Saudi Arabia to mandate Type-C USB charging ports by 2025

Starting January 1, 2025, Saudi Arabia will enforce a standardised charging port for mobile phones and electronic devices.

The USB Type-C will be the sole connector, the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization and the Communications, Space and Technology Commission have announced.

The entities said that the decision aims to improve the experience of users of connectors in the country and not to incur additional costs.

“This is in accordance with the technical and administrative requirements stipulated in the relevant technical regulations and standards, with the aim of improving the experience of users in the kingdom and not incurring additional costs for them, and providing high-quality shipping and data transfer technology,” said the Communications, Space and Technology Commission in a statement.

#هيئة_الاتصالات_والفضاء_والتقنية و @SASOGOV تعلنان عن المراحل الإلزامية لتوحيد منافذ الشحن للهواتف المتنقلة والأجهزة الإلكترونية في السوق السعودي

للمزيد:https://t.co/jeR55d42E5 pic.twitter.com/pm2m3PA6Js

— هيئة الاتصالات والفضاء والتقنية (@CST_KSA) August 6, 2023

The decision will contribute to reducing the amount of annual domestic consumption of chargers and charging cables for mobile phones and electronic devices by more than 2.2 million units annually, and saving spending from consumers in the kingdom to more than SAR170m.

It also helps to achieve Saudi Arabia’s goals for sustainability in the technology sector through reducing electronic waste by approximately 15 tonnes annually.

The decision will take place in two phases. The first phase will begin on January 1, 2025 and it will include mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, e-readers, portable video game devices, headphones, earphones, amplifiers and keyboards and computer pointer devices, in addition to portable navigation systems, portable speakers and wireless routers.

Meanwhile, the second phase will start on April 1, 2026 and will include laptops.

Read: EU agrees on single phone charger law

Also read: Saudi Arabia expands visitor e-visa to eight additional countries