Consumers who recycle their mobile phone to obtain a new device could benefit from an even better mobile internet system.

According to the British Interactive Media Association (BIMA), more and more people are choosing to access the web through their handsets.

This, it said, is partly because connectivity levels are much better, while people's relationships with social media outlets have reached a certain level of maturity.

BIMA stated that this has led to consumers becoming far more comfortable about accessing sites such as Facebook on the streets and not just at their home PC.

Justin Cooke, chairman of the group, added that the growing popularity of mobile applications has also led to mobile web systems being more widely used.

He added that there has recently been an "explosion" in the number of web-enabled devices and compatible applications.

This comes after Ofcom noted that social networking sites have been keen to tap into the rising popularity of the mobile internet by launching mobile-friendly outlets and related apps.