We're actually paying less (all totaled) for our C-band subscriptions than we were for the DirecTV packages we had before, and we have more available channels, including a bunch of free in-the-clear programming that we otherwise would have been charged to receive via the DirecTV system. And the wild feeds are nice, if you know where to grab them. There are listings on the 'net that can be found, and they're pretty straightforward.

For the uninitiated, "wild feeds" and "backhauls" are the terms used to describe the satellite transmissions that certain networks use to broadcast their programming down to the local network affiliates for later rebroadcast. C-band users merely need to know where/when to point the dish to receive these feeds. C-band users often get to see the new episodes of certain TV series as much as a day or two before any of the regular viewers do. This isn't illegal or piracy, because the backhauls I'm referring to are not encrypted or hidden in any way. It's something that's been around the C-band world for decades. It's a pain, though, so I don't do it that often unless there's something really specific I need to get.

The price packages are all listed at the NPS site I linked above. I forget which one we're subscribed to right now, I just remember it being less than our prior DirecTV bill.