Comcast is looking at a new way to bundle TV options - an 80-channel package of Internet-based networks for free to college students.
Xfinity on Campus is powered by Comcast's X1 Entertainment Operating System. It's designed to introduce younger people, who are more likely to stream web content, to Comcast's TV services so that they'll want to subscribe once they leave school.
"Xfinity on Campus lets students watch TV on their own terms," said Marcien Jenckes, executive vice president of consumer services at Comcast. "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 them."
The service is being tested at five different universities, and comes free with the price of room and board.
The universities include Bridgewater College, Drexel University, Emerson College, Lasell College, and the University of Delaware. Two other schools - the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of New Hampshire - will be tested in the Fall.
The channels being offered include major networks such as AMC, Comedy Central, ESPN, FX and MTV. Students can upgrade service to include channels such as HBO and Showtime. Not only that, but students can also access thousands of current season television programs using Xfinity On Demand.
The service is being launched just as growth in the pay-TV sector plateaus. According to a report by Verizon, 13 percent of people ages 16-34 say they have no pay TV subscriptions, compared to 9 percent ages 35-64.
The number of people who watch TV online in the U.S. is expected to grow from 106 million to 145 million by 2017.
"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. It's a perfect fit for today's student mobile lifestyle," said Drexel Vice President John A. Bielec.
Xfinity on Campus is also designed to be easy to maintain, and only requires one piece of equipment to run. This is helpful for the IT department of the school. Not only that, but it also makes owning a TV optional for students who live in a dorm room.
