TV and Internet Providers in Washington, DC
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DISH TV
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Enjoy a 2-year price guarantee.
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Watch hundreds of HD channels.
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Access the most powerful Home DVR, the Hopper 3.
Customer Rating for DISH
- Installation - 4.19/5
Customer satisfaction with installation fees and scheduling.
- Channels - 4.07/5
How satisfied customers are with channel selection and packaging value.
- Reliability - 4.11/5
Customer satisfaction with the reliability of the TV signal.
- Price - 3.69/5
Ratings reflect customer satisfaction with cost and monthly fees.
- Service - 3.91/5
Customer satisfaction with quality of customer service and technical support.
DIRECTV
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See out-of-market games on NFL SUNDAY TICKET.
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Watch 1,000s of titles On Demand.
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Save money by bundling with select AT&T wireless plans.
Customer Rating for DIRECTV
- Installation - 4.21/5
Customer satisfaction with installation fees and scheduling.
- Channels - 4.25/5
How satisfied customers are with channel selection and packaging value.
- Reliability - 3.92/5
Customer satisfaction with the reliability of the TV signal.
- Price - 3.41/5
Ratings reflect customer satisfaction with cost and monthly fees.
- Service - 3.8/5
Customer satisfaction with quality of customer service and technical support.
Verizon
940 Mbps
880 Mbps
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Fios Internet provides 99.9% network reliability.‡
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Fast upload and download speeds.
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Order online and get your standard setup charge waived — a $99 value.
Customer Rating for Verizon
- Installation - 4.3/5
Customer satisfaction with installation fees and scheduling.
- Channels - 4.25/5
How satisfied customers are with channel selection and packaging value.
- Reliability - 4.25/5
Customer satisfaction with the reliability of the TV signal.
- Price - 3.35/5
Ratings reflect customer satisfaction with cost and monthly fees.
- Service - 3.94/5
Customer satisfaction with quality of customer service and technical support.
Viasat Satellite Internet
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Fastest residential satellite internet in the U.S.
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Quick, simple installation.
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3-year Price Lock Guarantee.
Astound Broadband Powered by RCN Cable
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Sync recorded shows to your mobile devices.
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Watch TV in every room with a TiVo DVR system.
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Get 1,000s of shows On Demand.
Astound Broadband Powered by RCN Internet
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Get the help you need with 24/7 customer support.
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Protect your network with McAfee® Security Suite.
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Enjoy speeds fast enough for home networking.
Astound Broadband Powered by RCN Cable TV & Internet
Speeds up to 1,000 Mbps
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Sync recorded shows to your mobile devices.
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Get 1,000s of shows On Demand.
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Get the help you need with 24/7 customer support.
Availability, channels, and speeds displayed are not guaranteed.
TV Providers in Washington, DC
| Provider | Service Type | Channel Count | Customer Rating (out of 5) |
Features | Prices Starting At* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DISH | Satellite | 290+ | 3.8 | Enjoy a 2-year price guarantee. | $64.99/mo. | View Plans |
| DIRECTV | Satellite | 330+ | 3.7 | See out-of-market games on NFL SUNDAY TICKET. | $64.99/mo. | View Plans |
| RCN | Cable | 285+ | 3.9 | Sync recorded shows to your mobile devices. | $59.99/mo. | View Plans |
*Pricing subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.
Internet Providers in Washington, DC
| Provider | Service Type | Max Download Speeds up to | Customer Rating (out of 5) |
Features | Prices Starting At* | Area Availability* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verizon | Fiber | 940 Mbps | N/A | Fios Internet provides 99.9% network reliability.‡ | $39.99/mo. | % | View Plans |
| Viasat | Satellite | 25 Mbps | 3.9 | Fastest residential satellite internet in the U.S. | $30.00/mo. | % | View Plans |
| RCN | Cable | 1,000 Mbps | 3.9 | Get the help you need with 24/7 customer support. | $19.99/mo. | % | View Plans |
*Pricing subject to change. Not all offers available in all areas.
Data effective as of 05/07/2020. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change. ‡ w/ Auto Pay + taxes & equip. Charges. § For 24 mos. New customers only. All offers require 2-year commitment with early termination fee and eAutopay. Price includes Hopper Duo for qualifying customers.
Cable TV and internet in Washington, DC
The capital city of the United States isn’t lacking for political discourse—or cable and internet providers. Washington, DC, is home to several major telecom companies, as well as a handful of independents. Securing a connection in DC is easier than passing legislation, for sure.
What are the best TV and cable companies in Washington, DC?
