Report highlights rise of mobile internet

Mobile internet customers in the UK could be encouraged to compare various deals in order to save money after a new report highlighted the rising use of mobile devices.

The Communications Market 2010 study by Ofcom has showed that almost one-quarter (23 per cent) of internet users now access the web by using mobile devices such as wireless laptops and smartphones like the iPhone 4 and various Blackberry models.

According to the study, Brits now spend 23 per cent of their time online visiting social networking websites like Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.

Ofcom said this activity is also increasingly taking place on mobile internet devices.

Paul Phillips, regional director for UK and Ireland at Brocade Communications, commented: "Thanks in part to the advent and increasing popularity of smartphones, the everyday Briton is now confronted by an ever-advancing wave of digital information and data.

"If you take into account the fact that Apple has recorded over three million iPad sales in just 80 days it is clear that the previously fixed boundaries of networks are becoming ever more transparent."

Mobile internet customers could be advised to scout around for the best tariffs as the expert also noted that users are increasingly using their connections to stream live audio and video content as well as accessing real-time news and social network material.

The news follows the publication of a report by research firm ABI, which claimed that 60 per cent of all mobile handsets will operate mobile web browsers by the year 2015.

According to the study, 3.7 billion handsets will be equipped with mobile browses, doubling the current rate over the next five years.