We've got Direct TV in Northeast Ohio and despite all the snow we get, it has only gone out on us twice. All we needed to do in both those cases is brush it off with a broom (the dish is attached to the side of our house just above head level so we don't even have to stretch).

When we left Adelphia, it took them 4 months to disconnect us from "the pole" whatever that meant, and we continued to get bills until that was done. I was not at all pleased.