Disney to launch cell service in Japan

[crazy4wdw]

This announcement is shocking given the recent demise of Disney Mobile in the US.

Disney to launch cell service in Japan

Entertainment conglomerate teams up with mobile operator Softbank to offer new service.

TOKYO (AP) -- Walt Disney Co. and Softbank Corp. said Monday they would jointly offer mobile phone service in Japan from next spring as "Disney Mobile."

Softbank, Japan's No. 3 carrier, and Walt Disney's Japan unit said in a joint press release they would cooperate in areas such as new handsets, mobile content, marketing and services.

"Disney brings its strong brand and legacy of developing great entertainment with broad appeal to our mutual venture," said Masayoshi Son, Softbank chairman and CEO.

The announcement said details would be released later.

Disney is planning to lease Softbank's mobile network and use Softbank's stores to market phones and services, the Wall Street Journal reported.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I agree But DOMO or something like that has been selling Disney Licensed Phones for some time and they can't keep them in stock. So maybe a different culture is just whats needed.

I think if they took this approach here they would have done alot better. Like Nascar did with Nextel/Sprint instead of starting an entire new carrier.

 

[CanadianGuy]

I was all set to write..

"Oh this should end well...." with a cute little smiley.. maybe this one

Till I read this was in Japan...

Over there.. I think this WILL end well.

Knox

 

[scrump]

I agree, I think this will go very well over there.

 

[EUROPACL]

From another article...

But while the phones might appeal to hard-core Disney fans, children and adolescents, they are unlikely to win more than 100,000 to 200,000 subscribers - a tiny sliver of a market of 100 million mobile phone users, said Michito Kimura, a market analyst at research firm IDC Japan.

"Softbank is eyeing long-term growth from this partnership, and the question is if Disney will stick it through," Kimura said. "You need to constantly come up with new and quality content to keep users interested."

Disney took a $30 million charge last year when it shut down another phone service, Mobile ESPN, which it ran on Sprint Nextel Corp's (S.N) network.