Disney introduced a wireless phone service designed for children but with parents' concerns in mind. The new service would allow parents to control how their children used their mobile phones and even pinpoint their location through a built-in global positioning system.

Photo: Disney Offers Wireless Service Photo 2

Disney Mobile is the first national wireless phone service specifically designed for families, hoping to target what is a niche but rapidly expanding market of mobile phone using children between 10 and 15 years old.

Unlike traditional family plans that focus on shared minutes, Disney Mobile will offer a comprehensive, family-tailored service. It will provide customizable tools to balance kids cell phone use with controls that allow parents to manage family phone use and help teach kids responsible use.

At the core of Disney Mobile's family plans are the Family Center features, which allow parents to:

- Set spending allowances and track usage for voice minutes, text messaging, picture messaging and downloadable content

- Determine the hours of the day and days of the week when kids can use their phones

- Program restricted and always-on phone numbers to manage with whom kids may communicate

- Prioritize important family messages

- Locate kids' phones with GPS capabilities

Parents' phones will be configured with additional, exclusive functionality for managing the family's mobile experience, which may also be accessed via the Disney Mobile website.

The centerpiece of the Disney Mobile experience is the innovative Family Center features, which are accessible on Disney Mobile phones and online. Its features include:

Family Monitor

Disney Mobile's Family Monitor feature can help make surprise cell phone bills a thing of the past by giving parents the unique ability to manage their kids' cell phone use real-time. A parent can set monthly allowances for each kid for key aspects of cell phone use, including voice minutes, text and picture messages, and downloadable content such as ringtones, wallpapers and background themes. Summary usage for the entire family and each kid's individual usage can be tracked, and once a monthly allowance is reached, both the parent and the kid receive an alert on their phone. The parent can then decide whether to increase the allowance or restrict the phone's functionality through Call Control. The Family Monitor feature is accessible through Disney Mobile phones and the web.

Call Control

Disney Mobile's Call Control feature allows parents to use an online tool to designate when kids can use their cell phones, as well as who they can and cannot call. Parents can choose the day of week or even the time of day they will allow their kids to use their phones, eliminating use at inappropriate times such as during school hours or late at night. Call Control also gives parents the flexibility of programming "Always On" and prohibited numbers for added peace of mind. Even when phone use is restricted, kids will be able to communicate with family members on the same Disney Mobile family plan and "Always On" numbers and make emergency calls to 911.

Family Locator

The Family Locator feature allows parents to locate their kids' phones using advanced Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. Parents can access the Family Locator feature from their phones or from www.disneymobile.com by entering a PIN which each parent personally selects. Once access is authorized, parents can locate their kid's phone by selecting "locate" through the feature. When the phone's location has been found, the location, a map of the location, and an indication of accuracy appear.

Parents can use this feature at those times when it is inconvenient to call or when they know the child will be unable to answer their phone- such as during school hours or sports practices.

Family Alert!

Family Alert! allows family members on the same Disney Mobile family plan to send each other prioritized messages so the messages are unlikely to be missed. Family Alert! messages prominently appear on the handset screen whenever the phone is idle, causing family members to acknowledge messages before using the phone for other services. For instance, at the end of a school day, parents can send a quick alert about a change of plans that will appear as soon as kids open their phones. Family Alerts can either be sent to an individual family member or all family members concurrently.

Disney Mobile will operate as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) utilizing the Sprint Nationwide PCS Network. Handset pricing will start at $59.99 when purchased with a two-year service agreement. Disney Mobile service will be available to consumers, beginning in June.

- Disney Offers Wireless Service Photo 1
- Disney Offers Wireless Service Photo 2

1. Posted by GSMDude	Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:48 am
Why didn't they put Disney characters on the phone? The phones are UGLY! You would think Disney Mobile would have Disney cartoons on the front!
2. Posted by mgoblue	Fri Apr 14, 2006 11:13 pm
yeah you'd think the phones would be cuter... but they're just plain ugly!
3. Posted by yellowrosex3	Thu Apr 27, 2006 6:39 pm
yeah i def agree....i mean they could have atleast put like mickey mouse on them or like the princess's for the girls
4. Posted by mgoblue	Mon May 22, 2006 2:11 pm
at least it has some nifty features to keep the kids safe.

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