According to the current rumors Walt Disney Co (number 2 U.S. entertainment company) is planning on launching mobile phone service in Japan next spring. They plan on offering customers animated content for their phones and aims to acquire 1 million users by targeting families with an offer of handsets and downloads featuring Disney characters. Disney plans on partnering with Japan's No. 3 mobile phone carrier Softbank Corp's network and the two would jointly develop handsets for the consumers. Apparently the tie-up will secure Softbank stable revenues from leasing unused frequencies. But Disney's entrance into Japan as a mobile virtual network operator is likely to trigger further competition in a saturated mobile market.

Disney would be the first company to launch mobile phone service in Japan using another firm's network.

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