local bable n/w are better in their customer service, at least my experience say's so. You call them and in 2 hrs they are at ur place, to give better pic quality or no. channels.
Even payment time is flexible, 2-5 or 10 days updown doesn't bother them.
And u can always threat them of exiting their services ,if they dont provide better service. Infact if group of 20 ppl in the locality stand for it, they provide each n every requested channel for same cost.
This is where cable are far better.
As far as quality of picture is concerned, gud installation gurantee's u that
but ya ..some cable guyz show monopoly and but then again, same with these DTH operators.