LPWire: Disney Wireless in Italy

Walt Disney Internet Group and TIM Enter Into Content Distribution Agreement

Walt Disney Internet Group and TIM have entered into a content arrangement that will bring Disney Mobile branded wireless content to Italian consumers. As part of the agreement, TIM will be the first distributor in Italy for a range of Disney's wireless content.

The Disney Mobile content offering to TIM customers is a complete line of products including ring tones, logos, screensavers, wallpapers, picture messages and games. It will be based on Disney's lineup of classic characters, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck, as well as on characters from modern classics such as "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Lion King," and more recent blockbusters such as "Monsters & Co." and "Lilo & Stitch." The content will be regularly updated to include characters from future Disney movie releases.

The Disney Mobile service can be accessed through the i-tim Web and WAP portals. On the i-tim web-site (www.i-tim.it) TIM has created an area entirely dedicated to Disney, providing a special experience that takes the consumer through previews of all the content available.

TIM and Disney are pioneering partners at the forefront of MMS technology (Multimedia Messaging Service). The combination of moving characters, music and personalized messaging that MMS enables brings the Disney magic to life on a phone's display. This sets a new standard in Europe for wireless multimedia entertainment.

With this launch TIM and Disney are giving a powerful demonstration of their common commitment to new communication technologies. Over time Disney's content offering on the TIM network will be expanded to take advantage of the opportunities arising from Java and video-streaming applications.

"We're pleased to work with a market innovator such as TIM to bring this content to Italian mobile subscribers," said Mark Handler, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, International, Walt Disney Internet Group. "Mobile devices allow us to bring the magic of Disney to consumers where and whenever they want it."

"In providing the best and most exciting mobile services to our more than 24 million mobile customers, we are proud to work with the Walt Disney Internet Group to make available Disney content via TIM M-services," said Roberto Vannini, Executive Vice-President of VAS & Business Development at TIM. "The extremely high-quality standard of the Disney content is matched by the very advanced technological solutions of TIM's M-services, so that the Disney Magic can be experienced over a mobile phone."

Mr. Vannini added, "We have great faith in the potential of this relationship. We are very excited about the imminent TIM-Disney tour that we will be doing to 30 major Italian cities. Playful multimedia stands shall be placed in the largest shopping malls and central stations to entertain visitors of all ages with the highlights of our new wireless services."

About Walt Disney Internet Group

Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) provides strategic leadership and operational management for The Walt Disney Company's (NYSE:DIS) Internet properties including category leaders Disney.com, ESPN.com and ABCNEWS.com. WDIG has led the way in developing new forms of interactive content, such as its Enhanced TV service which showcases the convergence of video and interactive programming, and is a market leader in developing and distributing entertainment and informational content to new platforms. Through relationships with some of the world's largest wireless carriers, WDIG distributes content and services to wireless users under the Disney, ESPN and ABC brands. Steve Wadsworth is president of WDIG, which is headquartered in North Hollywood and has operations in Seattle, New York, Orlando, Tokyo and London.

About TIM

TIM is the leading mobile operator in Italy with 24.2 million lines in Italy and 36.4 million in the world (at 30th June 2002). It was the first operator in the world to launch M-Services and the first in Italy to introduce MMS (Mobile Multimedia Services), in line with its innovation in the mobile radio market for the development of value-added services.

--Posted December 18, 2002
Source: Walt Disney Internet Group