The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG), which has received both critical
and customer acclaim for its Disney-branded mobile phone offering, will
cease operations of its U.S.-based mobile virtual network (MVNO) phone
service later this year and will instead explore a new business model
for its content and services that might include offering its popular
Family Center product through a partnership with a major U.S. carrier.
The Family Center suite allows users the ability to display the location
of a child’s handset on a map, to limit when
and how the child’s phone is used, and to set
limits on expenditures in terms of voice and data.
“It’s been clear
since we launched the MVNO that we were offering something both unique
and useful for families that wanted to provide their kids with a mobile
phone with suitable content and features while retaining a measure of
control on how and when it would be used,”
said Steve Wadsworth, president of the Walt Disney Internet Group. “Our
feedback from customers and critics from the beginning has been that we
exceeded the mark in that respect. However, the MVNO model has proven,
as we’ve seen with other companies this past
year, to be a difficult proposition in the hyper-competitive U.S. mobile
phone market. In assessing our business model, we decided that changing
strategies was a better alternative to pursue profitable growth in the
mobile services area.”
WDIG, a worldwide leader in the mobile content business, is exploring
opportunities with major U.S. carriers with regard to a new business
model for the Family Center features.
Current Disney MVNO customers will continue to receive service and
support until Dec. 31, 2007. Customers who have questions should see www.DisneyMobile.com
or call Guest Services at 1-866-DISNEY2 for more information.
Disney will offer a reimbursement program for eligible customers.
Additional details surrounding the reimbursement program will be
available on the aforementioned Web site no later than Oct. 8, 2007.
About the Walt Disney Internet Group
The Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) offers a compelling mix of
interactive entertainment and informational content and services for
Internet and mobile devices for audiences around the world. WDIG is both
a developer of unique new media experiences specifically designed for
Internet and mobile media and a developer of new platforms for
distributing content selected from broad, existing entertainment
divisions and libraries of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS). With a
portfolio of products and services designed with quality and guest
safety in mind, WDIG’s integration of Disney’s
unmatched breadth of content with a best-practices approach to Internet
and mobile technology drives multiple revenue streams from premium
content offerings, advertising and e-commerce. WDIG’s
suite of properties includes Disney.com, Family.com, Movies.com and
mDisney mobile entertainment. WDIG is an industry leader in online
virtual worlds for kids and families, with offerings including Club
Penguin, Disney’s Toontown Online and the
upcoming Pirates of the Caribbean Online and Disney Fairies.
WDIG, which is headquartered in North Hollywood, Calif., has operations
in Asia-Pacific, Europe and across the Americas.
Forward-looking Statements
Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking
statements” within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are made on
the basis of our views and assumptions regarding future events and
business performance as of the time the statements are made and we do
not undertake any obligation to update these statements. Actual events
may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences
may result from actions taken by the Company, as well as from
developments beyond the Company’s control,
including international, political, health concern and military
developments and changes in domestic and global economic conditions that
may affect retail businesses generally. Additional factors are set forth
in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended September 30, 2006 and in subsequent reports on Form
10-Q under Item 1A “Risk Factors.”