It was a late Sunday afternoon when I went over to my friend’s house to watch last football season’s "Super Bowl." When I arrived at his house we settled in, got the popcorn, drinks, and chocolate ready, and sat down to enjoy the game. Shortly after we seated ourselves, I started talking to my friend about how much I disliked my cable and wanted to change my service but couldn’t seem to come up with anything better. He pondered my distress and minute and told me maybe I should try what he uses, Dish Network Satellite service. "What!" I said. I had never heard about. So then since we had a few minutes till kickoff, he decided to go over how much he liked his service and what Dish Network has to offer for me. He told me he added the platinum HD package to his Turbo HD Gold package to bring in just a small $39.99 a month. But of course he told me if you don’t have an HD television they also have standard definition packages for some of those who haven’t upgraded yet. For example he told me about one of their most well known packages which are simply called the "DishFAMILY" package which is obviously titled after the 50 family-friendly standard definition channels it offers for $19.99 a month. Then he started to tell me about the Classic Bronze 100— but wait! The game was starting! We took a break from our journey in the television service world to cheer for our teams and to snack down on our popcorn and buffalo wings and most of all to watch the great All-American game of football on my friends high definition TV fueled by the so far seemingly wonderful Dish Network Satellite Service. Soon halftime came along we decided to do something better than watching the half time show, dig into Dish Network and what it has to offer again. When we left off, my friend was about to tell me about the Classic Bronze 100 for standard definition TV. This package is one of many which seem to just build upon the previously mention DishFAMILY package. The Classic Bronze 100 plainly consists of over 100 channels. Then there is the Classic Bronze 100+ which consists of over 100 channels which includes local channels and regional sports Networks. Then comes along the “Classic Silver 200” which of consists of over 200 channels. And building on the Classic Silver, Dish Network’s most popular package, the “DishDVR Advantage” which offers 200 of your favorite channels, SIRIUS music and your local channels, plus 2-room DVR service and Free Standard Professional Installation is a great choice for anyone. Second to last in this string of packages comes the “Classic Gold 250” which has 250 great channels. And then last in the list came the best of the best of the standard definition packages, the “America’s Everything Pak” which boasts 31 commercial-free premium movie channels from Showtime, Starz, HBO and Cinemax; NBA TV and all the great programming in the Classic Gold 250 package. But now it was time to finish watching the game and to cheer for our team and have a great time. Although I had originally just come over to watch the game, I brought back something much better, an answer to my turmoil with cable, Dish Network Satellite Services.

Once I happened to visit my friend Dr.Murali to wish him a safe journey as he had to leave India for London to visit his daughter. When I went there he was in the nursing home to attend a case so I was to wait for him in his apartment. His wife was telling us about their new Dish Network. First I thought that she was talking about some ordinary TV channel. It was a pleasant surprise for me. I don’t have a TV with a satellite dish. She ws skimming through the channels. I saw the magic with my eyes wide open. The channels included all programs to everyone’s liking.

I decided at once to get Dish Network to satisfy my daughter who was pestering me to get one. I asked my friend about the variety of channels available. She informed me that DishMEXICO was something worth checking out.

The dish TV ads are there on TV but I never paid any attention to them. Now I understood how ignorant I was. I ignored the ad and now my friend’s wife gave me the slap on my face by showing the same ad and asked me to get one like that. When we were discussing about it my friend came and joined in our chat. He briefed about his London visit and in the midst our talk again took a diversion.Dr.Murali told me that even he didn’t know much about the dish TV. Only his wife gave him tips about DishMEXICO. Now he was able to watch program he likes. His interest is cricket match. His wife glues to the serials telecasted. I wondered how it was possible for them to watch the programs at the same time. He told me that it was very simple as when he was watching his wife would be busy with preparing their meals giving up her program. As we were busy in our talk his wife switched on the TV and showed the BBC news and after some time she changed the channel to POGO. Like wise she changed the channels with a click. Nearly 100 channels are there for our choice. How wonderful!! I returned home and told my father about dish TV. We sat to sort out means to get one as our house has many unequal interested heads living together. First I enquired about the price. I had a pleasant shock to be informed that it didn’t cost as I feared. It was in three digit expenditure in Indian currency. We again sat for another round of talk about the shop from where we have to purchase dish TV. My father knows many shopers.So the task of giving order was assigned to him. My daughter already fixed timing for each one to watch their favorite channel. This again made us to sit for another peace talk to compromise to see a particular program, I decided to get another Dish Latino and a new TV to be fixed to my daughter’s room. This arrangement was to thwart an attempt of kicks from her. So all were settled peacefully for watching our best channels. We early waited for the fantastic day of installation of DishMEXICO in our house. In India it has become an unwritten law that any inclusion or exclusion should be informed to the near by houses or relatives. As per the rule I relayed the news to every one around our house. The dream day came. The Dish Latino was installed and I had a tough task of preparing tea and tiffin for the guests. The grand show kicked off with news.Oh! ho! A sharp contrast voices rose from all corners. Then only we realized that people came with a dream of seeing all the channels on the same screen! Oops! We didn’t have that facility to see everything on the same screen. What to do? Those came were only the old people who wanted to pass time some how or other. I had tough time in explaining them that we called them for a sample show and not for showing anything for their demand. After this incident I never inform anything to our neighbors especially the old retired persons. Now I am proud to have the dish TV to see as many channels as we wish!

