New Direct Carrier Billing Distribution Makes Leading Learning Apps More Accessible to Millions of Families in the UK, Netherlands, Germany and UAE
London, 26 February 2026 – Sandbox Group, the global leader in learning-focused entertainment, announced a significant international expansion of its partnership with Wister, a leading operator-trusted provider of mobile services and digital content, specialized in compliant Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) user acquisition.
This expansion will bring Sandbox’s flagship apps, Focus and PlayKids+, to millions of new users across the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates, in February 2026.
This multi-territory, multi-product launch follows the highly successful partnership in France and reflects the strong results and exceeded expectations that have made this expansion a natural next step.
The rollout is tailored to each market:
- Focus, the cognitive training app for teens and adults with a global community of over 2.5 million users, will launch in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany with localised versions of the app.
- PlayKids+, the award-winning edutainment app for children, with over 2million users, will launch in the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, featuring localised Arabic and English content.
Users in these territories will be able to access the apps seamlessly through their mobile carriers, including EE, O2, Vodafone, and Three in the UK; KPN, T-Mobile, and Vodafone in the Netherlands; O2 and Vodafone in Germany; and Etisalat and Du in the UAE.
Olivier Lambolez, Chief Commercial Officer at Wister, says: “Building on the success of our launch in France, we are expanding our partnership with Sandbox Group into new strategic markets. By integrating Focus and PlayKids+ directly into the billing systems of leading telecom operators, we are making access to top-tier apps easier than ever. Millions of families, and adults can now enjoy innovative solutions that support cognitive wellness and promote childhood development, quickly and with complete confidence.”
Bernarda Duarte, VP Global Partnerships of Sandbox Group, says: “Our mission is to meet users where they are with meaningful content. While our apps are already beloved in these territories, partnering with Wister to integrate with leading telcos dramatically increases accessibility. This collaboration allows us to offer a holistic family solution; adults and teens can use Focus for mental agility while providing younger children with the safe, educational world of PlayKids+. It’s a powerful step in making lifelong learning effortlessly available to all.”
This international expansion is a direct result of the robust performance of the existing partnership between Sandbox Group and Wister. Building on this proven success provides a powerful foundation for future growth and marks a significant strategic milestone for both organizations in their shared mission to deliver valuable learning tools to a global audience.
For logo & images click HERE
For more information please contact:
Agnes Lesti: Comms and Partnerships Manager at Sandbox agnes.lesti@sbxgroup.com
About Sandbox Group:
https://sbxgroup.com
Sandbox Group is the global entertainment and learning company offering a seamless ecosystem where digital and physical experiences enrich each other, paving the way for innovation, growth, and a deeper impact on our young audience’s lives. Sandbox Group’s brands include PlayKids+, the first edutainment app that grows with the kids, Focus, cognitive training app for over 40s, CoolMath Games our hugely popular gaming platform — brings puzzles, strategy, skill-based games and logic games to teens and adults, and Leiturinha, Brazil’s No1. kids book subscription service. Sandbox partners with 20+ leading Telcos, PayTV and streaming players globally including T-Mobile US, Amazon, TIM, Roku, Samsung, Claro Brazil, Orange France, Vodafone UK, United Media and more.
About PlayKids+:
https://playkids.com/en
PlayKids+ is Sandbox Group’s flagship edutainment app for children aged 0–8. Loved by over 2 million families worldwide, it offers more than 5,000 videos, songs, games and books in multiple languages. Created with education experts, the platform promotes holistic development while ensuring a safe, screen-time-positive environment for kids.
About Focus:
https://focustrainyourbrain.com/
Focus is a cutting-edge cognitive training app designed for adults and teens, offering personalized brain training lessons, daily exercises and games scientifically designed to stimulate key cognitive functions such as memory, concentration and problem-solving. With its adaptive difficulty and engaging interface, Focus provides a challenging yet accessible way for users to maintain and improve their mental agility, supporting long-term brain health and everyday mental performance.
About Wister:
https://wister.fr/
Wister is a leading operator-trusted provider of mobile services and digital content, specialized in Direct Carrier Billing (DCB) user acquisition. Since 2003, Wister has been delivering innovative products and solutions that enable users to easily discover and enjoy premium digital content on their smartphones. Operating across Europe, Africa, and the MENA region, Wister distributes high-quality educational, audiovisual, sports, and gaming content to millions of users through secure carrier billing systems. With a strong focus on performance, compliance, and long-term partnerships, Wister supports content providers and mobile operators in scaling sustainable digital services.
Press Contact :
Lydia Berkani: Head of Communications at Wister Lydia.berkani@wister.fr