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If you’re looking for a television solution for your family or business, you’ve probably wondered whether DIRECTV is better or worse than Verizon Fios TV for keeping everyone entertained.
This isn’t an easy question to answer, and a lot of the differences between the two services boil down to matters of convenience and opinion. Nonetheless, in this article, we’ll walk you through the case in favor of each service and make a few comparisons to help you choose.
In the end, we’ll deliver our verdict on which of the two services is preferable and why.
Why Pick DIRECTV?
DIRECTV is a satellite-based TV solution provided by AT&T which is known for its extensive number of channels, integrated internet streaming capability, and a massive variety of different packages.
DIRECTV has a handful of pay-per-view options as well as video on demand, which makes it a very versatile service. In contrast to other TV service providers, DIRECTV requires a satellite receptor dish to be installed at its point of entry.
Because DIRECTV is a satellite-based TV service, it’s subject to disruptions in service based on weather and geomagnetic phenomena. For most users, the practical ramifications of this are that service may degrade or become nearly unwatchable if there is a heavy storm.
On the other hand, because it’s delivered by satellite, all outages are local and resolve with the weather. This means that you’ll have a hard time watching during a storm but, you’ll never have a hard time watching at any other point so long as your receptor dish is in good condition.
You can also access DIRECTV anywhere in the US, so long as your dish has a clear line of sight to the sky.
Because each place that gets DIRECTV needs a receptor dish, maintenance can be a bit of a pain. Luckily, the dishes rarely require a technician to be repaired. If you have other telecommunications services from AT&T, DIRECTV can be bundled with them for a substantial discount.
Why Pick Verizon Fios TV?
Verizon Fios TV is a newcomer to the TV service ecosystem, which means that it has a substantially smaller number of users than DIRECTV. Fios TV is based on Verizon’s fiber-optic network, which is available in the northeast part of the US and predominantly in urban areas.
Fios TV offers both HD and standard definition videos, video on demand, and a high degree of customer customization of the channels included in their subscription package. This means that you won’t need to get a bunch of channels you won’t watch when you sign up.
The other advantage of Fios TV is that it can be packaged with Fios internet, which is among the fastest internet packages that consumers can purchase. Though Fios isn’t in most of the US, where it exists, it tends to be the fastest option bar none.
Fios TV doesn’t have an abundance of channels but, it does have more than enough to compete with standard cable TV.
Comparing and Contrasting
Unlike Fios TV, DIRECTV has:
- Unlimited availability
- A wider selection of channels
- More hardware installation required
- Fewer channel bundling options
- Higher base price
- Lower discounts provided when bundled with internet service
- Less downtime
- More pay-per-view and video-on-demand options
In contrast, Fios TV has:
- Limited geographical reach
- Fewer channels
- Minimal hardware required
- An abundance of customizable packages of channels
- Lower base price
- Greater discounts when bundled with internet services
- Few pay-per-view options
- Higher signal quality
- No signal disruptions caused by weather
These differences make a definitive choice fairly difficult, but we’ve arrived at a verdict nonetheless.
The Verdict
For people who would prefer to watch a wide variety of different channels and who live in an area not served by Fios, DIRECTV is the only choice. DIRECTV simply offers a greater range of channels and serves a far wider geographical area.
Likewise, for people who tend to like pay-per-view content like boxing matches, DIRECTV is superior and also easier to use.
Nonetheless, Fios TV is better for people who have access to it. Fios TV suffers fewer disruptions, experiences greater discounting, and offers far more customizability over the channels you receive.
Especially if you only want to watch a handful of channels, Fios TV is a much better deal than DIRECTV.
Likewise, the internet speeds offered in bundles with Fios TV are typically much higher than those offered in similar bundles with DIRECTV, so for people who need fast and cheap internet it’s a better choice.