I was over my girlfriend’s house the other day and I noticed as she was browsing through channels, ones that I had never heard of. I asked her what kind of cable package she had. She said she didn’t have cable that she had Dish Net work. I asked her whether it expensive and she replied that it was half the price of cable. I noticed that she had channels like Daystar, Angel One, Colours and KBS World. I had never heard of any of these channels.

As soon as I got home I looked up all of the different packages that Dish Network offered. They had the Classic Bronze 100, the Classic Silver 200, Classic Gold 250, and TurboHD. The Classic Bronze 100 seemed like the most popular package. It was reasonably priced and it had everything, with over 100 channels. Classic Silver offered over 200 channels, and the Classic Gold 250 offered over 250 channels. HThey also had the TurboHD package and that package offered HD channels only ! How cool is that ?

Dish Network also had some of the best deals I had seen in a long time. They have regular specials of up to 4 rooms hooked up for free with no equipment to buy. They also had a special of free upgrade to dual HD-DVR. They even had specials with TV Guide subscriptions, and one year worth of different movie channels for a penny for one year with package purchases. Some channels I noticed were offered free for 3 months. There were so many packages that it was like a candy store ! I was so excited I got to choose which channels I wanted and I could pick channels that my son wanted to watch, and I could also pick channels that I wanted to watch without having to spend hundreds of dollars. One thing I noticed about Dish Network is that their prices are always reasonable whether it is a special or regular price. Other companies offer specials and then when the special promotion is over the prices hike up so high that one can’t afford them anymore.

The packages that Dish Network offers are awesome I can afford the specials and the regular prices with no problem. I also noticed that most of the deals they offer are good for two years. I never heard of anything like that. I think that is awesome. I can budget myself better knowing that my prices wont go up for two years.

B4U Music has come up with an innovative way to lure new viewers to the competitive yet prestigious breakfast slot. The popular channel will be launching a breakfast show, a first on a UK Hindi music channel. ‘Bollywood Breakfast’ will be presented by the channel’s VJs Salil, Kushboo and Romil. A statement from the channel’s press department commented on the new show, "Bollywood Breakfast will include the chart-topping music and the hottest tracks from the latest movies. The gap between Bollywood and Hollywood is continuously narrowing; both industries are now working closely to incorporate the east-meets-west culture in the mainstream film market. This integration is illustrated in the Bollywood Breakfast show which will keep viewers up to date with news and gossip from Hollywood as well as Bollywood."

B4U Music is available as part of the South Asian package from Dih Network.

I was woken from a deep sleep at seven a.m. Saturday morning by the sound of something pounding loudly near my head.  Yawning, I tried to prod my brain into waking up faster so I could get to the bottom of the mystery, but it stubbornly refused and I was forced to wait a few moments until I was able to hold onto a coherent line of thought.  ‘I’m going to stab you with a Q-tip one of these days,’ I threatened my brain.  My brain must not have taken the threat seriously because it ignored me in favor of trying to identify what was on the rampage downstairs.  It was much too loud to be the dogs and the sounds of chaos and destruction didn’t stay in one place when they were wreaking havoc, and it was more like a sledge—I groaned and jerked the covers up over my head. 

“What is wrong with him?” I moaned into the sheet over my face.  “It’s—” I pushed the covers back and looked at my clock “—seven o’clock in the morning.  On a Saturday!”  I pulled the covers back over me.  When Dad told Mom and me he planned to get an early start on knocking down the partial wall that separated the dining room from the living room, I thought he meant he’d start around ten or eleven because sane people were still asleep at seven a.m.—at least, they were unless someone was making a lot of noise right below them and it was impossible to sleep.  He should have said he was going to start just after dawn or something and then I would have known to sleep on the rec room couch so his banging didn’t wake me up.  There was a TV down there, too, that was hooked up to Dish Network’s TurboHD (which was total win and pwned the regular cable my BFF Chastity had) so I didn’t have to try and watch High School Musical with Dad making lots of noise so I’d hardly be able to hear it and telling lots of lame jokes about Zac Efron and Corbin Bleu and teasing me about having crushes on them (I so totally didn’t.  Can’t a girl say a guy is hot without everyone thinking she’s crushing on him?).  The only thing the rec room needed to be totally perfect was a lock on the door to keep the ‘rents out. 

