According to an industry source, an unprecedented number of mobile broadband customers now utilise their service as their primary broadband connection.

Most industry experts and business users think of mobile broadband as a supplementary service, aimed at plugging the connectivity gap when users are on the road and assuming that a majority of customers have a fixed line service to use when they are at home.

Official figures released by Ofcom suggest that over 40 per cent of mobile broadband customers actually consider the service to be their main broadband connection. These results however require some context in order to fully appreciate their impact.

The figures released by the industry regulator show that just 6 per cent of all broadband customers have a mobile broadband contract and no fixed line alternative. On the other hand there are only 8 percent of broadband customers who have both a fixed line service and a mobile broadband contract for use when they are away.

Mobile broadband is one of the more popular technologies amongst the younger audience, with one in ten adults under the age of 35 using a mobile broadband connection as their primary means of gaining online access. Affluence is also becoming associated with mobile broadband as it is often comparatively expensive when considered against a fixed line alternative if it is to be chosen as the sole internet connection.

Although wealth and mobile broadband are associated, lower earners are also a growing element of the market with around 8 per cent of homes bringing in under £12,000 relying on mobile broadband alone to connect to the internet. Those with a tight budget who need to compare wireless broadband prices to ensure that they are getting the best deal are being enticed by the potential savings they could make and by the fact that mobile broadband does not require line rental payments.