Verizon Fios TV vs Dish TV: Read This to Compare the Differences

Verizon has a strong basic TV package that I'd recommend for customers who want basic digital TV without a long contract. For premium TV fans and sports fans,

Dish TV has the lowest price for the most packages.

Both Verizon and Dish Network are top-notch providers. Which is why it can be difficult to decide between the two. Not to worry, though, as I have just the info you need.

Verizon is well known for its FiOS services that deliver fast Internet and great picture quality. Consumers also like that most plans don’t require a contract and their huge channel variety.

Dish is more popular with heavy TV watchers. It excels at HD variety, offers an amazing DVR (the Hopper), and helps consumers save money through its two-year price guarantees.

Still, that’s just a simple overview. In this article, we’ll discuss Verizon and Dish more in-depth, and offer recommendations.

Verizon Pros and Cons

Pros

• 30-day money-back guarantee
• More channel variety
• No mandatory contracts for most deals

Cons

• Lower HD variety than Dish
• DVR equipment not as impressive as Dish
• No 4K support

Dish Network Pros and Cons

Pros

• A two-year price guarantee
• 4K content and support
• Excellent DVR equipment

Cons

• Satellite Dish installation required
• Two-year contracts
• No phone services of their own

Verizon vs. Dish Network – Internet Performance

Verizon uses a fiber network, so you can expect quality and secure Internet connections. At the same time, though, expect to pay a higher price for those services.

When it comes to data caps, it’s hard to tell. That’s because Verizon isn’t too open about their data caps. Their fine print does warn against excessive data usage, but it doesn’t specify what that means.

According to some consumers, Verizon usually sends warning letters requesting that excessive-use subscribers keep better track of their data usage with Verizon’s Data Calculator.

Dish TV mostly offers satellite Internet via HughesNet. Their data caps range from 5GB (Gigabytes) to 50GB per month depending on the plan you choose.

Dish also has its own satellite Internet service, apparently, which is called DishNET. Data caps go up to 30GB.

While satellite Internet speeds are not bad, customers usually complain about latency due to satellite signal issues.

Speeds Offered

Verizon offers download speeds ranging from 50 Mbps (megabits per second) to 940 Mbps, and upload speeds starting at 50 Mbps and going up to 880 Mbps.

With satellite Internet from HughesNet, Dish offers download speeds up to 25 Mbps, and upload speeds up to 3 Mbps. DishNET only offers download speeds that go up to 10 Mbps.

Also, DishNET Wireline (which is DSL) offers download speeds that go up to 40 Mbps.

Obviously, if you’re looking for fast Internet connection speeds, Verizon is the right choice.

Keep in mind that Dish also tends to partner up with local ISPs in some cases, so Internet connection speeds can vary.

Bundled services

Verizon offers Double Play and Triple Play bundles. Double Play bundles don’t require a contract, while Triple Play offers require a two-year agreement.

The good news is that Verizon bundles aren’t too expensive, and the post-promotional period price increase isn’t very noticeable. As far as I can tell, there’s only one bundle that goes over the $100/month mark. The rest average around $50 and $90 per month.

Dish offers Double Play offers through HughesNet and DishNET. However, I haven’t seen any Triple Play bundles at all.

According to most consumers, Dish offers phone services through local ISPs as well.

The price depends on which ISP Dish partners up with. Though, don’t expect amazing deals, as the Double Play deals they offer on their website surpass the $150 per month rate. The cheapest one goes up to $100.

Overall, I recommend sticking with Verizon if you are interested in bundles. Their bundles are better priced and offer superior Internet and phone services.

Verizon vs. Dish Network – TV Service

Verizon

• A Custom TV Plan that lets you customize the TV service you’ll be getting so that you only pay for the type of channels you want
• Future Programming displays a list of shows you can currently watch, as well as shows that will be available in the next 14 days
• Thousands of On Demand titles which you can also watch on your PC, laptop, and tablets with the FiOS Mobile App
• HD support
• Up to $500 credit to help you cover an early termination fee

Dish Network

• HD support
• 4K content and support
• Netflix integration on Dish’s set-top boxes, which means you don’t have to switch television inputs to watch Netflix programming
• Thousands of On Demand titles that come at no additional cost
• Dish Cinema gives you instant access to newly released movies
• A wide variety of TV apps, including one that offers YouTube integration
• Watch TV online on your mobile devices and computer with Dish Anywhere
• Control live TV with your voice courtesy of the Dish and Alexa integration

Both providers offer a lot of decent features, so it mainly depends on your preferences.

On the one hand, Dish has 4K support, free On Demand, and Netflix integration. On the other hand, Verizon has a bigger channel count than Dish. Basically, Dish only offers up to 290+ channels, while Verizon offers up to 425+ channels.

