Top cell phone maker Nokia announced today that nine more firms, including telecom operators "3" and TIM, have agreed to support its new open mobile software alliance Symbian Foundation.

Nokia said on June 24 it would buy out other shareholders of the UK-based smartphone software maker Symbian for $410 million and make its software royalty-free to other phone makers, in response to new rivals such as Google.

Nokia said the foundation has now 30 members after also mobile operators 3, America Movil and TIM, chip firm Marvell, and services and software providers Aplix, Elektrobit, EMCC Software, Sasken and TietoEnator joined.

The initial board members are AT&T, LG Electronics, Motorola, Nokia, NTT DoCoMo, Samsung Electronics, Sony Ericsson, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and Vodafone.