3SS and t4h. target new revenue opportunities through programmable TV remotes
September 8, 2026 10.41 Europe/London By Jörn Krieger

Technology provider 3 Screen Solutions (3SS) and remote-control specialist t4h. (Tech4home) have teamed up to combine programmable remote controls with the 3SS 3Ready platform.

The integration will allow pay-TV and OTT operators to remotely change, personalise and monetise buttons on devices already deployed in subscribers’ homes, according to the companies.

The solution, which will be demonstrated at IBC 2026 in Amsterdam, combines t4h.’s AdaptiveKey and programmable-button remote controls with 3Ready Control Center, which provides the software layer for managing the devices.

The companies see the remote control as an underused asset for operators. While conventional remote controls typically have fixed shortcut buttons for individual streaming services, these can become outdated when services change their names, strategies or distribution agreements. Replacing large fleets of devices is generally impractical.

Under the new system, operators can reassign programmable buttons remotely. Depending on the remote-control model, subscribers can also configure up to four keys according to their viewing habits. Buttons can launch applications, trigger functions in the user interface or activate voice assistants such as 3Ready Hero.

t4h.’s AdaptiveKey technology goes a step further by incorporating an interactive display into the button itself. The label, destination and function of the key can be controlled through software via 3Ready Control Center.

This enables operators to use the remote control for promotional campaigns and targeted offers. According to the companies, buttons could be used to promote sports packages, TV series or other services, while premium positions could also be offered to OTT partners and content providers.

Campaigns can be configured centrally and distributed to selected devices without changing the hardware in subscribers’ homes. The system also provides analytics on button usage, allowing operators to measure engagement and assess the performance of individual keys.

“For decades, the remote control has been the one part of the TV experience no one could change after launch. Now, with AdaptiveKey running on 3Ready, operators can decide how every programmable key looks, what it does, says and earns, from 3Ready Control Center, for every home at once,” said Pierre Donath, Chief Product and Marketing Officer at 3SS.

Miguel Oliveira, Co-Founder and CEO of t4h., added the aim was to change the role of the remote control rather than simply add new features to it. “Operators in every market tell us the same thing: They have a device in tens of millions of homes, in the hand of the subscriber every single day, and until now there was almost no way to make business use of it. AdaptiveKey gives them that device back as a channel they own and can measure; working with 3SS is what places it inside the service, because the software is where an operator runs its business. A key that can be changed in software becomes something an operator can plan around, promote and earn from,” Oliveira said.

Viaplay Group is the first customer to deploy the combined solution. The company’s Allente service has introduced a next-generation set-top box user experience using t4h.’s Notus remote control with programmable buttons together with 3Ready Control Center. The solution is being rolled out to Allente subscribers in Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

The two companies will demonstrate the technology at IBC 2026 at the 3SS stand 5.A85 and the t4h. stand 1.D81.