@MWC: GSMA works to bring universal charger to market

With the purchase of a new mobile phone comes a new charger, leaving a consumer left with an old charger that has little use.
The GSM Association and a group of leading wireless providers and manufacturers are aiming to change that in four years. The movement led by the GSMA is hopeful to create a universal charger that will work on every wireless phone sold on the market.
The effort is geared to ensure the mobile industry adopts a common format for charger connections, meets energy efficient targets and enhances the experience for customers, who could use the same charger for future handsets as well as being able to charge their phone anywhere from any available charger.
By Jan. 1, 2012, the group is hopeful the majority of all new mobile phone models will support a universal charger and the majority of the plug-ins will meet efficiency targets set by the Open Mobile Terminal Platform. The group intends to use Micro-USB as the common universal charging interface.
“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,” Rob Conway, GSMA CEO, said in a statement. “There is enormous potential in mobile to help people live and work in an eco-friendly way and with the backing of some or the biggest names in the industry, this initiative will lead the way.”
Participants include wireless providers such as AT&T Inc., Orange, Vodafone, Telefonica, T-Mobile International, Telenor Group and Telestra Corp. Manufacturers include 3 Group, Motorola Inc., Nokia, Qualcomm Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
“AT&T is pleased to join this industry initiative as it aligns well with AT&T’s own efforts to provide greener and simpler solutions for our customers,” Kris Rinne, AT&T SVP of architecture and planning, said in a statement.
With a universal charger, the group’s goals include a 50% reduction in standby energy consumption, a cut in 50% of chargers manufactured and a reduction of greenhouse gases in manufacturing chargers. The group says that a universal charger could also eliminate 51,000 tons of duplicate chargers.
“This initiative will also open the door to innovation in the operator and retail presence as it is envisioned that chargers and mobile devices may be distributed separately in the near future, which will allow consumers to re-use existing chargers with other devices; reducing the overall number of chargers required,” Brigitte Bourgoin, Orange EVP of personal line of business, said in a statement.