News Corp. and its majority-owned DirecTV business are reportedly embarking on an ambitious plan to set up a nationwide WiMAX network in the U.S. through strategic partners. And one likely scenario involves Clearwire, Craig McCaw's wireless broadband company that recently raked in $900 million from Intel and Motorola to deploy WiMAX nationwide. Sources say News Corp. and DirecTV are in advanced talks with Clearwire for a project that could take at least two years and $2 billion to provide News Corp. and DirecTV with a valuable wireless interactive broadband loop the companies can use to sell content, goods, advertising and services directly to consumers. Talk about a significantly better business case for WiMAX and for Clearwire, which is positioning itself as just another broadband service provider. With its valuable MySpace property, News Corp. has been rumored for some time to be interested in WiMAX, with some thinking it might build its own network or bid in the upcoming advanced wireless services auction.
To read more about News Corp.'s WiMAX interests:
- check out this report [1] from The Hollywood Reporter
Links:
[1] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr/columns/mermigas.jsp