Micro-USB Universal Mobile Chargers for Cell Phones by 2012

Why do you need a different mobile charger for Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Motorola mobile phones? Now GSMA and 17 leading mobile operators and manufacturers have agreed to implement a cross-industry standard for a universal charger for new mobile phones by 2012.

They promise the  universal charging solution (UCS) will be widely available worldwide and will use Micro-USB as the common universal charging interface. They promise that by January 2012, majority of all new mobile phone models available will support a universal charging connector.

How does a Universal mobile charger benefit you? A universal charger will let you use the same charger for future handsets, and be able to charge your mobile phone anywhere from any available charger!

Universal Chargers have Environmental Impact - UCS chargers will be energy efficient and will come with a 4-star or higher efficiency rating, which will be three times more energy-efficient than an unrated charger. Since it would drastically reduce the number of manufactured chargers by 50 per cent, it will also help to reduce greenhouse gases in manufacturing and transporting replacement chargers.

You can thank GSMA - The GSM Association represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry and unites 750+ world’s mobile operators, and 200+ companies including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers etc. It was with their initiative only that some of the world’s largest mobile operators and manufacturers (3 Group, AT&T, KTF, LG, mobilkom austria, Motorola, Nokia, Orange, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Telecom Italia, Telefónica, Telenor, Telstra, T-Mobile and Vodafone) have agreed UCS.

This is great news and will surely simplify mobile phone usage. Till this becomes a reality, I guess we will have to continue with our multiple chargers f0r different cell phones or get a multi-phone adapter.