Telecoms chief proclaims mobile internet as next big thing

The Commercial Director of Sure mobile will tell members of the Institute of Directors (IoD) today that mobile phones will lead the next big wave of behavioural change linked to the internet.   

Mobile internet is currently undergoing a revolution, with reported usage figures exploding. The number of mobile phone users accessing the internet on their handsets is rising. According to the Mobile Data Association, a total of 40.7 million users were recorded as having used their phones for downloads and browsing the mobile internet in the UK during the third quarter of 2006.  The total number of users recorded in July was 13 million, which had increased to 15.9 million by December of that year. This growing popularity can be attributed to changes in both accessibility and content.

 

Mark Nixon, a speaker at today's IoD Lunch Club, has worked closely in the past with world-leading developers of mobile internet technology. He said:

"A number of experts like Eric Schmidt, Chief Executive Officer of Google, have said that mobile is going to be the next big internet phenomenon. Internet enabled handsets have come down in price, operators have made data charges simpler and a number of major sites like the BBC, Google, Hotmail and Amazon have launched dedicated mobile sites. The promise has been there for years, but now high speed mobile internet's time has come."

He added:

"The growth of mobile internet will not replace desktop and laptop internet activity. Complex transactions such as buying holidays or checking bank accounts will still be conducted on a PC. However, your mobile will become a powerful information tool for use on the move with 50 million web sites at your fingertips."