Mobile Internet…..the future
The mobile phone is considered one of the most successful new pieces of communication technology .It allows the users instant communication. Most mobile phone has multiple functions ranging from internet to entertainment and other business functions. On other hand mobile phone is dangerous if used when driving plus mobile radiation makes it harmful to the health.

Number one advantage is the instant access to the internet .With the mobile phone people can now access the internet on the go which makes it the exclusive device to surf the net. (www.webuser.co.uk March 2009).According to a research released on 13th February, 2007 by the mobile entertainment forum and ovum, 20% of UK subscribers search the web using mobile phones. (http://www.3g.co.uk/PR/Feb2007/4267.htm March 2009).

The population on mobile-internet users climbed to 34.6m In June 2007, a 6% increment from the 32.7 in January 2007. Yahoo mail has 6.51m, weather channels 5.9m, ESPN with 5.3m, followed by Google search and Hotmail [PCMAG 2007].Openwave, Nokia and Motorola top the list of phones used by mobile internet users.





The statistics speak for themselves. Mobile internet users extended over home Pc by 13%, with 87.3% US mobile-internet users subscribing to mobile internet, and 43% of Accuweather customers going mobile, showing that the mobile-internet can only grow.

The importance of mobile-internet can not be over-emphasized, as users’ network socially more using the mobile internet. UK and US leads in accessing social network via mobile phones. Social networking is already a global phenomenon, and going mobile will be the next big thing. In UK, approximately 810,000 [1.7% of mobile users] visit social networks via mobile phones, while US have 4.1m [1.6% of mobile users] accessing via mobile phones.


Mobile Social Networking Reach – US and Europe
mobile subscribers who access social networks over the mobile Internet[A]
Number of mobile subscribers who access social networks per month, over their phone[B]
A B
United States 1.6% 4,079,000
United Kingdom 1.7% 812,000
Italy 0.6% 293,000
Spain 0.8% 291,000
France 0.6% 255,000
Germany 0.2% 141,000
Source: Nielsen Mobile; EU data Q1 2008, US data December 2007

Advertisers and marketers need to understand this growth/ frequency and efficiently use the mobile web traffic [Linda 2008].26% of mobile-internet users view ads while using the mobile internet and data shows that mobile-internet are more advert receptive than average data users. [MC 2009]

Technology wise, cell phones are smaller and more efficient. It allows for instant access and easy mobility, providing access to the internet whenever and wherever .There is also the issue of security, as business transactions will be faster and more secure.

With the huge expansion of the mobile technology, it has become crucial for companies to develop competitive strategies to become leaders in the market. The provision of wireless in mobile phone allows consumers access to the internet directly, providing total privacy, also phones have security tracker which allow to find the invention anywhere in the world and a system of blocking in case of theft.

TV AND INTERNET? WHOSE IDEA!

A very good proposition though, having your internet with your TV connection which provides the opportunity to switch between watching your best programme and chatting with a friend or browsing the net for updates, while building and encouraging family rapport, but the idea greatly has some flaws.

This concept might be awesome in Countries where a lot of bounding is done, with family members spending a lot of time together, but will run into stumbling block in western world where the believe is that of individuality and more personal life style.

The issue of privacy will definitely be a hindrance. Teenagers mostly want to have their privacy, view the net at their own speed and not been watched over. A joint TV-Internet system totally wipes out all atoms of privacy.

As of May 2008, the US mobile internet audience (age 13+) is about evenly split between those over the age of 35 (48%) and those under the age of 35 (52%) and is slightly more male than female [MC 2009]. This age bracket [13+] loves and cherishes privacy

There are other constrains too, the issue of individual differences, family member having divers interest but stuck/bound together in the lounge in other to use TV and internet facilities, which could be monotonous and generate conflicts within family members getting bored, tense with and conscious of each other.

REFRENCES

Chart, M. M. (2009) Us Mobile Internet Reaches Critical Mass for Marketing [online] available from [11 March 2009]

Charts, M. M. (2009) Mobile Internet Users 60% More Likely to Accept Mobile Advertising [online] available from [11 March 2009]

Magazine, P. (2007) Mobile Internet Usage Climbs [online] available from [12 March 2009]


Moss, L. (2008) Mobile Internet Extends Site Reach by 13% [online] available from [10 March 2009]

Okimoto, P. (2007) Social Networking Going Mobile, Nielsen Finds [online] available from [11 March 2009]