On the first floor, the sound of Dad busting up the wall was almost deafening.  He was wearing a pair of those really geeky safety goggles Mr. Dillard always made us wear in Chem lab and there was a lot of dust from the wall all over them so I was pretty sure he wouldn’t be able to hear or see me going past to the basement door, but somehow he did. 

“Tara.”  I stopped and pivoted smoothly when he said my name.  “Why do you have your pillow and a sheet?  Where are you going, a sleepover?  I think you’re a little late, honey.”  He started to chuckle but got serious pretty quick when he saw I wasn’t laughing with him.  I tried not to roll my eyes and tell him to just get to the point so I could go back to sleep. 

“It’s okay to laugh, honey.  I promise not to think that means you think I’m not totally uncool and lame.”  Uncomfortable silence.  “So where are you going?  What’s wrong with your room?” 

“It’s right over you banging and making way too much noise to sleep?” I said distainfully.  “I’m going to the rec room to sleep, and watch TV later there so I don’t have to deal with all your noise and lame jokes.”  With a small ‘hmph’, I pivoted back and started toward the basement door. 

“You won’t be able to watch the TV,” Dad said.  “I had to turn off the power to the dining room so I didn’t get fried removing outlets from this wall.  I’ll be done in a day or two, so I’m just leaving the power off.  That way, I don’t need to try to remember if the power is off or not when I’m getting rid of that wiring later.” 

“No TV?” I cried, stopping mid-step.  “Where am I supposed to watch movies and my shows and stuff, then?  You’re making too much noise to watch TV up here.”  This was beyond unfair and mean.  “Can’t I turn on the power for a few hours this afternoon so I can watch TV?” 

“No.  It’s off and I want it to stay that way.  There are plenty of other things you can do besides watch Zeke and Cory flex their muscles and smile real pretty like the girly boys they are.” 

“It’s Zac and Corbin and they are not girly boys and I do not always watch stuff with them in it.  Dad, please!  You’re not dealing with the plugs right now so why can’t I watch TV?  Just tell me when you’re going to work on them and I’ll shut the power off.” 

“I said ‘no’, and if you don’t drop it right now you can forget about watching any TV for a whole week.  Comprende?” 

“Yeah,” I said reluctantly, rolling my eyes.  This weekend was so totally going to drag by and be totally boring.  Maybe I’d see if some of my friends wanted to go see a movie or something later.

One of the great things about living with two other people, Tan (short for Tangerine; her parents were hippies. ‘nuf said) had decided, was only having to pony up $25 a month for her share of the biggest Dish Network package had to offer, the America’s Everything Pak (or something like that), which boasted an obscene number of movie channels, including the best ones like Max and HBO and Starz, and enough satellite radio and music channels to satisfy even her roomie Adrianna, who was the most picky, uptight music afficianado Tan had ever met. It wasn’t unusual for Tan to come home after spending hours in the stacks at the library to find Adrianna on the futon, munching corn chips and watching whatever happened to be on Ovation at the moment or listening to classical music, eyes closed and a big smile on her face as she conducted an invisible orchestra.

Her other roomie, Helen, was big time into being environmentally conscious and human rights issues and was usually still up watching Free Speech TV and Link TV when Tan headed to bed around 2 a.m. When there was something good on the Documentary Channel, she’d tell (more like demand) Tan to stop working on her thesis long enough to come watch something with her, and Tan had learned years before the best thing to do when Helen told her to stop researching was to obey because otherwise Helen would start blasting death metal with the bass cranked as high as it would go until Tan shut down her computer and joined Helen on the futon.

Tan was in love with the NASA channel and BBC America because they gave her great reasons to procrastinate and put off working on her thesis until the next day because footage of today’s shuttle launch wouldn’t be live tomorrow and it just wasn’t the same if you weren’t watching it live, or there was no way she was going to miss this week’s episode of Doctor Who because she’d had to wait two weeks since the last one had ended in an incredibly tense cliffhanger and she didn’t want to wait any longer to find out how the Doctor was going to defeat the Master and save the world, all in less than an hour. The Visgoths had been dead for centuries, so their laws could wait another hour or three for her to read a few more of them in hopes of finding something to help her better understand the role of women in Visgoth society.

