Majority of US internet now accessed wirelessly

A third of US surfers use a mobile internet device

The latest study by the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project has found that the majority of US internet users hook up with a wireless connection.

The April 2009 study found that 56 per cent of web surfers used a wireless connection, the most common method being via a laptop. Mobile internet use stands at 32 per cent of respondents.

"Mobile access strengthens the three pillars of online engagement: connecting with others; satisfying information queries; and sharing content with others," said John Horrigan, associate director of the Internet & American Life Project, and principal author of the report.

"With access in their pockets, many Americans are 'on-the-fly' consumers and producers of digital information."

The survey follows up a similar one in 2007. It found that people’s use of mobile internet devices had risen from 24 per cent to 32 per cent, with the number of people saying they had done this yesterday rising from 11 to 19 per cent.

Another finding was that the African American community in the US is leading the way in mobile internet use. An average of 29 per cent go online with a handheld every day, 10 per cent above the average.

"The notion of a digital divide for African Americans has some resonance when thinking about the wireline internet," said Horrigan. "But when you introduce the mobile internet, the picture changes and African Americans are the pace setters."