By Ruby-Ren Dennis

Almost every TV provider, both cable and satellite, have some kind of companion app. Some of them are just a convenient way to pay bills and stay in touch. However, along with the bill-pay apps, are mobile TV, DVR, and remote control apps.

In several countries, the universal remote control app features prominently. Both KT (Korea) and Telstra (Australia) have demonstrational videos featuring attractive young women sitting on their couches explaining how easy and convenient the universal remote control app is. However, in North America, although providers have a similar mobile TV app to which these universal remotes controls are usually associated, this feature is either missing or so infrequently publicized that it might as well be.

This result may be because reviews for many of universal remote control apps are negative. Customers report frequent errors and limited connectivity, coupled with needlessly complicated set up. This fact is true for both providers that heavily advertise the app and those who have done so to a less extent.