Using Sprint's established network, in the same way as Virgin Mobile uses T-Mobile's network in the UK, Disney Mobile will handle marketing, billing, customer relations and product development.
Disney's sports unit ESPN launched a service using Sprint last year. The new service, and exclusive phones and entertainment content, will be aimed at families with children aged from 11 to 14 years old, and possibly younger, according to reports.
Content will be based on famous Disney characters and films including Cinderella, Buzz Lightyear, 'Finding Nemo' and Winnie the Pooh.
Sprint already carries Virgin Mobile USA's calls and this type of partnership arrangement, labelled a "virtual mobile network", accounts for 4m of its 26m subscribers.
Disney Mobile is a unit within the Walt Disney Internet Group, which runs Disney.com. WDIG president Steve Wadsworth said: "We'll be in investment mode for the next several years, but expect that over the long run this initiative will generate solid financial returns."
Tim Kelly, president of Sprint Consumer Solutions, said: "Combining Disney's family-friendly content and applications within the Sprint Nationwide PCS Network will help spur consumer demand for data services."
Disney first got into mobile in 2000 when it provided content for NTT DoCoMo in Japan.
In the UK, Disney sells ringtones and wallpapers via its disneymobile.co.uk site. It also launched a digital radio station in 2002 in partnership with Capital, called Capital Disney, available in some DAB areas and on Sky, NTL and Telewest.
Virgin Mobile recently announced plans to become the first UK virtual mobile operator to sell its own branded handsets.
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