Dish Network wants you to switch from DIRECTV, and is stepping up to the plate with a free TV offer to make it happen. A full-page ad appeared in my local paper today, April 19, with this message:

DIRECTV Customers,
You are hereby notified that DISH Network will offer FREE TV to the first 200 DIRECTV customers who switch to DISH Network during limited hours on Tuesday, April 20, 2010.

Here’s what you need to do to qualify for the offer.

1. Ask your boss for the afternoon off tomorrow.
2. Find a current copy of your DIRECTV bill, and pay off any past-due balance (you don’t qualify if your bill is past-due).
3. Take the DIRECTV bill and your photo ID down to City Walk in Universal City. The address is 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA.
4. The “limited hours” of the promotion are officially 11am to 2pm, but I imagine you need to show up earlier than that. Remember the offer applies to the first 200 customers only.

The free TV offer includes America’s Top 200 programming package and all related HD and local channels, plus the receiver. You can add programming to that package at your own expense. You will need to sign a 24-month agreement, and you’ll be responsible for the monthly charges after the free year is up. Still, what’s your TV bill currently? $75 a month? Save that expense for a year and you’ve got an extra $900 in your pocket.