Wireless UK

Nearly a quarter of Britons have used wireless internet access from a PC in the last three months, according to a survey.

The Office for National Statistics found that 23 per cent had logged in with wireless, including using Wi-Fi hot spots and wireless broadband cards.

For Wi-Fi hot spots specifically, the figure was five per cent.

And around 15 per cent had surfed "on the move" using their mobile phone and four per cent had used a personal digital assistant in the last three months.

However, despite the figures, most access remains "place-based" rather than mobile, with 90 per cent of usage occurring at home.

Other locations that people were found to be accessing the internet included at work (44 per cent), at another person's home (20 per cent) and at an educational institution (14 per cent).

Also popular were public libraries and internet cafes, both on four per cent, while 11 per cent had come in other venues such as hotels, convention centres and airports.