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.