Mozilla announced a few months ago that a new Firefox OS for smartphones would soon be ready. That day has come. A number of carriers have signed on to bring the world the brand new Firefox OS.

Currently, the mobile OS market is completely dominated by Android and Apple, but that’s all about to change. Mozilla has announced today that 18 different carriers have signed on to carry the company’s new OS, and that’s no small number.

It’s hard to say just how well the new OS will sell, but Mozilla has been hyping this OS up for months. So, it’s somewhat safe to say that the new Firefox OS will catch a lot of praise and attention – especially for those who are looking for an alternative to Android or Apple.

Wondering how you can get your hands on a new smartphone that runs Firefox OS? Here’s a breakdown of those 18 carriers, and where you’ll be able to find your very own Firefox phone.

An International OS

Before bringing the new Firefox OS to North America, carriers are spreading this new operation system through the world. This summer, Deutsche Telekom will release its Firefox OS smartphone in Poland and throughout Eastern Europe.

Telefonica will bring its new handset (largely pictured on various blogs) to Latin America and throughout Spain. Norwegian carrier Telenor will bring its unique phone to markets in Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and various Eastern European companies as well. Are you noticing that something is missing from this list?

Carriers want to bring Mozilla’s new OS to countries that don’t use smartphones on a regular basis first. The vast majority of people in the countries listed above still use handsets, and that’s where Mozilla’s OS will be in place before it hits smartphones across North America. While North Americans may find it strange to live in a world without smartphones, this isn’t the case in Eastern European countries or countries like Bangladesh. Hopefully, Mozilla’s new OS will pick up some popularity in those other countries before it hits North America.

Firefox OS Details

Mozilla is creating a Firefox marketplace that will include a number of apps. The OS will also be an open source platform, which keeps with Mozilla’s tradition of free and accessible things. Mozilla wants to make its OS open to all developers and to anyone interested. As the Mozilla website states, this operating system is made of the Internet, which largely means made for anyone who wants to be free of other OS restrictions.

Mozilla has come a long way from its first Firefox days. Now, Firefox is a widely used browser on the Internet, so why not in the smartphone world too? It will be a tough go for Mozilla, though, since Apple and Android really dominate this market.

However, it seems clear that consumers are ready for something that doesn’t start with the letter “A.” Could that something be from Mozilla? It will be interesting to see how other countries around the world respond to Firefox’s new mobile OS. When developments erupt, I’ll keep you posted.