Currently, there are two satellite TV networks that provide satellite television services to United States residents: DirecTV and DISH network. While DISH network has been in business for a longer period and has constantly improved its services, DirecTV is also a very fast growing company gaining more and more popularity.

DirecTV

DirecTV is a digital-quality satellite TV network. The programming in transmitted from a satellite directly to the dish in your house. Both picture and sound are a lot better than for cable TV. They also have a wider range of programming channels. DirecTV offers over 225 channels and the consumer can choose between several programming packages.

DirecTV is the first high-power DBS (direct broadcast satellite) service in the United States and has been in business since 1994. It now has more than 12 million subscribers. The system provided by this satellite TV network is the fastest selling electronics product in the country. The equipment they are offering consists of an 18-inch dish, an integrated decoder and a remote control. It is manufactured by Hughes Electronics, RCA and Sony.

This satellite TV network has two broadcast centers, one in L.A., California and another one in Castle Rock, Colorado, both transmitting digitally compressed programming to five satellites. Four of them are built by Hughes Electronics and are called DBS1, DBS2, DBS3 and DirecTV 1-R. The fifth satellite is built by LORAL and is called TEMPO 2.

DISH Network

DISH network is part of EchoStar Communications Corporation, along with two other interrelated business units: EchoStar Technologies and EchoStar Satellite Services. EchoStar Technologies manufactures the decoders that this satellite TV network is using. EchoStar Satellite Services offers the video, audio and data delivery services to customers.

EchoStar was founded in 1980 when Charlie Ergen, the company's CEO and chairman, entered the television industry as a distributor of C-band satellite television systems. The business started to gain reputation quickly as an innovative company that provided state-of-the art services, equipment and systems to its customers.

This television network filed for a direct broadcast satellite license in 1987 and now has six satellites in orbit and other three in production. It broadcasts from Littleton, Colorado. The broadcast satellite system can provide 500 channels of digital video and audio programming with just a small satellite dish.

DISH satellite TV network has hired over 7,000 customer service representatives to provide high quality 24/7 customer support both by phone and e-mail. It offers the most popular news, sports, entertainment and international channels, as well as local ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX channels to over 60 percent of the United States market. Since October 1998, it became the fastest growing DBS Company, with over 100,000 new customers each month.

Both DISH satellite TV network and DirecTV provide a higher quality compared to cable TV and are a very popular choice among U.S. consumers. Satellite television is a very profitable business worldwide, attracting thousands of customers every month with its high quality picture and sound and low prices.

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