In a victory for couch potatoes nationwide, Sprint Nextel
Subscribers of Sprint Nextel's new service can get ABC content on demand, or via three channels that stream scheduled programming daily, for a fee of $15 to $20 per month. The deal covers the best of what Disney has to offer, including video content from ABC Entertainment, ABC News, and Disney Channel. In a joint announcement, the companies noted that on-demand shows will be available the day after their television premiere, and some of the media content will include advertising.
The programming will be carried over Sprint Nextel's next-generation wireless network, which is capable of streaming video at high bandwidth and low latency. Competitor Verizon
The deal may provide a much-needed lifeline to Sprint Nextel as well, since the carrier has recently struggled to retain subscribers. It provides yet another way to monetize Disney and Sprint Nextel's core products and service. For instance, in Disney's recent first-quarter conference call, the company noted that it has sold around 23.7 million TV episodes and 2 million movies in the Apple
Thanks to Sprint Nextel and Disney-ABC, Americans no longer have to dig through cushions for the remote to catch the latest episode of Ugly Betty -- they can remain seated, and simply flip open their phones.
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As a season-pass holder to Disneyland, Fool contributor Dave Mock is on a first name basis with Mickey, Goofy and all the princesses, of course. He owns shares of Qualcomm and is the author of The Qualcomm Equation. The Fool's disclosure policy is as certain as death and taxes.