Ever feel squeamish about germs left in hotel rooms the guests before you? DirecTV not only shares your pain, but soon will provide a solution. This summer the satellite TV company is targeting hotels with a new "Residential Experience" service, which highlights the industry's first anti-microbial remote control.
The service will also include more than 100 HD channels, an interactive program guide, and the full residential programming lineup. Previously the range of channels per room was limited because the receivers were placed in the hotel utility room. The new service places a small receiver into each hotel guest room, which makes the multitude of channels possible.
Vice president of commercial sales Rod Keller told The Hollywood Reporter that the motivation behind the service is the understanding that consumers want the same diversity of channels and easy-to-use programming that they have at home when they're traveling.
"With approximately 20 percent of hotels currently offering HD service to their guests, we expect this new service to significantly expand the HD offering in this market with the added benefit of a sanitized remote."
The service is currently being tested in select locations and will launch officially this summer.