Mobile phone internet use almost triples  18 | 08 | 2010

WE ALL KNOW car-purchasing trends are continually evolving, but it looks like the most modern generations of mobile phones — and the internet — are playing a greater part. Research by media regulator Ofcom has shown that 13.5m Britons, and a growing number of Scots, now use their phone to regularly access the internet. That's almost triple the number that did in 2008.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the regulator has also found internet take-up in the UK has now reached 73%, the majority of which is through fixed broadband. Both sets of figures highlight the importance for Scottish motor retailers of embracing online marketing in order to reach prospective customers.

Its annual Communications Market Report says people spend seven hours a day watching TV, using the Internet and using their mobile phones. Many young adults multi-task their media consumption, such as by watching TV while surfing the internet on their mobile. Radio continues to be an important medium, with 91% of people able to access radio services.