Disney Mobile has decided to end its branded cell phone service by the end of this year. They claim that although parents liked the concept, large retailers were hesitant to feature them in their stores. No further phones will be available for sale now but the company promises to service the handsets until December. In the future, Disney will be offering its services, such as its tracking capability, to other mobile phone carriers.

This is the second time that Disney has overstreched with bad results, the first being the dropping of their ESPN-branded cell phone service about a year ago. In fact we wondered then whether this move would cover their losses. Disney Mobile will be handing out reimbursements for those with the units as well as accessories, so contact their site if you have questions or want to transfer your number.