Unlike cable companies, who tend to monopolize entire metropolitan areas and leave subscribers with no other alternative, satellite television providers do have direct competitors. This generally helps consumers, because competition means that companies will fight against each other to offer the best deals and attract the most customers.

While competition ultimately helps consumers, it can sometimes be difficult for them to find the best deal. Such is the case with satellite television providers, since different providers tend to package their channels differently, offer different equipment and frequently run different "limited-time" offers.

There are several competitors in the satellite TV market. However, the two major players are Dish Network and DIRECTV. To quickly locate some of the differences between the two rivals, please refer to chart below:

	Dish Network	DIRECTV
Packages Available	6	4
Price for basic family pack	$19.99	$29.99
Price for premium pack	$84.99	$99
Movie Channels	4 major packages (31 total)	4 major packages (33 total)
Price per premium movie package	$11.99-$14.99	$12.99
Discounts available for multiple movie packs	Yes	Yes
Base price for HD service	$29.99	$38.98
Per month Price for DVR service	$5.99	$5.99

Beyond these dollars and cents comparisons, a recent survey by J.D. Power and Associates survey found that customers gave Dish Network the highest rating for performance and reliability, outranking DIRECTV.

Dish Network and DIRECTV offer their clients similar services and movie packages. However, Dish Network tends to be more economical and is more reliable.