One charger that fits all mobiles

FRANKFURT: Ever forget your phone charger and no one around has 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 on Thursday 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. ���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 4 billion mobile phone subscriptions around the world. The charger has a micro-USB port at the connecting end, using similar technology to digital cameras.