Most mobile web sites accessed from home

Users want to do more with their web-enabled phones

Nearly three-quarters of mobile internet users access the web from home, and demand for mobile commerce and mobile banking services is growing sharply, according to research released today by mobile ad network provider BuzzCity.

The firm surveyed users of its global advertising network of over 2,000 mobile publisher sites. The results suggest that, despite the perception of the mobile internet as something to be accessed on the go, 70 per cent of respondents surf the internet at home from their mobile devices, while 11 per cent browse while at work.

Over half said that their main reason for surfing the mobile web was to use chat, blogs, discussion groups and other tools in order to connect with friends. In addition, 87 per cent indicated that they access the mobile internet more than once a day, while 81 per cent said that a session typically lasts over 15 minutes.

The research also showed a desire among mobile users to do more with their internet-enabled phones. Thirteen per cent said that they want to access financial services, such as money transfers and loans, and a third wanted to pay bills via their mobiles.

"As shown in previous research, mobile internet users are still united by a desire to connect with each other. And, instead of a computer, more and more of them are choosing to do this via the most personal of devices, their mobile phone," said BuzzCity chief executive KF Lai.

"Mobile surfers clearly want to do more with their mobiles, particularly when it comes to transactional services."