A new Univision Mobile wireless service will launch in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) across the U.S. and Puerto Rico on May 19th. Latin American Television giant Univision and T-Mobile released a statement announcing the launch of Univision Mobile on Thursday, May 15th. Univision Mobile wireless service has specific plans to target the Hispanic market and includes Univision content. Univision is looking to expand its entertainment brand into mobile, while the deal could help T-Mobile US Inc (NYSE:TMUS) gain a bigger share of the increasingly sought-after Hispanic consumer market.
Entertainment brands have tried wireless before
This is not the firs time entertainment brands have forayed into the wireless business, both ESPN and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) have made failed efforts become wireless service providers. However, both ESPN and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) structured their efforts so as to become a reseller, or mobile virtual network operator, where they would deal with all of the business related to being a wireless provider.
On the other hand, Univision and T-Mobile US Inc (NYSE:TMUS) are partnering together, which would allow Univision to concentrate on promoting and branding while T-Mobile handles customer support, billing and other logistical issues.
Customers will receive Univision ringtones and wallpapers, will be allowed a sneak peak at Univision shows, and also enjoy a Univision Mobile portal with news, sports, and entertainment and access to a variety of apps.
Univision – T-Mobile partnership focused on Hispanic market
As part of the deal, Univision will offer exclusive content including access to Rodner Figueroa’s “fashionómetro,” showcasing Hispanic celebrities on the red carpet, as well as personalized horoscopes given by young clairvoyant Victor Florencio, El niño prodigio.
Furthermore, the new wireless service is truly focused on the Hispanic market. Univision’s plans target Hispanic customers with families overseas, and include 100 minutes for a mobile or landline number from the U.S .to Mexico, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. Like most T-Mobile US Inc (NYSE:TMUS) plans, all the Univision Mobile plans include unlimited text messaging from the U.S. to most Latin American countries and more than 200 countries across the globe.
Plans also include an option to pay an extra $10 monthly for unlimited calls to landlines as well as 1,000 anytime mobile-to-mobile minutes to Mexico.
Univisino Mobile’s plans start at $30 a month for basic voice calls and text message plans. Mid-range plans with 2.5 gigabytes of 3G data run $45 a month, while a plan that with 2.5GB of 4G data costs you $55 monthly.
