Investor's Business Daily: A Mickey Mouse Cell Phone Service Might Not Be Goofy Idea

[Sydney]

Fast starts in the U.S. wireless service field by Virgin Mobile USA and Boost Mobile have sparked speculation that others - most notably Walt Disney Co. - could enter the market.

Virgin has signed more than 1 million subscribers in 18 months, while Boost has nabbed more than 250,000 in just two states, California and Nevada, in 15 months.

They've both targeted young mobile phone users, a market that's a Disney strength. Virgin Mobile's partners include music channel MTV, which among other things provides news alerts to Virgin Mobile subscribers. Boost focuses on youth-oriented sports events.

Disney - parent of Mickey Mouse, ABC, the ESPN sports network and movie studios - has cross-marketing pacts with wireless carriers in the U.S. and Japan. Just this month at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, a Disney executive said the company is investigating the idea of offering wireless service.

"Yes, we are looking into it," said Steve Wadsworth, president of Walt Disney Internet Group, during a CES panel discussion. "This particular business is a very difficult and complicated business to get into. So we're being very diligent in our review of its potential for both the Disney and ESPN brands."

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