Verizon Wireless announced today its decision to join the work on a free Linux-based mobile operating system, called the LiMo Foundation, expected to soon compete with a rival mobile system, currently in development at Google and also other programs released by Microsoft Corp. and Qualcomm.

Kyle Malady, vice president of networks at Verizon Wireless, insisted on the fact that Verizon will still sell phones using several operating systems. "We're not adopting Linux to the exclusion of others, and will continue to support an agnostic approach, which is best for customers," Malady said, as quoted by Computerworld. 

The carrier will be the first to join the LiMo Foundation, which is an alliance set up in January 2007 by Motorola, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics and Vodafone. Their plan is to unite as many handset makers, software companies and carriers as possible on a single software platform in order to facilitate an easier, cheaper and far more productive creation of phones.

"There is now no doubt that LiMo-powered devices will comprise a significant percentage of many operators' portfolios," said Stuart Carlaw, cell-phone industry analyst at ABI Research, according to the Associated Press.

Also today, another partnership was confirmed, as SK Telecom Co. announced its plans to join the LiMo Foundation. SK Telecom is South Korea’s largest carrier and its decision is expected to convince others about the benefits of such a collaboration.

At this point, the foundation was over 40 members and many other companies are going over the details for a future possible partnership.