Mobile Providers Agree To Universal Phone Chargers In Europe

The European Union has been pushing for "harmonization" for common chargers instead of the current practice of chargers that only work with specific phones. In a statement, the EU said that by having to buy a new charger and dispose of the current one, even if it is in perfect condition, generates a great deal of electronic waste.

In addition to Motorola, Apple and Research In Motion (RIM), NEC, Nokia, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Texas Instruments signed the memorandum of understanding to provide charger compatibility on the basis of the Micro-USB connector.

The agreement among the carriers has been in the works for some time.

At the GSMA Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain, in February, 17 members agreed to implement an industrywide standard for a universal charging solution (UCS) that will use Micro-USB as the common universal charging interface.

"I am very pleased that the industry has found an agreement, which will make life much simpler for consumers," said EU Vice President Gunter Verheugen, in a statement. "They will be able to charge mobile phones anywhere from the new common charger. I am also very pleased that this solution was found on the basis of self-regulation. As a result, the Commission does not consider it necessary to introduce legislation."

The memorandum of understanding covers data-enabled mobile phones sold in the EU. However, it excludes mobile phones that do not support USB data exchange and excludes phones in an unusual format, such as those worn as wristwatches.