Residential Services will offer more than 130 channels of free TV streaming for all on-campus residents beginning Fall Quarter through a partnership Northwestern has entered with Comcast.

Students will be able to watch live TV on their computers, tablets and smartphones as part of Comcast’s new Xfinity On Campus program. NU is the first school in the Midwest to offer the service.

Residential Services has been looking for a replacement for its old streaming service since NUTV was discontinued in July 2013. During the last academic year, the department piloted both Xfinity and Hulu Plus for students living on campus.

“At the end of the day, the Xfinity product was more robust and offered more options for students,” said Paul Riel, executive director of Residential Services.

Once students arrive on campus, they will receive a link to the Xfinity On Campus site and be able to access live TV using their NetID and password.

Students will also have the option to pay for premium channels such as HBO and Showtime or a DVR service, which would allow students to record TV shows, Riel said.

“I think it’s just another way in which we are working to improve the residential experience,” Riel said. “This is just a better example of the level of service we are trying to bring to our population.”

This is the second new free service that Residential Services is offering this fall. In June, the department announced it will provide free laundry for all residents.

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