Vodafone and Orange finally mirrored the mobile internet strategy of their UK rivals, T-Mobile and 3UK by launching affordable data tariffs targeted primarily at the consumer market.

Thanks to all you can eat tariffs the mobile internet is becoming a consumer reality. People are using it. Already, we have seen that the preferred method of access for services such as news and information is through peoples’ mobile browsers, with over six million users a month. Whilst only two and a half million utilise SMS and three quarters of a million accessing via downloaded utilities* ( M:Metrics Q1 2007).

It is predicted that the majority of UK handsets will support rapid access to the mobile internet. Mobile communications with second generation mobile phone technology until recently had transfer speeds of just 15 kbs (kilo bits per second). This had proved adequate only for transmission of voice, text and limited quality photographs. Applications that would require such things as live video transmission were out of the question.

The advent of 3G (third generation mobile technology) with transfer rates of 2000kbs and beyond has meant video now is possible, which opens up new possibilities for richer multi media mobile applications and services.