In the news today, seven of the big name operators are forming an industry organisation to create a common 4G mobile phone network standard. The group is tentatively called Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN).

The networks include KPN Mobile, T-Mobile, Orange, Sprint Nextel, Vodafone, China Mobile and NTT Docomo. They plan to establish a non-profit company in the US by the end of July. I’m not sure why they picked the US – are they getting a tax free status if they can sort out the existing networks? or what?

It is targeting 2010 for having services commercially available.