DIRECTV’s commercial customers are going absolutely gaga over the new H26K Commercial receiver. It’s the smallest standalone receiver in DIRECTV history, and it’s chock full of little thoughtful touches that will make commercial installers happy. This is the company’s first commercial-only receiver, and it does things no standalone receiver ever has before. It’s the only standalone box from DIRECTV that gets 4K satellite broadcasts, it’s the fastest DIRECTV receiver yet, and it is the easiest to mount, thanks to built-in options like keyhole slots and holes for zip ties. It even has a nice wide surface for industrial hook-and-loop tape.
It sounds great. So when can you get yours?
If you’re a residential customer, you can’t. The H26K can’t be activated on residential accounts. I know there are folks out there in the enthusiast community, as well as our marine and RV customers, who would love to have something like this. But unfortunately DIRECTV’s computer systems don’t even give us the option to add one to a residential account.
The thing is, there’s nothing technologically that would stop this receiver from working on a commercial account. Since it doesn’t have built-in coax networking, it would be a great option for spare rooms or RVs where you don’t want or need to share programming with a server. It just isn’t going to happen.
Why would they do something like this?
Well I don’t know, but I’m going to give you some guesses.
Residential customers are well served with existing H24 and H25 receivers.
This seems like the most likely thought process to me. A lot of DIRECTV H24 and H25 receivers are out there in great shape despite their age. The H24 is DIRECTV’s last non-SWM receiver and that’s going to appeal to people with portable satellite dishes. The H26K, like the H25, needs a SWM.
By keeping the H26 for commercial customers, DIRECTV can keep using H24 and H25 receivers for those folks who want standalones. The truth is that the market for standalone receivers is about 1-2% of the company’s total business and the expectation is that they will be able to keep going with the existing H24 and H25 for a while longer.
It’s all about keeping it simple
About a decade ago, DIRECTV launched an initiative to speed up installations. At the time, the typical installation was taking between 2 and 4 hours, which meant that a tech could only do a few every day and installs often ran deep into the evening. By simplifying wiring with SWM, limiting product selection to the most popular items, and using more wireless devices, they were able to significantly speed up installs, which increased customer satisfaction and reduced costs.
It’s true that not as many people are installing DIRECTV products as were doing it a decade ago, but this is still a very valid point. Putting in something like the H26K, which requires additional configuration to share programs, would lengthen install times for customers. It would increase the inventory that would need to be carried on trucks, and in the end, it would not be very popular. At least that’s what I’m guessing.
It’s just a nod to commercial customers
DIRECTV’s residential user base has shrunk somewhat as consumers eye alternatives that weren’t available when the DIRECTV H24 was new. Today, more and more homes are streaming and avoiding pay-TV altogether. On the other hand, DIRECTV’s commercial user base has stayed strong, despite being largely left on the vine in the 2010s. Devices like the H26K and the SWM30HP are designed specifically to cater to higher-profit commercial customers who deserve to be treated well by the company.
Will the situation every change?
I think it’s possible, but not likely. The future is going to be very interesting for pay-TV and it’s going to take some innovation for companies to flourish. I’m not sure the H26K is the kind of innovation that the company needs to put in front of residential customers. I think that an all-in-one solution like the Gemini makes a lot more sense for that market.
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