Disney Tries Again: Launches MVNO With Softbank In Japan

Following two failed MVNOs in the US, Disney (NYSE: DIS) has gone to Japan, where on Saturday, it launched an MVNO--Disney Mobile--with Softbank, the country's third largest operator. AFP reports that three Disney branded mobiles from Sharp—all covered with the silhouetted patterns of Mickey Mouse, were released for the launch. The handsets let users jump directly to Disney websites, while Disney content, such as its characters can be used on standby screens and to placed in emails for free. Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun said that the service is being targeted at girls and young women, with pictograms and ring alerts designed especially for them. 

Ovum wonders if Disney is "jumping head first into yet another potentially costly blunder," noting that the company not only had two failed MVNOs in the US, but also abandoned its plans to launch one in the UK two years ago. So what's different in Japan? The technology research and analysis firm notes that this time around, the MVNO is a joint venture, with Softbank sharing the burden, as well as handling the back-end operations, customer services and sales, leaving Disney to concentrate on marketing and branding. Plus, mobile data usage is already high in Japan, unlike the UK and US where it's still developing—which is why, apparently, the target is women in their 20's and 30's, rather than families as was the case in the US. But while these are plusses, Ovum says its "skeptical" and doubts whether Disney's content and branded handsets will be enough for it to make the venture viable.

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