Comcast doesn't want to lose Internet-savvy college kids as potential cable customers. The cable provider has devised a new package deal to keep them from cutting the cord for good.
XFinity On Campus will allow students at seven universities to stream live TV and video on-demand programming on their personal laptops, smartphones and tablets while connected to campus Wi-Fi, the company announced on Aug. 21. The service will be included in the students' room and board fees.
"Xfinity on Campus lets students watch TV on their own terms," said Marcien Jenckes, Executive Vice President of Consumer Services for Comcast Cable. "With this younger generation, more and more viewing is happening away from the traditional TV set and we have evolved our products and services to better engage with them."
Students at Bridgewater College, Drexel University, Emerson College, Lasell College and the University of Delaware will have access to the service this fall. Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of New Hampshire will also test the program this fall.
"Xfinity On Campus is a leap into the future, leveraging Drexel's campus network to provide media content to our residential students at any time and any place," John A. Bielec, Drexel's Vice President and Chief Information Officer, told Comcast. "It's a perfect fit for today's student mobile lifestyle."
The service offers approximately 80 live cable channels and includes every major network. Students can also access multiple seasons of shows using Xfinity On Demand and watch online programming off-campus by signing in with their university log-ins.
Comcast found that almost half of younger millennials (ages 17-24) watch TV programming not on a standard television. They were also three times more likely to watch TV online than non-millennials. Millennial viewers cited immediate access, watching multiple episodes, and viewing anytime and anywhere as top reasons for online video.
"Whether it's 'Game of Thrones,' 'Scandal,' or 'The Daily Show,' Xfinity On Campus offers all of the content they want - anytime, anywhere, on any device," Jenckes said.