Verizon vs. Dish Network – Sports Packages

Verizon

• MLB Extra Innings features 80 out-of-market games per week, with most of them being in HD
• The Mosaic Channel lets you preview four games at a time on the same screen
• MLB.TV included with the MLB Extra Innings subscription
• Verizon Sports Pass offers access to 15 extra popular sports networks
• The Sports Pass also includes NFL RedZone, Willow HD, and the NFL Network
• Other packages include the NBA League Pass, NHL Center Ice, MLS Direct Kick, and Fox Soccer Plus
• Enjoy enhanced picture quality thanks to Verizon’s fiber-optic network

Dish Network

• Multi-Sport package includes over 35 sports networks including 20 regional sports networks
• Multi-Sports package includes college sports, entertainment sports, and pro sports
• 25+ regional sports networks from outside your market
• Watch sports when you’re away from home with Dish Anywhere
• Dish has MLB Extra Innings, the NBA League Pass, NHL Center Ice, and Fox Soccer Plus
• Other packages include the Outdoor Package, Willow Cricket HD, and the Racetrack Television Network
• The NFL Network and NFL RedZone comes free of charge with certain TV plans
• Dish’s Score Overlay app lets you view scores for live games on ESPN and ESPN2
• Multiview mode lets you view four HD sports channels at once

There’s no doubt that both providers have a lot to offer in terms of sports. There’s not a huge difference between them. Though, if you want to enjoy sports in ultra HD, Dish is the better option because of their 4K support.

Verizon vs. Dish Network – Equipment

Verizon offers a choice between fours DVR options:

• DVR Service
• Multi-Room DVR Service
• Multi-Room DVR Enhanced Service
• Multi-Room DVR Premium Service

The Multi-Room DVR Premium Service is the highlight, as it lets you record up to 12 shows simultaneously, has 2TB (Terabytes) storage, can be managed remotely, and lets you control live TV on up to ten TVs.

The Multi-Room DVR Enhanced Service is cheaper, but it can only record up to six programs at the same time, and only has 1TB storage.

Dish equipment includes the Wally, a non-DVR receiver, a choice between five DVR receivers, and a choice between the Hopper, Hopper with Sling, and Hopper 3 with Sling (all of them whole home HD DVR receivers).

We’ll mainly focus on the Hopper 3 with Sling, as it’s by far the most powerful whole home HD DVR receiver I’ve ever seen.

Basically, Dish’s Hopper 3 with Sling lets you watch and record up to 16 shows simultaneously, has a 2TB storage capacity, supports 4K video, and includes Room-to-Room, Remote Finder, and Dish Anywhere features (among many other perks).

There’s no doubt that Dish wins this round. Its Hopper 3 DVR even received numerous rewards for how good it is. Plus, believe it or not, but it’s actually more budget-friendly than what Verizon offers, as it only costs you around $15/month.

Verizon’s fees, on the other hand, can go up to approximately $32/month.

Verizon Key Advantage: Channel Variety and Custom TV Plan

If you want a high channel count, you can’t go wrong with Verizon. With over 425 channels to choose from, you’ll definitely have everything you need in terms of entertainment.

Verizon’s Custom TV plan is another thing you’ll surely love. It’s unique to Verizon, it offers top-notch channels in SD and HD, and it really makes you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth.

Dish Network Key Advantage: 4K Support and Two-Year Price Guarantee

While it is true that Verizon is currently testing out 4K content for their FiOS customers, Dish already offers it. So if you’re looking for ultra HD quality, Dish is the way to go.

And yes, Dish’s Hopper is amazing, but I loved the two-year price guarantee Dish offers. It more than makes up for you having to put up with a two-year contract. Basically, you’ll get to enjoy cost-efficient promotional prices for two years without having to worry about any increases.

Verizon vs. Dish Network – Equipment and Installation Considerations

Verizon is not known to offer free installations. However, their online deals and bundles apparently feature a perk that has the standard setup charge wived. According to Verizon, you can save up to $99 this way.

Other than that, the installation process is fairly straightforward. They also offer comprehensive self-install guides if you prefer that option.

Dish offers a free standard professional installation, which is always nice to see. Dish technicians will even install your whole-home DVR system, mount your TVs, and set up wireless networks (among other things).

The only thing that might bother you with Dish’s installation is that a satellite Dish will have to be installed, which can be a bit of a hassle.

It’s all up to you which installation method you prefer, but if you want to go with Verizon, be sure you place an order online.

Our Pick: Dish, for Their Affordable Promotional Pricing and Superior Equipment Options

While Verizon offers many decent perks, you just can’t compete with Dish’s attractive prices. Sure, they are promotional, but they are guaranteed for two years. Plus, their 4K support is appealing, and the Hopper is, without a doubt, the best DVR you can get.

Naturally, if you want more channels and are interested in getting quality Internet alongside the TV services, you’ll certainly prefer Verizon’s FiOS TV services instead.

In the end, it depends on your preferences. I also recommend you talk about these providers with your neighbors, friends, and family if you can. They can offer you valuable insight if they’ve used Verizon or Dish services before.

But if you’re in a hurry and want to get quality TV services right now, I advise going with Dish.