- Xfinity—X1 DVR/receiver
- DIRECTV—NFL SUNDAY TICKET
- DISH—Hopper 3 DVR/receiver
- Verizon Fios—Fiber-optic TV
- RCN—No-contract packages
What are the best internet providers in Washington, DC?
- Xfinity—Wi-Fi hotspots nationwide
- Verizon Fios Home Internet—Fast fiber internet
- RCN—Eero Plus Wi-Fi security
- Atlantic Broadband—Low-priced plans
- Viasat—Fastest satellite internet
The Big Three of TV providers—Xfinity, DIRECTV, and DISH—cover the majority of Washington, DC, via cable and satellite. Verizon Fios (fiber-optic TV) and RCN (cable) each have a slightly smaller area footprint, but they still offer competitive TV service.
Xfinity and Verizon also come out on top for DC internet coverage and speed, but, while all of Xfinity’s internet connections are cable, not all of Verizon’s are fiber. In some parts of Washington, DC, Verizon offers only DSL internet service, so be sure to ask if you’re getting fiber or DSL.
FYI: Fiber and cable are the fastest internet connections available, followed by DSL (which uses telephone lines) and satellite (which uses a dish that can’t be shared with satellite TV). Like Xfinity, RCN and Atlantic Broadband are cable-delivered internet, while Viasat is satellite-delivered internet.
Cable TV and internet bundles in Washington, DC
If you’re looking for both TV and internet service, bundling the two services through a single provider can save you money and the hassle of separate bills. With some providers, like Xfinity, you can also add phone and home security services.
Besides Xfinity and Verizon, RCN and Atlantic Broadband also offer TV, internet, and phone services in Washington, DC. There’s no multitasking with DIRECTV, DISH, or Viasat though.
Top TV and internet bundles in Washington, DC
- Xfinity—High speeds, large channel counts
- Verizon Fios—Large channel selection, fast fiber internet
- RCN—Low-priced TV/internet bundles
- Atlantic Broadband—Included premium channels
Sports coverage in Washington, DC
Washington, DC, is the home field for pro sports teams Washington Football Team (NFL), Washington Wizards (NBA), Washington Nationals (MLB), Washington Capitals (NHL), DC United (MLS), and Washington Mystics (WNBA).
TV coverage for all these leagues, as well as NCAA college ball, is just a remote click away.
How to watch sports in Washington, DC
Specs and features comparison
| Sports team | Channels | Packages |
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| Washington Football Team |
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| Washington Wizards |
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| Washington Nationals |
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| Washington Capitals |
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| DC United |
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| Washington Mystics |
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All of the TV providers in Washington, DC, offer channels that carry local sports in at least one package. Above, we’ve bulleted the lowest-priced cable plans you can get to watch each team.
Local channels in Washington, DC
Want to get your prime-time shows and keep up on local news and weather? Washington, DC, has affiliate stations for all the major networks, as well as minors like MyNetworkTV and ION—you’ll never want for a Law & Order or NCIS marathon.
Local channels are included with most basic TV packages. Here are three of the cheapest we’ve found in Washington, DC:
- RCN Digital Basic: $29.99/mo. for first 12 mos.
- Xfinity Starter: $59.99/mo. for first 12 mos.
- Atlantic Broadband Value Plus: $59.99/mo. for first 12 mos.
Find Store Locations Near Washington
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Compare TV and internet providers in Washington, DC
Want to dive deeper? Check out some of CableTV.com’s latest TV and internet reviews.
Washington FAQs
How can I watch TV without cable?
If you don’t want to pay for cable, you can watch TV the old-fashioned way with an antenna or through new-fangled streaming via the internet.
On-demand streaming (like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video) and livestreaming (like Sling TV or YouTube TV) require an internet connection of at least 5 Mbps, though we recommend 25 Mbps to get the best picture without buffering.
Is fiber internet available in Washington, DC?
In the Washington, DC area, the only residential fiber-optic internet provider is Verizon Fios Home Internet. Cable-based providers Xfinity and RCN can match Verizon’s fiber internet download rates but not its upload speeds. Fiber offers equal download and upload speeds; cable upload speed is typically a fraction of its download speed.
What is the best internet provider in Washington, DC?
In terms of internet speeds and availability, Xfinity, Verizon Fios, and RCN are the top three providers for the Washington, DC area. They’re close in pricing, and all offer bundles with TV and phone service (if you need those too).
We’d recommend Viasat only if absolutely nothing else is available. Satellite internet—which also includes Viasat’s lone competitor, HughesNet—is as expensive as it is slow and unreliable.
