MOUSE ROARS

When ESPN, the sports entertainment juggernaut owned by Disney, confirmed earlier this year that it would launch a wireless MVNO, there was some speculation that the service might be a trial balloon of sorts for a much broader Disney MVNO. While ESPN still hasn't launched that MVNO, Disney is moving ahead with its own plans for an MVNO that will target families, pre-teens and other Disney-philes. To date, Disney has been one of the last remaining puzzle pieces in the MVNO market. There will certainly be other companies from other industries to launch wireless MVNOs, but some industry observers have been hesitant to see MVNOs as more than a business fad until a conglomerate like Disney attached itself to the space. The Disney MVNO doesn't plan to launch until next year, and despite the power of its brand name and its existing relationship with its target market, we can't crown it Lion King of MVNOs just yet. The youth market that Disney will be at least partially targeting is a very competitive one. But, Disney is no Cinderella either: In announcing its MVNO plans, Disney also named a new executive team focusing on mobile. This team includes at least two wireless veterans — Rod Egdorf, formerly of Sprint PCS and McCaw Cellular, and Sunir Kochhar, who had been with mobile messaging vendor Iris Wireless. Would your rather bet on them, or on Goofy?