Carrier and Universal Electronics Launch Co-Developed InteliSense Smart Thermostat
The thermostat, model TSTATCCIEWF-01, gives participating dealers remote diagnostics once a homeowner consents. Paired with Carrier's Performance 27VPA9 heat pump it manages up to 21 stages. Universal Electronics' connected home sales rose to $33.8 million in its third quarter.
Carrier and Universal Electronics Inc. introduced a jointly developed smart thermostat on Nov. 9 that lets participating dealers watch system health and troubleshoot remotely, provided the homeowner opts in. The Carrier Smart Thermostat featuring InteliSense technology, model TSTATCCIEWF-01, combines Universal Electronics' wireless hardware, embedded software and commissioning tools with Carrier equipment control, and the companies said they designed and validated it together. The release gave no price or ship date.
"The Carrier Smart Thermostat featuring InteliSense technology gives dealers greater insight into system performance while helping homeowners stay connected to their comfort systems," said Tyler Oehlman, associate director of product management at Carrier.
Twenty-One Stages on One Heat Pump
The staging feature is tied to a single outdoor unit. With Carrier's Performance 27VPA9 variable-speed heat pump, a patent-pending function called ComfortAdjust manages up to 21 adaptive stages of heating and cooling for comfort and humidity control. Carrier's product page for that heat pump, sold as the Performance 19, lists up to 19 SEER2, 14 EER2 and 10 HSPF2 on Puron Advance refrigerant, and tells buyers to pair it with an InteliSense-enabled thermostat, naming this model, to get the diagnostic features.
Other functions in the release are broader. A SmartSave engine adjusts equipment operation during utility peak-demand periods, homeowners control the system through the Carrier SmartHome app on iOS and Android with links to third-party smart-home platforms, and software updates arrive over the air. Installers get guided digital commissioning and simplified smart-home pairing. The companies described the design as a foundation for connected controls across Carrier's family of brands, though the launch itself carries only the Carrier name.
A Supplier With a Thermostat Ramp
Universal Electronics, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., is better known for universal remotes, and it lists both Carrier and Daikin among its customers. Its third-quarter net sales were $89.4 million, down from $90.6 million a year earlier, while connected home sales grew to $33.8 million from $29.8 million. On the company's earnings call, according to an automated transcript, Chief Executive Wade Jenke said HVAC revenue rose 19 percent and that "our Smart Thermostat program began shipping to a major HVAC OEM and is now ramping," with demand above that customer's initial requirements.
"Our strategic collaboration with Carrier pairs UEI's expertise in wireless control, multi-stage hardware architecture, and smart-home software with Carrier's world-class HVAC systems," said Hrag G. Ohannessian, senior vice president of global sales for connected home at Universal Electronics.
Why This Matters to Contractors
The 27VPA9 that unlocks the 21-stage feature already ties its consumer warranty to a 90-day registration window, with a choice of 10 years parts only or 5 years parts plus 3 years labor, and a 5-year term if the homeowner misses it. The diagnostic consent adds a second homeowner sign-up to that same startup visit, and for a dealer the remote visibility exists on a given install only if both happen before the truck leaves.
Sources
- Universal Electronics Inc. and Carrier, "Universal Electronics and Carrier Introduce Smart Thermostat Featuring InteliSense Technology to Advance Comfort and Service," Business Wire, Nov. 9, 2026 (FT.com mirror). markets.ft.com
- Carrier, "Performance 19 Heat Pump with InteliSense Technology, 27VPA9," product page. carrier.com
- Universal Electronics Inc., third quarter 2026 results, Form 8-K Exhibit 99, Nov. 5, 2026. sec.gov
- Universal Electronics Inc., Q3 2026 earnings call transcript (auto-generated), TradingKey, Nov. 6, 2026. tradingkey.com