Cox Cable vs Direct TV
The Cox cable company is the United States’ third largest cable operator while Direct TV is the leader in satellite television. They both operate in many states across the United States with their greatest influence being in Virginia, Arizona, and California. Direct TV is available in almost every state that a satellite can be set to face the southern sky. Nevertheless, Cox Cable is a competitor for satellite company business and it is wise to know how Direct TV vs Cox cable stack up against one another.
Packages Offered
Both companies offer different packages to their customers, all at various prices. With a Cox cable package, their basic offer will cost you $21.95 each month. This may sound very cheap but this package only contains 20 channels and many of them are local or in Spanish. They also offer the Expanded Cable package, which is comparable to basic packages offered by other companies. The Expanded Cable package has 75 channels including TBS, CNN, ESPN, and TNT – the cost is $47.95.
Of course, the price will differ based on your location. In addition, this service can be made available anywhere in your home and for as many television sets as you desire. But not in the case of digital cable. Their package is comparable to the Choice Xtra package offered by Direct TV and will cost you $34.99 per month. However, this is a promotional price which is only applicable for the first year; it includes approximately 150 channels – audio and video.
When comparing Cox vs Direct TV, make sure to analyze other costs for communication services - such as high speed internet and home phone service. Cox can bundle these into a triple play, while Direct TV cannot. You will have to use one of their telecom partners for other services like broadband.
HD Channels
Another area for comparison is the number of HD channels that are available. In the case of Direct TV vs Cox cable, Direct TV is the definite winner. Because Cox uses the last mile network to provide cable services, they have bandwidth restrictions, making it harder for them to provide HD channels. However, because of its importance to customers, they are currently upgrading. But in some areas, Cox has 40-60 HD channels available. Even so, this number is nowhere near the 130 HD channels that are available through Direct TV.
Cox cable is also a provider of bundle services that include cable television, high speed internet, and telephone services. So if you are looking for a bundle service deal at a great price, Cox cable is a good choice, even for movie packages. However, if you are a fan of HD and over-the-top service, your better bet is going with Direct TV.
Cox cable company also has other packages with digital costing an additional $5 each month. You will also need to pay $5 to $6 each for every other television added. Other premium movie packages are offered by Cox Cable in either basic or digital cable; Cinemax, Starz, and HBO channels are available too. The price for this varies from state to state but is affordable, which is one of the advantages of Cox cable over Direct TV. Direct TV has other packages such Premier and Choice Xtra.