You should be good to go. 987 "unpairs" the remote from the cable box. It then acts like any other IR remote.
And yes, it's radio frequency range is not enough if you have the cable box down the hall in a closet or on another floor of the house. It has to be reasonably close to the room you are in with the remote.
There is no truth anymore. Only assertions. The internet world has no interest in truth, only vindication for preconceived assumptions.