrong state. The third time I called, they resent the boxes. At that time, the Rep was asked if I was going to be charged and was told the answer was not until 30 days after I get the boxes(first lie). Seven days later I got the boxes, next day I got charged 398 dollars for the equipment. I called and spoke to a rude rep, and after no luck I asked to speak to the supervisor. The supervisor wasn't any help either. Nothing they can done until equipment is returned. If I would have known that the first time, I would have paid to have the equipment returned. I then contacted the chat line through Dish, and the representative said yes, she would reverse the charge and they would be removed in 24 hours ( lie number 2). I called 24 hours later, and was told that is not correct, the charges would be reversed 7 to 10 business days after they received the equipment. Having been such a loyal customer for such a long time, it would have been nice to be treated better. I was left with such a bad experience, that I would never go back to Dish. So long Dish, nothing but bad comments from now on.

Posted on 03/07/2019

DISH Network MUST have your Social Security number for you to have their service. Even if you BUY their boxes which means the most you could owe them is one month's service. Obviously there is no valid reason for this. They say it is simply "policy." No way I would risk having my identity stolen! And even if you buy their boxes for each room in your house you still pay rent on the boxes each month! A package with 200+ stations and four boxes comes to about $140 per month. Orbi is a new satellite provider affiliated with Best Buy that offers 60+ stations for just $40 a month. You buy the boxes and own the boxes but your base rate does not go up regardless of how many boxes you have.

And if you want more like 200 stations you can pick up the rest via streaming from Hulu, YouTube, or others for a maximum of $40 a month. That means your total costs are only $80 per month and there is no contract and no cancellation fees with any of the companies mentioned. Count me in. Easy to see why DISH and DIRECTV are losing customers each month and the other guys are growing by leaps and bounds.

Posted on 02/26/2019

SARDIS, MISSISSIPPI -- I talked to a sale representative on the phone, he needed my SSN to access promotional packages. I told the rep not to run my credit report, I told them they did not have my permission to run my credit. They ran 3 days after I talked to them. I filed with the BBB and guess what - they cannot find the recorded phone call. They know I said they did not have my permission to run it. Now they are covering their tracks. Now that they have my information I am receiving a lot more robocalls than before.

Posted on 01/12/2019

ATLANTA, GEORGIA -- My promotional rate with Dish ends, and they increase my price by $30 a month. I call to see if there is a better deal, and the representative quotes me the Flex package for $75 a month. The package doesn't include the three ESPN channels where most of the college football games are televised. So the representative quotes me $3.50 to add those three ESPN channels.

This quote is now $78.50 a month, which is better than the $121 they just increased my rate to, and a little bit better than the $91 promotional rate I had. However, Hulu was only $60 a month for about the same channels, and unlimited TVs with a Roku, Chromecast, or some other streaming device. I told the representative I would have to review my options and get back with them.

About 2 days later I call Dish back to sign up for the deal. The new representative tells me there is no add-on package for the 3 ESPN channels at $3.50. Those channels can only be obtain in a package with other channels, that we don't want, for a cost of $12+ per month. The representative also told me that these rates are not locked in for the 2-year contract I had to sign up for. I was locked into the contract for 2-years, but Dish could raise the price any time they wanted, and I couldn't cancel the contract because of the price increase, without having to pay the early cancellation fee.

This deal was no longer acceptable. So I told the representative to not do anything, and I ended the call. I immediately started looking at other solutions that would fit my situation better, and I signed up for one.

The evening of the new service installation I call Dish back to cancel my service. The representative immediately asked why I was leaving Dish, and I told him that a previous representative mis-quoted me the ESPN channels, the Dish contract was one sided, and their pricing was too high. This explanation was not enough for this representative He wanted more, and I didn't have any more to give him. I just wanted to cancel my service, but he would not do it until he had more details about my experience with the other reps. I told him I don't have any more details, and I asked him to review the comments on my account if he needed more details. This was not good enough for this representative He kept pressing me for more information, and he would not cancel my service. He made me so upset that I started yelling at him to cancel my service, but he just kept pressing my buttons making me more angry. I tried not talking to him until he cancelled the service. We sat in silence, and he still wasn't cancelling my service. I finally told him I want to talk to your supervisor. He asked why I wanted to do that, and I responded so I could complain about him. I repeated over, and over again, I want to talk to your supervisor, until he finally started cancelling my service.

