Wireless broadband 'likely to be used with existing services'

12:45 19th February 2009

Wireless broadband is more likely to be used alongside existing internet services rather than replace it altogether, according to Broadband-Finder.co.uk.

Although new figures from Analysys Masons suggest that the number of mobile web connections across Europe will have grown to nearly 150 million within five years, Tom Newton of Broadband-Finder.co.uk does not believe it will replace the fixed-line connection.

He said that fixed-line broadband was still much faster and so mobile connections were likely to remain a complementary service for many people.

Mr Newton said: "The speeds and data rates currently available on today's mobile broadband packages can't begin to compete with the level of service available on a fixed-line connection."

Mobile broadband has grown in popularity owing to its flexibility for both work and leisure, and its proliferation could encourage more people to seek computer training to get more from it or perhaps even inspire web users to pursue IT careers.

New research from Analysys Mason estimates that mobile broadband connections will be generating €23 billion (around £20 billion) of service revenue by 2014.