New mobile technology is sweeping across Britain. Ofcom’s latest report shows just how fast this phenomenon is taking place. Almost 20 per cent of households now solely rely on a mobile phone for communication.

In Greater Manchester 28 per cent of homes use a mobile, but have no fixed line (landline) telephone. On the other hand, 3g phones are taking off rapidly. Dundee is the city that has the highest levels of 3g phone usage, with almost 3 in 10 people there using it. Ofcom’s report provides enough evidence that mobile internet is now starting to take off.

One in five UK adults now opts to surf the web on the move, but usage is highest in Birmingham and London. In Cornwall and Devon, where 3g phone coverage is sparse, a mere 7 per cent of people have made use of mobile Internet. Several people are also watching television or video online (a national rate of 30 per cent).

There are some big regional variations though, for example, 40 per cent of people in London have tried services like the BBC iPlayer, whereas the figure in Greater Manchester is only 16 per cent.