New monthly mobile price plans from Vodafone will offer unlimited internet access as a standard feature in a bid to meet the growing demand for access to email and social networking on the move.

The move makes Vodafone the first UK mobile phone operator to offer a flat rate monthly tariff for internet usage, although O2 offers a similar plan for iPhone customers.

Vodafone is keen to promote unlimited internet access to everyday mobile phone users as means of grabbing additional share in an increasingly saturated market.

"Many people already have phones that can browse the internet so they do not need to buy new ones," said Al Russell, head of mobile internet and content services at Vodafone.

Thus far consumers have been reluctant to embrace internet over their mobile phones in the face of complicated pricing structures and limits to the amount of data they are allowed to download.

"A lot of people are worried about how to use the internet on their phones. Our staff will put the phones in their hands and show them how to do it in two minutes. And they do not have to worry about the cost," said Russell.

Internet access will be bundled with all new plans at no extra charge, with prices starting from £25 per month.

Users will be subject to a 'fair usage policy' of 500MB per month, and will be contacted if they exceed this allocation.

Facebook, Google and the BBC are the top three internet sites on the Vodafone Mobile Internet, according to the company.