Why the New Global Fast‑Charging Standard L.1004 Matters for Your Devices

Recently, the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, together with Huawei, vivo, and OPPO, drafted the new fast‑charging standard L.1004, which has been approved by the International Telecommunication Union's Study Group 5 (ITU‑T SG5) and officially released as an international standard.

This marks the first global universal fast‑charging standard. ITU, one of the three major international standardization bodies, recognized the Chinese solution as the sole "best practice" case, referencing the domestic group standard CCSA/TAF.

The recommended case is an upgraded version of the UFCS (Unified Fast Charging Specification) protocol. Since 2014, China's fast‑charging technology has advanced rapidly, leading internationally in charging speed and safety, and becoming a key selling point for smartphones.

However, the industry has suffered from a complex landscape of private and public protocols, causing incompatibility, reduced charging speed, safety risks, and resource waste. Public protocols include Qualcomm's QC, MediaTek's PE, USB‑IF's USB‑PD, and China's UFCS, while private protocols cover Huawei's FCP/SCP, Xiaomi's Mi Turbo, OPPO's VOOC, vivo's Flash Charge, and Samsung's AFC.

These private protocols only work with matching chargers, cables, and devices, forcing users to carry multiple chargers. The new L.1004 standard aims to unify these technologies, allowing a single charger or cable to provide fast charging across different brands and devices.

UFCS 2.0 integrates private protocols such as Huawei's SCP, OPPO's VOOC, and vivo's Flash Charge, achieving 40 W cross‑brand fast charging, smart reverse charging, and mandatory dynamic power adjustment, greatly enhancing compatibility and user experience.

Future developments aim for higher power levels; Huawei's 100 W power bank has already been certified. Although UFCS was originally led by OPPO, Huawei, vivo, and Xiaomi, Xiaomi withdrew in February and was replaced by Honor.

Challenges remain, as the current 40 W interoperable power is still lower than the 150 W offered by many private protocols. Nonetheless, the release of L.1004 marks a significant milestone toward standardized, sustainable fast‑charging technology.

Consumers can look forward to using a single charger for multiple devices, reducing clutter, waste, and aligning with global sustainability initiatives.