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Cable vs. Satellite

When weighing your options about paid television, you come down to two choices: cable and satellite. If you are comparing cable television to satellite television, you should consider the following: equipment, cost, picture quality and customer service. Below, we will explore which service comes out on top in each category.

Equipment

Cable television requires less in the way of equipment. A digital receiver, connected with a coaxial cable, is all the equipment to be installed for cable. Satellite service, however, requires a similar receiver, as well as a satellite dish that must be mounted outside. However, it should be noted that satellite equipment can be acquired for free and never needs to be returned to the company, which is not true for cable.

Cost

While it is possible to find basic cable service for less than the most basic satellite package, you need to look more carefully at what you are paying for. Per channel, you are paying less money to the satellite provider. Also, more people are switching from cable to satellite every year due to unannounced price hikes and hidden equipment fees, which are not issues with satellite. Generally, you will get more channels for your buck by switching to satellite.

Picture Quality

Here, cable and satellite are virtually tied. Both transmit their audio and visual signals digitally, as opposed to the more outdated analog broadcasting. However, it should be pointed out that picture quality can be compromised for satellite users during extreme weather. This is usually a temporary interference that rarely happens. As far as outages are concerned, cable and satellite providers both encounter the occasional technical difficulty.

Customer Service

Dealing with the cable company has become synonymous with spending an afternoon at the DMV. Although there are more cable customers in America than satellite customers, that balance is slowly tipping the other way, and a common reason for that is poor customer service. Cable companies are increasingly gouging prices while simultaneously offering less channels than satellite companies. Also, there are very few cable companies to choose from, which makes some customers feel they have to settle for whatever their local provider is. Satellite companies, on the other hand, have flexible plans, offer free equipment with more channels and are considered to be much easier to contact for assistance via the telephone.

The line has been drawn in the sand between cable and satellite subscribers. Most Americans have cable television in their homes, which is partly due to the fact that satellite television is a newer technology. However, the latter is gaining in numbers, as 1 in 4 Americans are said to have satellite television in their home. While the two services are comparable in several aspects, satellite seems to be slowly gaining the upper hand in this paid television competition.

Interested in satellite television? Order DIRECTV.

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