Korea Telecom, the South Korean service provider leading the charge to deploy WiBro, has aligned with U.S.-based Covad Communications, Japan's NTT, China's PCCW and TeleKom Malaysia Berhad to create the WiBro and mobile WiMAX Community (WMC), a new industry group focused on promoting the deployment and interoperability of WiBro, a mobile WiMAX broadband wireless technology standard.

"By joining the WMC, Covad gains an opportunity to learn from and share information with leading telecom providers in other countries," said Alan Howe, vice president of strategic and wireless development for Covad, in a statement. "This puts us on the cutting edge of new developments in the fast-growing wireless broadband market."

Aside from the founding member companies, there are reportedly more than 20 telcos from 16 countries that are part of the WMC effort.