| e big shots of the satellite TV industry do on-air | | | | finger-pointing cable industry advertisements say) |
| battle with the giants of cable tv, you may have | | | | than their satellite viewing counterparts. If you're |
| already found yourself wondering. does it really | | | | not convinced, just poll ten of your friends or |
| matter? I mean, aren't we talking about different | | | | neighbors with cable tv, and then another ten with |
| techno-roads to the same place here? Six of one, | | | | satellite and see how many reception and |
| half dozen of another? For Pete's sake, I just | | | | "interruptions of service" problems they report. I |
| want to watch the game!! | | | | promise you the satellite customers are far less |
| I'm going to let the cat out of the bag right away | | | | concerned about "the weather" than their cable |
| here - I've actually found an unequivocal answer | | | | watching neighbors. |
| to this very important TV question: satellite is | | | | You're also going to get more for less with |
| beating the snot out of cable every day of the | | | | satellite, hands down. Most satellite providers offer |
| week. Ok, so now that I've let you in on my | | | | DVRs (along with free satellite installation for |
| subtle bias, let me lay out for you why satellite is | | | | multiple rooms) as standard equipment, where |
| eating cable's lunch and sending the cable guys into | | | | most cable companies treat DVR as an upgrade |
| boardroom frenzies. | | | | to nickel and dime you with (along with a list of |
| Lets first talk about where they both compete | | | | other fees the cable industry will get you with) . |
| evenly. Both cable and satellite offer lots and lots | | | | And that leads me to the next big issue in the |
| of programming-including local channels. Oops. that | | | | cable-satellite face off. In a word: competition. |
| apparently is where the similarity ends. | | | | Satellite has actually got some. As a TV |
| How do they compare in regard to technology | | | | consumer, I just love a market economy, don't |
| and delivery? | | | | you? Your local cable company competes with |
| With satellite TV, your favorite shows come | | | | the satellite industry, but not with anyone else. |
| straight from the satellite (out in peaceful, quiet | | | | The satellite TV industry is filled with many small |
| space) to your dish/tv. Pretty simple. The cable | | | | and large wholesalers that must compete with |
| company, on the other hand, has to first acquire | | | | each other as well as with the cable industry. This |
| the signal from a satellite themselves (surprise!), | | | | creates the competitive economic conditions |
| then they must snake it through miles of fragile | | | | among satellite dealers that allow for things like. |
| 'cable' until it arrives at your TV. Here's my point: | | | | that free equipment I mentioned, free installation, |
| storms, wayward construction crews, | | | | free premiums, etc that cable tv providers just |
| landscapers, and car accidents among other | | | | don't feel compelled to (or just can't) offer. Here |
| things, can all inadvertently knock out your cable. | | | | are just a couple of representative examples of |
| My local cable company has almost always got a | | | | competitive satellite providers I work with, that |
| nice disclaimer on their tech support hotline | | | | give away the store to gain a customer: |
| referring to some weather disaster resulting in | | | | All other factors being equal (and they really are), |
| 'interruption of service' to some portion of your | | | | the TV battle boils down to technology delivery, |
| region, and that they are working as fast as | | | | and competition-period. And shrewd consumers |
| possible to correct the problem (and call hold | | | | are beginning to choose satellite over cable tv in |
| times may be lengthy as a result-GREAT!). | | | | big numbers, and you can expect to see this |
| Here's the good news for satellite TV customers: | | | | trend causing more and more panic in the cable |
| there are no storms, wayward earth movers or | | | | industry in the coming years. So to all you cable |
| landscapers in SPACE! The cold, hard truth is that | | | | watchers out there. is that a thunderstorm |
| cable tv viewers experience MORE service | | | | moving in on the horizon?... |
| problems, not fewer (contrary to what those | | | | |