Mobile broadband overtakes Wi-Fi

Mobile broadband has overtaken Wi-Fi as the preferred method for surfers getting online while they are away from home or the office.

In a survey by Point Topic, 47 per cent of respondents chose mobile broadband networks to access the internet, as opposed to 42 per cent who said they used Wi-Fi hotspots.

Twelve months earlier, 40 per cent of respondents used Wi-Fi to get online and only 30 per cent used mobile broadband services.

Oliver Johnson of Point Topic put the change down to a combination of increased competition leading to lower prices and strong marketing campaigns pushing mobile broadband.

"In 12 to 24 months I think we'll see a 60:40 split," he predicted.

O2 leads the way as the most popular mobile broadband provider with 26 per cent of respondents signed up to the operator. Orange and Vodafone are joint second in the list.

Check out issue 197 of Web User, on sale now, for a complete guide to the best broadband deals in the UK.

http://point-topic.com
www.broadband.o2.co.uk
www.orange.co.uk/time/broadband
http://online.vodafone.co.uk/broadband