Skip to content 
DirecTV and U-verse are two exciting TV service providers owned by AT&T, and we are sure you’ll be wondering if both services are the same. Well, the truth is, both DirecTV and U-verse offer similar services, but we have found some differences you should be aware of before deciding which one to go for.
If you are an avid sports fan, then DirecTV will impress you with their incredible collection of sports channels; however, keep in mind that their services come with 2-year contracts and a price hike after the first year.
Similarly, AT&T U-verse also increases their prices after the first year, but the difference between them and DirecTV is that their contract lasts for only one year. More so, U-verse boasts of some of the highest channel counts on the market.
Another thing you should be aware of is that DirecTV is a satellite TV while U-verse is a digital TV. What this means is that U-verse makes use of internet connection to deliver television channels to your set box.
With all that said, let’s dive in and figure out which one is perfect for you and your family.
Table of Contents
Availability
With DirecTV, you’ll enjoy services across all 50 states. All you’ll need to enjoy their remarkable service is a clear view of the southern sky and a place around your home to mount a satellite dish. And thanks to its availability, DIRECTV has become a popular option for people in remote or rural areas. Nevertheless, you should keep in mind that buildings, trees, and other obstructions can cause interruptions in the quality of satellite signals you receive.
On the flip side, U-verse TV is only available in 21 states. And their services cut across the Midwest parts of Nevada, the South, and California.
Note: that channels and pricing for U-verse TV vary from one location to another.
Price comparison
For the first year, the pricing for AT&T U-verse and DirecTV is the same. However, the price skyrockets the following year. Thankfully, you have the luxury of sticking with U-verse during the second year since you are only required to sign a one year contract. Plus, you get to watch more channels.
But for avid sports lovers, DirecTV is a fantastic choice. Again, if you decide to sign up for the DirecTV CHOICE Package or higher, you’ll enjoy unlimited access to one year NFL Sunday Ticket.
We also love that U-verse TV gives you access to tons of channels that will keep you glued to your screen, but please make sure the plan you opt for includes your favorite channels. We like the U’300 combination, which offers you exciting channels, including Starz and Showtime.
DirecTV Packages and Prices
- DirecTV’s SELECT package goes for $39.99 per month
- DirectTV’s ENTERTAINMENT plan cost $44.99 per month
- DirectTV’s CHOICE package goes for $44.99 per month
- DirectTV’s XTRA plan costs $59.99
- DirectTV’s ULTIMATE package is set at $64.99
- DirectTV’s PREMIER package cost $114.99
AT&T U-verse plans and prices
- U-family plan costs $39.99 per month
- U-200 plan costs $59.99 per month
- U-300 plan costs $64.99 per month
- U-450 plan costs $114.99 per month
DIRECTV vs. AT&T U-verse contracts
Both U-verse and DIRECTV will require customers to agree to a contract. But while U-verse’s contract is for only a year, DirecTV’s deal is for two years.
The not so cool part is that both service provider will increase your monthly cost by almost double in the second year. With U-verse, you have an edge as you can cancel before the price hikes up.
Also, have it at the back of your mind, that you’ll be required to pay an early termination fee if you decide to leave the contract early.
DIRECTV vs. AT&T U-verse: Hidden charges
Before you decide whether to choose DirecTV or U-verse, we would like to highlight all the fees that are not entirely obvious. This is because we want you to know exactly what you’re signing up for, so you don’t end up getting yourself all worked up.
And like we earlier stated, DirecTV and U-verse are similar in a lot of ways. First, both of them will require you to pay installation and DVR fees. Secondly, you’re also going to be paying a one-time activation fee.
And where U-verse charges their customers a broadcast fee, DirecTV will charge for regional sports fees. At the end of the day, if you compare both of them, you’ll see that their pricing is almost the same.
Special offers and add-ons
DIRECTV unique features and offers
- NFL SUNDAY TICKET– This is one fantastic offer sports enthusiasts will not refuse. With DirecTV, you’ll enjoy exclusive access to sports packages, including live out of market NFL games. And although DirecTV is owned by AT&T, NFL Sunday Ticket is not available on AT&T U-verse TV.
