WiMax Wireless May Directly Usher Disney Into The Living Room

(Investor’s Business Daily) – Walt Disney Co. has cast its eyes on WiMax, an emerging wireless broadband technology, as a way to deliver movies, interactive gaming and other services to homes. The Magic Kingdom's interest in WiMax comes on the heels of Disney pulling the plug on another wireless project, called MovieBeam. That project would have beamed movies on demand to homes via unused TV broadcast spectrum, but consumers would've had to buy an extra set-top box. WiMax is a long-range version of Wi-Fi, a wireless technology that lets laptop computer users connect to the Internet. Wi-Fi's available at some public locations, including many airports and Starbucks stores. WiMax, meanwhile, is being tested inside and outside the US, though there have been no commercial rollouts. Disney has been testing a WiMax network near its Burbank, Calif., headquarters. Disney has also been active in setting WiMax standards. Those standards are needed so different equipment makers can build WiMax gear that works together. It's also possible that Disney will try a MovieBeam-like trial involving WiMax technology. If Disney gets serious about WiMax, some observers speculate that it wouldn't build a WiMax network of its own, but instead would rent Sprint's WiMax network.