I am a recent Dish Network Satellite customer. I did not always have Dish Network though. Back when we had those other guys we were paying quite a bit for their lowest package deal. I had quit my job to stay home with a new baby and we had to cut down on all of our expenses. We were not sure if we were even going to be able to keep any kind of cable or dish services. We decided to take a look at all of our options. In doing this, we came across Dish Network. We were amazed at the price difference. They wanted only a fraction of the price compared to the other guys were currently had and we were going to be able to keep all of our favorite channels. We scheduled for them to come and install a dish immediatley so we could start our savings. Now, we have been with Dish Network for about 3 years and we love it. We also got their DVR and I have forgotten what my life was like without this. I love being able to watch what I want when I want to watch it. Before this I was scheduling my life around my favorite T.V. shows. Now I never miss one and I don’t have to waste time watching commercials. It has truly changed my families lives. I also want to note that the representatives have been very nice and accommodating. It also has a great feature where you can pay your bill right on your T.V. thourgh the interactive application, making it so convient.

Dish Network has a very user-friendly system and I would recommend it to anyone. My parents have a dish through another service and they are always having issues with it recording all the shows they tell it to. I have told them about how great Dish Network has been for us and that we have never had any recording issues and that they should seriously think about switching over just like we had done a few years ago. It is one of the smartest decisions we have made.

Since 1985 I have been a customer of our local cable company. We live in a rural community that doesn’t provide a lot of options. Our cable company offers thirty-six channels. For additional charges, it will provide you with a limited few movie channels. There at best one good movie on every six months and nothing else. There is no new release, and most are over a year old. We were struggling for more than what we had. I began researching different options. Due to our location, we knew we would have to purchase something satellite tv.

Whilst at a friend’s house one day, I saw a commercial about Dish Netowrk. To my amazement, the offer was very exciting and reasonable. It offered the possibility of installation and setup all on the same day. I was on my way to a more exciting and informed life. I went to the website www.dishnetwork.com and reviewed all the packages they offered. I was completely overwhelmed by the channels that were offered at such a low price. You even got incredible movie channels at a low price. Furthermore, you’re provided with the option of pay per view where you can select a movie to watch at any time and at your own convenience. I selected the type of programming that I wanted (Classic Gold 250), and then added the movie channels I wanted. All of this for a very small monthly fee.

I called Dish Network, and a representative took all my information and my account set up in fifteen minutes. I scheduled my service installation for the next week. That following week they arrived, and installed everything. This included setting up my satellite and installing all the boxes in four rooms. They had everything installed and setup in less than an hour. They were extremely fast and polite. The gentlemen did a fantastic job. It was wonderful to be watching satellite tv in my home. I have more channels than I ever thought I could have; great service, great programming, and the ability to watch it in any room of my home. Dish Network is truly an amazing service.

I have been a Dish Network subscriber for over eight years. I live in rural West Virginia, the state that cable TV providers forgot. Dish Network was one of the few satellite TV services available when I moved and the dish was much smaller than the one that graced my lawn. Because I live in a wooded area it took the technician some time to find the satellite signal when it was first installed. However, I have few problems staying connected, except during wind or snow storms when my signal is unavailable. That is one of my few complaints about Dish Network, the signal disruption during bad weather. Only rarely do I have reception issues when weather is not an issue.

One of the features that I like the most is Dish OnDemand. I like being able to rent movies and not have to return them. However, I do find the choices of movies limited. It is one area that Dish Network could improve. My other complaint is the amount of time that you can spend waiting for a technician on the support phone line. One time I had to wait almost an hour and a half, which was not helpful. However, the quality of the technical support is very good and I was able to follow the instructions and resolve my issues. I subscribe to the basic package and the choices of channels are appropriate for my TV watching habits.

Since I have Dish Network receiver with DVR capabilities, I am able to record my favorite programs to watch later. However, the "My Recordings" menu is not the most user-friendly interface and I have made the mistake several times of deleting shows that I had not watched. I have two TV units connected to the Dish Network receiver. This sometimes creates an issue with the unit that is not directly connected to the receiver. Sometimes it takes forever to get the Menu to move up or down because the control remote reception is limited in the second unit. Now that Dish Network is teaming up with WildBlue to provide Internet access there are more options for Internet access, which is an issue in this part of West Virginia where only dial up is available. I also like the promotional offers that Dish Network offers. I was able to sign up two friends and receive $5.00 off my bill for a month. You do need to have a phone line connected to the Dish receiver, otherwise you will get a charge for maintenance.