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Source: ONE News
Ever forget your phone charger and no one around has the same
kind of handset?
Have a drawer full of useless old phone chargers at home?
Breathe a sigh of relief.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United
Nations' telecom arm, said it had given its stamp of approval to an
energy-efficient one-charger-fits-all new mobile phone
solution.
"Every mobile phone user will benefit from the new Universal
Charging Solution (UCS), which enables the same charger to be used
for all future handsets, regardless of make and model," the ITU
said in a statement.
"Some manufacturers are already incorporating the UCS in their
devices," an ITU spokesman said.
The association hopes a universal charger will help reduce waste by
cutting down on the number of chargers produced and then thrown
away with the purchase of a new handset.
There are already more than four billion mobile phone subscriptions
around the world.
In June, top mobile phone suppliers such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson
and other industry majors agreed to back an EU-wide harmonisation
of phone chargers, which means phones compatible with standard
charging devices are available in Europe from next year.
The EU estimates unwanted phone accessories account for thousands
of tonnes of waste in Europe each year.
Now, if only they could come up with a single plug.
