FAST services are growing fast

Free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) penetration among US households has more than doubled year-over-year, according to a new report from Comcast.

Why it matters

For viewers, FAST services offer a TV-like viewing experience without the costs or logins required for linear TV or paid streaming. For advertisers, they are becoming a valuable way to reach audiences – especially cord cutters. 

While FAST services do not replace linear TV or other streaming advertising, they can act as a valuable complement. “The strongest media plans combine FAST and streaming with traditional TV in order to maximize reach and efficiency,” says James Rooke, President, Comcast Advertising.

Takeaways

• Six out of ten households who have connected TVs are using FAST services exclusively or in addition to other services.
• Seventy percent of users of FAST provider XUMO (owned by Comcast) are cord cutters and rely on XUMO as a complement to subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) services.
• The average XUMO user spends about 104 minutes within the platform once they have entered. 

FAST facts

FAST is technically an OTT option, similar to AVOD, but what makes it unique is the ability to stream both linear channels and on-demand content: linear streaming channels are created using specific technology that stitches video on demand together to create the linear playout. Many consumers may be landing on FAST channels without even realizing it, as many are programmed directly into the channel guide by TV manufacturers. 

Sourced from Comcast