LPWire: Orange SA and WDIG Sign European Content Distribution Agreement
Orange SA and Walt Disney Internet Group Sign European Content Distribution Agreement; Entertainment Content for Orange Customers across Europe
-- Over 15 million Orange customers to gain access to service
-- Wide range of content featuring favourite Disney characters
-- Available on a wide range of handsets and operating systems
Orange SA and Walt Disney Internet Group today announced a European content distribution agreement, giving Orange customers access to their favourite Disney characters via their Orange phone. The service will be available to Orange customers in the U.K., as well as in Belgium (Mobistar) and Portugal (Optimus).
Customers will be able to purchase Disney Mobile content, including logos, ring tones, wallpaper screens, and games. The content will be based on Disney's line-up of classic characters, including Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, as well as on characters from modern Disney classics such as "Beauty & the Beast" and "The Lion King," and more recent blockbusters such as "Monsters Inc." and "Lilo & Stitch." The service has been built around an intelligent menu structure, allowing customers to search by film, character, or service (such as picture, text, or animation), delivering an intuitive customer experience.
The service will also allow Orange to offer its customers content and competitions relating to Disney films. For example, in the U.K., Orange customers will be able to access entertainment information on Disney's latest release, "Jungle Book 2." Content includes reviews, interviews with the voice actors, and a behind-the-scenes look at the film.
Richard Brennan, executive vice-president of OrangeWorld, the department responsible for driving data services across the Orange Group, said: "Orange and Disney have been working closely together to develop this service for Orange customers. Together, we've married the best of mobile technology with Disney's imagination and classic cartoon characters, allowing Orange customers to have fun, play, and share on their phones."
Brennan added: "Today's announcement with Disney is the first plank of a wider entertainment selection that we intend to offer our customers. Over the next few months we will be announcing a diverse range of content to meet the needs of our equally diverse customer base. At Orange, we are committed to striking the best deals to bring the most compelling services to our customers."
Mark Handler, executive vice president and managing director, International, Walt Disney Internet Group, said: "We're pleased to work with a market innovator such as Orange to bring this content to its European customers. Its handsets and services open up many creative opportunities for Disney's mobile entertainment content. We are seeing demand all over the world for advanced applications."
Handler added: "We are continually expanding our mobile content distribution footprint in Europe. A relationship with Orange, a major European player, provides significant additional coverage."
About Walt Disney Internet Group
Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) provides strategic leadership and operational management for The Walt Disney Company's 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 Orange
Orange and wirefree are trade marks of Orange PCS. The Orange group is one of the world's largest mobile communications companies, with operations in 19 countries across Europe and beyond. It provides a broad range of personal communications services, including Orange GSM1800 services and other digital cellular telephone services. The Orange brand operates in the U.K., France, Switzerland, Romania, Denmark, Slovakia, Thailand, the Ivory Coast, the Dominican Republic, Cameroon, the Netherlands, and Botswana. The Orange group also has controlled operations in Belgium (Mobistar) and Madagascar (SMM) and intends to launch Orange UMTS operations in Luxembourg. The Orange group has a joint controlling interest in Egypt (MobiNil) and minority interests in Portugal (Optimus), Austria (Connect Austria) and Mumbai/India (BPL Mobile). As at the end of December 2002, Orange was the largest mobile operator in both the U.K., with 13.3 million active customers, and France, with 18.8 million active customers. Orange- controlled companies have 44.4 million customers worldwide. Further information about Orange can be found on the Orange website at http://www.orange.com.
Orange provides mobile telecommunications services in Belgium through its subsidiary Mobistar, and in Portugal through its minority shareholding in Optimus.
--Posted May 1, 2003
Source: Orange Media Centre, Walt Disney Internet Group