When it was all done, I had spent 30 stressful minutes with this customer service representative (I have other names for him), and I still owed $71+ when it should have been $0.00.

This was the worst customer service experience I have ever had in my life, and I am in my late 50s. Just writing this review makes me angry. By the way, this is the first negative review I have ever written about a company. Needless to say, I will never subscribe to Dish again. Anyone out there looking for TV service, avoid Dish. There are plenty of other options. Also, Direct TV is not one of them. I had a similar issue with them, but that is another story.

Sorry for this long story but if I can keep this from happening to another person, than this review was worth writing. Boycott Dish and Direct TV.

Posted on 01/07/2019

DISH NETWORK, ALABAMA -- After only having Dish for a little over a month I called customer service. First I was on hold 46 minutes. Selected new service was transferred being assured I'd get a person, held for 12 minutes. Called new service again was one hold 6 minutes then given another number. Finally talked to customer service. I asked why I don't have a channel I was told I would have, they don't carry the channel. Question 2 where is the Google mini I was promised that would ship 2 weeks after installation, it takes 6/8 weeks was reply. Asked where is the 100.00 gift card, you'll need to call another number for that. Bottom line if you're thinking of getting Dish my suggestion is DON'T!!

Posted on 11/12/2018

MINERVA, OHIO -- About 12 years ago we had Dish TV and Dish internet installed, after they drilled holes in my roof I was informed that I had to pay one month in advance also. The first few years were ok, but the internet was slowing down. My first thought was I caught a virus or something, after spending a huge amount amount of trying to fix my laptop I took it to a professional and paid them to fix it. They said it was fine, that I should do a test at home to check my upload and download speeds. After calling dish and being on the typical 20 minutes hold I told them that their internet was running slow, they said it is not for anything more than paying bills online and such. How do you just cut my bandwidth when I have a contract? I told them to just get the internet dish I'm done, well their guy came out and picked up their equipment and then I got billed for not turning it in. Guess who is back on the phone wasting more time with dish? At one point the DVR went out and had to sent the old one back and got billed for that one too, and sign another 2 year contract. With that taken care of, the bill for the TV started to go up and some of the channels that liked started to go down, so we decided to cancel our service. Back on the phone to wait some more, but couldn't cancel until we talked with a special customer retension specialist. she said we had all these points that could go toward reducing our bill and would hate to see them go to waste. Ok, I thought we'll see how it goes, next month my bill went right back up so my wife called to cancel. They talked her into suspending our service for a while so she thought maybe when winter comes around we may change our minds. We got billed for that service also, they must have forgot to mention that, so she calls to cancel it and is told that I have to do it she is not on the account. Funny they allowed her to suspend it. So they gave her a number to give me to call to talk to someone higher up, I called that number three times, was on hold for 20 minutes, and automatically switched to voice mail, "this mailbox is full" and then just hung up on me. Now they are still hounding me for the last month we used, remember we had to pay a month in advance at the beginning? I just quit putting anymore time into this and threw the collection notices in the trash. Will that hurt my credit score? Yup, but I am just tired of trying to deal with them.

Posted on 11/12/2018

SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA -- I am a new Dish Network customer. I ordered the hopper two-for-four TV. I needed to add one more TV and they said I had to put another $350 deposit down on the hopper 3 and another $50 for the receiver and I wouldn't even separate the bill over a course of three or four Billings to help me get it. So that being said I wouldn't recommend Dish Network to anyone unless you can afford everything that you want at one time.

Posted on 11/02/2018

VANCOUVER, WASHINGTON -- We have had Dish for 4 years and now a remote is no longer working properly. We have tried replacing the batteries and reprogramming it. The remote still won't work well. I called Dish, told them what we have tried and asked for a replacement. The representative told me there would be a $20 charge for a new remote! We have been a great customer for 4 years, paid on time, no requests or repairs. Now they want to charge me for a remote! Other companies replace remotes for free!

Posted on 10/08/2018

CLARKSDALE, MISSOURI -- Full of lies and false advertisement couldn't even get my order right

Posted on 10/03/2018

ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO -- I have Dish Network while my friends all have DirecTV. Every time it rains, snows, or even gets too cloudy my signal gets lost and I can't watch TV. Everyone who has DirecTV, on the other hand, seem to always have signal. I believe the issue is that Dish network only has one satellite all the way in Texas (I live in PA) where as DirecTV has more satellites all over the country. What frustrates me, even more, is that Dish Network's prices continually go up yet they make no effort to bring better services.

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