China Mobile (CHL) has joined hands with KPN, NTT DoCoMo, Orange, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile and Vodafone to develop a common vision for mobile networks and technology that will take the industry beyond the HSPA and EVDO roadmaps.

The Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) initiative, which has this week become a limited UK company, has created a set of requirements for a future wide area mobile broadband network that is designed to offer enhanced customer benefits by delivering competitive broadband performance alongside high levels of interoperability.

The initiative, which will work alongside existing standards bodies, will seek to shape the development and standardization of the next generation of mobile technologies.

With a strong emphasis on practicality, the group has specified that the evolutionary path should focus on existing infrastructure and spectrum allocation, in order to develop a platform for creating new and innovative services.