
At the GSMA Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, the industry group said that 17 of its members agreed to implement an industrywide standard for a universal charging solution (UCS) that will use Micro-USB as the common universal charging interface.
The GSMA said the initiative was set up so that the mobile industry adopted a common format for mobile phone charger connections and energy-efficient chargers.
The plan means that there will be potentially 50 percent fewer chargers being manufactured annually, which would lead to a reduction in greenhouse gases in manufacturing and transporting replacement chargers.
UCS chargers will also include a 4-star or higher efficiency rating, which is up to three times more energy-efficient than an unrated charger.
"The mobile industry has a pivotal role to play in tackling environmental issues and this program is an important step that could lead to huge savings in resources, not to mention convenience for consumers," said Rob Conway, CEO of GSMA.
The initial group of companies that have joined the GSMA's UCS initiative include: AT&T, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Telefnica, Telstra, T-Mobile and Vodafone, in addition to others.
