TOKYO — Seven mobile phone operators are forming an industry organization to create a 4G mobile phone network standard that would complement the work of existing standards groups.
The initiative called Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) was founded by KPN Mobile, Orange, Sprint Nextel Corp., T-Mobile International and Vodafone. China Mobile and NTT Docomo Inc. have also joined.
The initiative plans to establish a nonprofit company in the U.K. by the end of July that would develop an integrated network for fourth-generation mobile phones, enabling operators to provide network services. It is targeting 2010 for delivering commercial services.
The group, tentatively named NGMN Ltd., will submit requests for functionality and performance to standardization bodies so that 4G mobile standards reflect its recommendations.
