According to a summary of aggregated viewing data associated with Comcast's (NASDAQ:CMCSA) Xfinity on Campus video service, live TV is the preferred method of viewing for college students, followed by video on demand (VOD), and then DVR. Students also prefer viewing on laptops over mobile devices and in particular during primetime on Thursday and Sunday. The service, which includes access to live and on-demand programming anywhere on campus has doubled in size in two years and is now available at more than 130 schools nationwide, with recent additions like Boston College, The University of Alabama in Huntsville and University of California Santa Cruz.
"Tens of thousands of students use Xfinity on Campus every day to watch TV, and that's enabled us to identify some interesting viewing trends, like the significant portion of live programming college students are watching, including sports, scripted drama and reality TV," said Mike Gatzke, vice president, Video Subscription Services, Comcast Cable. "Xfinity on Campus is helping us learn a lot about what, how and when students watch, and ultimately enabling us to further enhance and improve our service to offer them the best entertainment experience across devices, anywhere on campus."
The data was compiled from January through June 2018 and indicated:
- Live TV Matters: 44% of total video consumption was live, followed by VOD at 37% and DVR at 19%.
- TGISunday and TGIThursdays: Students spend the most time watching TV on Sundays and Thursdays, while spending the least amount on Saturdays. And 7-9 p.m. is still the most popular viewing time across all days of the week.
- Biggest Screen Wins: Even without TVs, students still revert to the biggest screen available; twice as much consumption happens on computers and laptops as mobile devices.
- Sports Reign: Live sports dominated the top 10 most-watched programs, fueled by the NBA and NFL playoffs, the Winter Olympics, Super Bowl, and the NCAA basketball tournament.
Xfinity On Campus is included with room and board for students living in on-campus housing at more than 130 schools, including the latest additions of Amherst College, Augsburg University, Boston College, Clark Atlanta University, Concordia University, Indiana University South Bend, Oakland University, Robert Morris University, St. Thomas University, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, University of California Santa Cruz, Wayne State University and William Carey University.
In other Comcast news, Xfinity Mobile will offer Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) latest products starting on Sept. 21, including iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, as well as iPhone XR. Customers will be able to pre-order iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max beginning Sept. 14 and iPhone XR beginning Oct. 19.