<div><div>
										
                                                
                                            
										<img title="Image: http://www.myvivvo.com/thumbnail.php?file=verizon_linux_388322182.jpg&amp;size=article_medium" src="http://www.myvivvo.com/thumbnail.php?file=verizon_linux_388322182.jpg&amp;size=article_medium" alt="Verizon Wireless joins LiMo Foundation">
										
									</div>
	</div>

							<div>
								
									<div>
										
                                                
                                            
										
										
									</div>
								
                                
								<span>NEW YORK (Reuters) - Verizon Wireless said on Wednesday it 
joined a consortium working on a Linux-based mobile operating system 
expected to rival a mobile system being developed by a group headed by 
Google Inc (GOOG.O).<br><br>The announcement that the No. 2 U.S. mobile 
service joined the LiMo Foundation follows signals last month that 
AT&amp;T Inc (T.N) would support Android, the Linux operating system 
being developed by Google and about 30 partners.<br><br>Verizon 
Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications Inc (VZ.N) and Vodafone 
Group Plc (VOD.L), said it would take a seat on the foundation's board 
and expects to sell its first phones based on the LiMo operating system 
in 2009.<br><br>"We'll start with a few simpler devices and work our way
 up," Verizon Wireless Network Vice President Kyle Malady said on a 
conference call with reporters.<br><br>Malady said that while Verizon 
would continue to support other operating systems such as that used in 
Research In Motion Ltd's (RIM.TO) BlackBerry, the LiMo system would be 
the company's operating system of choice.<br><br>Malady said the 
company, which is putting financial and personnel resources into the 
system, expects to eventually have an array of LiMo devices ranging from
 the high end to the low end. He did not say how much Verizon was 
spending on developing the LiMo system.<br><br>He said the company is 
putting its weight behind LiMo rather than Android because of LiMo's 
inclusive governing structure as well as its diverse set of members. But
 he would not rule out selling phones based on Android.<br><br>"If 
devices come along that are interesting to us and our customers we'd 
absolutely look at that," said Malady, who also noted that third-parties
 could sell Android devices to Verizon Wireless customers if they can 
work on its network.<br><br>The LiMo Foundation said it has about 40 
members including Verizon Wireless handset suppliers Samsung Electronics
 Co Ltd (005930.KS) and LG Electronics Inc (066570.KS). It said that 
Korea's SK Telecom Co Ltd (017670.KS) has also joined the consortium.</span>
							</div><br><br>