The open-source mobile web browser market is about to get more crowded, with Mozilla announcing it plans to launch a Firefox version for cellphones.

On his blog, Mozilla vice-president of engineering Mike Schroepfer announced the organization has elevated the development of an open-source browser for mobile phones to the same importance as development of its desktop computer counterpart.

"We are serious about bringing the Firefox experience and technology to mobile devices," he wrote. "Bringing Firefox add-ons, the Mozilla platform, open source and a large and passionate community to the closed and fragmented mobile platform will do the world some serious good."

Mozilla has hired Christian Sejersen, who was with mobile browser developer Openwave, to head up the platform engineering effort and to set up a research and development centre in Copenhagen. The organization has also hired Brad Lassey, who was a senior research scientist at France Telecom, to join the mobile development team.

The mobile browser, however, won't arrive before a newer version of the desktop browser, which isn't even in beta testing yet.

"Certainly not before 2008," Schroepfer wrote.

Mozilla is not the only organization pushing an open-source mobile browser. Internet search giant Google Inc. is reportedly near unveiling its own open-source operating system for mobile phones. Both Google and Mozilla have expressed a desire to disrupt the control wireless companies have over what sorts of applications can be run on mobile phones.

Open-source software allows people to use, read, add or modify the code without fear of legal repercussions, as long as they abide by conditions of a public licence.