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Less than three million use mobile internet

Friday, 04 July 2008

By Garnet Roach garnet@consumerchoices.co.uk

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Despite a boom in recent months, less than three million people in the UK use internet on the go, according to new research.

When analysts Point Topic carried out its recent mobile broadband survey, it found that only six per cent of adults - equivalent to 2.9 million people - had used internet on the move in the last month.

Tim Johnson, Point Topic chief analyst, said: “The typical mobile internet user who emerges from this research is a member of a privileged minority.

“These are people who have everything. On the whole they are young, well-paid, well-educated and they own a much wider range of consumer goods than average, particularly digital devices of all kinds.”

The figure moved up to a slightly higher nine per cent when only including those people who regularly use fixed-line broadband.

However, Michael Phillips, BroadbandChoices.co.uk product director, said: “While mobile broadband might not be rivalling fixed-line connections yet, it has seen a massive burst of growth so far this year.

“With ever cheaper packages, faster download speeds and more free dongles and USB modem sticks, more people are becoming interested in the ease and convenience that mobile broadband offers.”

And Johnson backs this up: “Of the 28.7 million people who do already use the internet, but not on the move, some 62 per cent, or 17.8 million, say they could be interested in one or more mobile applications. This offers the opportunity for rapid growth over the next few years,” he concluded.

Related article - Mobile broadband.

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