New York, NY (AHN) - Verizon Wireless will introduce next year cell phones based on the open-source Linux operating system, the carrier announced Wednesday. The company also said it has joined an the LiMo Foundation, a mobile Linux effort created in 2007 by Vodafone and Japan's NTT DoCoMo.

LiMo has already been adopted by Motorola, Samsung and LG. Verizon said it will offer both basic and "smart" cell phones based on Linux Mobile. Most Verizon Wireless phones now use software from Qualcomm.

Verizon Wireless has said it wants to open its network to allow other phones access.

LiMo is a rival of Google's Open Handset Alliance and the Internet giant's Android open-source phone platform. The LiMo system does not now include a user interface.