Mobile internet ''slowed by cost''

Using mobile phones to access the internet has so far been held back in terms of uptake because of how much it costs.

Dan Winterbottom, principal analyst at Informa, said that consumers have been reluctant to pay over the odds for web access via their handset, but that this is likely to change.

"I think consumers have always been a bit afraid of trying these things out if they´re per second, per minute, per hour or whatever it is," he said.

"If you can envisage the money ticking away, you´re less likely to explore what the mobile handset can do beyond just the hardware you´ve got in your hand."

Mr Winterbottom went on to explain that operators are now starting to offer flat-rate pricing. One daily fee for unlimited internet access could improve uptake and make mobile marketing a more central and important strategy for businesses.

"You´ll see more people using the internet side of their devices, rather than just using them for voice or text," he said.
© Adfero Ltd