- Premium channels- Enjoy exclusive and uninterrupted access to premium channels like Cinemax, Starz, HBO, Showtime for three months when you order DirecTV’s ULTIMATE package.
- International packages– DirecTV is the number one TV service provider that has a fantastic range of international packages. What this means is that you’ll enjoy programming in Filipino, Cantonese, French, Italian, and more. More so, DIRECTV and U-verse have exclusive Spanish based TV packages you can choose from
U-verse TV unique features and offers
- Exclusive access to HBO and Cinemax for three months: For customers who opt for a U-verse TV package that does not include access to HBO or Cinemax, rest assured that you can still enjoy the networks as U-verse grants customers a free three-month service.
- Enjoy EPIX for one month: Besides enjoying access to HBO and Cinemax for three months, U-verse will also grant you access to Epix for the first month of service at no extra cost.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_fmjP-KoUg
Bundles
Unless you’re interested in NFL SUNDAY TICKET, a feature that is only available on DirecTV, both providers offer almost the same service.
More so, AT&T internet will cost you around $40 a month, whether or not you choose to bundle with TV. We like to think that bundling makes everything easy for you as you only have to worry about one bill. So instead of going through the hassles of tracking both your internet and TV bill every month, you can just simply wrap everything up in one by bundling.
And because AT&T U-verse has similar pricing with DirecTV, when you decide to bundle, you’ll also be paying the same $40 for internet connection every month.
Channel Selection
Thanks to all of the exciting channels offered by both DIRECTV and U-verse, you’ll never have to miss out on your favorite movies and TV shows, ever again. And this isn’t surprising given the fact that both providers have an incredible variety of lifestyles, news, animals, kids, and sport-based channels that will keep you relaxed and entertained.
But don’t just take our words for it; take your time to check the channel lineups of both DIRECTV and U-verse to be sure about the channels that are available in your area.
Customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is an important marker used to gauge the quality of services offered by service providers. Plus, it helps customers decide which services to opt for.
Over the years, the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) has always given good ratings to DirecTV and U-verse for their exceptional and quality service delivery to customers. To put things simply, the ACSI reported that U-verse and DirecTV have regularly scored higher than other TV service providers. Here is how both TV providers performed over the past three years
Premium channels
Looking for an array of premium channels that will keep you glued to your screen all day long? Then now will be an excellent time to give either DIRECTV or AT&T U-verse a try as both TV service provider includes a collection of premium channels that will keep you and your loved ones entertained.
For customers interested in watching HBO, Cinemax, Starz, and more, you’ll either have to pay extra cash in the form of add-on or go for their respective top tier plans. For DirecTV, their Premiere plan is just what you need, while for AT&T U-verse, you’ll have to sign up for their U450 package.
With AT&T U-verse, you also get to enjoy unlimited access to fantastic channels like Starz, Encore, and Showtime when you opt for their U300 package. And given the price of this package, we do not doubt that it is a good deal.
Please keep in mind that HBO is not included in their U300 plan, so if you want to watch HBO, you’ll need to upgrade to their U450 package, which grants you access to “A” list channels for your watching pleasure.
For customers looking to cut costs but still want to enjoy unlimited access to premium channels, we suggest you opt for add-ons as both providers charge a fairly decent amount to get you plugged in.
Sports channels
It’s refreshing to know that sports enthusiasts are not left out of the party, as DirecTV offers them exciting sports channels to keep up with their favorite sporting events.
This is no doubt one of the biggest advantages that come with subscribing to DIRECTV plans. With DirecTV, you’ll enjoy unlimited access to NFL Sunday Ticket. And for sports enthusiasts who want to keep up with every out of the market Sunday NFL game, DirecTV is just the way to go.
To get plugged in right away, you can simply go for Directv’s Choice package or above as this instantly unlocks free access to NFL Sunday Ticket for the first season.
However, you’ll want to make sure you cancel your subscription for the next season, or you’ll be charged $300. But if you think you have the money to spend, you can just leave your subscription to run.
Although AT&T U-verse does not offer NFL Sunday Ticket, they still have a collection of sports channels you’ll love. Whether you love college games or you simply want to keep up with Major league sporting events, AT&T U-verse never disappoints.
