In a move to eliminate the so-called specter use of electricity by a cell-phone charger in standby mode, AT&T will introduce its energy-efficient charger – the Zero Charger – across its US stores in May this year.

As per the AT&T claims, the Zero – which the company has developed together with phone accessory vendor Superior Communications - is different from the traditional cell-phone chargers in the sense that it stops drawing power if no phone is plugged into it.

The first-of-its-kind Zero charger will largely help users save power in the wall socket – which might spell a notable saving given the fact that the US Department of Energy expects standby power to be currently accounting for almost 20 percent of home energy use in the country.

In addition, the new AT&T charger will also save the environment because it will help charge several devices; thereby doing away with the requirement of purchasing multiple chargers for different devices.

According to AT&T spokesman Steven Schwadron, the Zero, which will be compatible with the several phones offered by AT&T, as well as phones of some other carriers, has been already given a five-star efficiency rating.

The price of the Zero charger will likely be the same as the replacement chargers presently being offered by AT&T – which is $29.99, or $20.99 with a $9 online discount.