AT&T U-verse Pros and cons
Pros
- Inexpensive: One reason you should consider giving U-verse a try is their affordable price, at least for the first year. And although fees will hike up after the first year, the amount you get to pay is still reasonably priced when compared to what other TV service providers charge.
- 1-year contract: Signing up for AT&T U-verse will require you to sign a one year contract. This is a good deal as other TV service providers like DirecTV will require you to sign a two years deal.
- U-verse App: Featuring a unique interface; the U-verse app is specially designed to allow you to keep up with your favorite movies and TV shows without any hassle.
Cons
Even though U-verse prides in delivering exceptional services to their customers, they have a few let downs you should be aware of. Here, take a look at some of them;
- Subpar channel selection: U-verse indeed offers a vast array of channel selections that will keep you glued to your TV screen all day long. But then, what good is having over 200 channels that nobody has heard of? Not just that, you will also be missing out on Sprout, cartoon network, as well as your favorite ABC family and culinary channels.
- Availability: For those planning to move sometime in the future, you’ll be lucky to move to an area that has AT&T U-verse services. While moving is already a big enough problem, you’ll be frustrated if you have to break off your contract due to their services not available in your new location.
DirecTV pros and cons
There are lots of exciting reasons why you should give DirecTV a try. Read on, and you’ll find out in a bit;
Pros
- Enjoy unlimited access to NFL Sunday Ticket and keep up with all your favorite NFL games
- Inexpensive, especially in the first year.
- Features a vast array of channel selection as well as more package tiers
- Comes with its impressive Genie DVR
Cons
- Customers are required to sign a two years contract, which can be pretty annoying. And should you ever decide to cancel out your contract before it runs out, you’ll be required to pay an early termination fee.
- Price hikes up after the first year
- Their larger tier packages can become more expensive when compared to other packages offered by different TV service providers.
AT&T U-verse customer satisfaction
AT&T U-verse has some really impressive numbers when it comes to customer satisfaction. And if numbers are anything to go by, then U-verse is doing an extraordinary job. In 2019, AT&T U-verse had a customer satisfaction score of 69/100.
A look at 2018 showed that their customer satisfaction score was a bit higher as they scored 70/100. In 2017, the number remained unchanged as they pulled another 70/100.
Averagely, U-verse is seeing a customer satisfaction score of 69.7, and this is all thanks to the impressive services they deliver to their customers.
DirecTV customer satisfaction
In 2019, DirecTV had a customer satisfaction score of 66/100. Moving to 2018, they scored 64/100. In 2017, the number was slightly higher as they scored 68/100. On average, DirecTV had a customer satisfaction score of 66/100, which is incredible when compared to cable services.
Frequently asked questions
Can you switch from DIRECTV to U-verse?
Signing up for DirecTV will mean agreeing to their 2-year contract. While switching from DirecTV to U-verse is possible, you’ll be required to pay a fee if you’re still under contract with DirecTV. Our advice is that you wait for your deal with DirecTV to run out before making the switch. If, however, you think the early termination fee wouldn’t be a problem, you can just go ahead to make the switch. Another thing you should remember is that AT&T offers both services.
Is there a fee to cancel DIRECTV?
If you still have a contract with DirecTV, then you’ll be required to pay an early termination fee to cancel the contract you have with them. With DirecTV, customers are required to sign a 2-year contract agreement. In some cases, they may even enact a one-year service agreement. So if you decide to cancel while under the agreement, you may incur an early termination fee up to $500.
Is AT&T discontinuing U-verse?
Since AT&T acquired DirecTV, the company has lagged in the expansion of U-verse TV services. Although the company doesn’t have any immediate plan to discontinue U-verse TV, we think the company can do better if they improve U-verse service delivery. More so, U-verse TV is a fantastic alternative in areas where there is no direct access to DirecTV.
Conclusion
DirecTV and AT&T U-verse are two amazing TV service providers. And looking at the variety of channels they offer, plus their affordable plans, and incredible features, you’ll not agree less. To decide which of these service providers work for you, please feel free to compare packages, contract agreements, and overall performance.
We sincerely hope you find one of them worth a try.
