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The majority of modern cell phones can access the web in some shape or form, but this can often be an unsatisfactory experience for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most important factor is the connection speed that your phone is capable of. The 4 main types of web connection that are currently available to mobile phone users are GPRS, EDGE, 3G, and HDSPA.

GPRS is the slowest of them all, and is a hangover from the 2G phone technology of the 90s. Although it can theoretically reach maximum data rates of 128kbps, which is roughly equivalent to dial up speeds, in practice the average rate is closer to 30 or 40 kbps, which is next to useless for all but the most basic, text only web services. EDGE was once the fastest 2G connection available, and could theoretically achieve data rates which put it in the 3G category, but the arrival of the 3G standard a year after its introduction ensured that virtually no mobiles were ever made that use this protocol.

Hyped upon its release as the mobile version of Broadband, the 3G mobile standard was the one that finally made surfing the web possible on mobile phones, albeit at speeds which were more akin to those of dial up connections than the speedy broadband connections consumers had become accustomed to.

The newest kid on the block is HDSPA, a souped-up version of the 3G standard, which claims a theoretical maximum data rate of 14.4Mbps, with the emphasis on the theoretical. In practice, however, they are only a little bit faster than a standard 3G connection, and are often less reliable, although this is set to improve in the years to come as more bandwidth becomes available to 3G networks.

Another option for mobile phones that has come to light in recent years is the established standard for wireless laptops and PDAs, Wi-Fi. This protocol can offer far more reliable and speedy internet access than any of the current mobile internet standards, and is available to most smartphones, such as the Blackberry and the Nokia N97.

The one drawback with Wi-Fi is that it is not available everywhere, and you are often required to buy a hot beverage or join a library in order to use it on the providers premises.

It is important to remember that the majority of websites have been designed for use with a computer, although there are some websites that have special slimmed down versions for mobiles, such as eBay and Facebook. Most mobile phones have a screen that is really too small to be able to view standard web pages on, and lack the controls necessary for proper navigation.

Manufacturers have taken note of this problem and developed new smartphones, such as the Nokia N97 and the HTC Magic, that have larger screens and control devices such as trackballs and touch screens to allow you to navigate as you would with a mouse.

Very few mobile phones, however, are able to deal effectively with multiple windows, and some popular sites, such as Youtube, cannot be viewed on mobile phones at all.

So while the dream of having the internet on your mobile phone is here already, it is fair to say that it has some way to go before it can become a truly enjoyable, seamless experience.

The majority of modern cell phones can access the web in some shape or form, but this can often be an unsatisfactory experience for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most important factor is the connection speed that your phone is capable of. The 4 main types of web connection that are currently available to mobile phone users are GPRS, EDGE, 3G, and HDSPA.

GPRS is the slowest of them all, and is a hangover from the 2G phone technology of the 90s. Although it can theoretically reach maximum data rates of 128kbps, which is roughly equivalent to dial up speeds, in practice the average rate is closer to 30 or 40 kbps, which is next to useless for all but the most basic, text only web services. EDGE was once the fastest 2G connection available, and could theoretically achieve data rates which put it in the 3G category, but the arrival of the 3G standard a year after its introduction ensured that virtually no mobiles were ever made that use this protocol.

Hyped upon its release as the mobile version of Broadband, the 3G mobile standard was the one that finally made surfing the web possible on mobile phones, albeit at speeds which were more akin to those of dial up connections than the speedy broadband connections consumers had become accustomed to.

The newest kid on the block is HDSPA, a souped-up version of the 3G standard, which claims a theoretical maximum data rate of 14.4Mbps, with the emphasis on the theoretical. In practice, however, they are only a little bit faster than a standard 3G connection, and are often less reliable, although this is set to improve in the years to come as more bandwidth becomes available to 3G networks.

Another option for mobile phones that has come to light in recent years is the established standard for wireless laptops and PDAs, Wi-Fi. This protocol can offer far more reliable and speedy internet access than any of the current mobile internet standards, and is available to most smartphones, such as the Blackberry and the Nokia N97.

The one drawback with Wi-Fi is that it is not available everywhere, and you are often required to buy a hot beverage or join a library in order to use it on the providers premises.

It is important to remember that the majority of websites have been designed for use with a computer, although there are some websites that have special slimmed down versions for mobiles, such as eBay and Facebook. Most mobile phones have a screen that is really too small to be able to view standard web pages on, and lack the controls necessary for proper navigation.

Manufacturers have taken note of this problem and developed new smartphones, such as the Nokia N97 and the HTC Magic, that have larger screens and control devices such as trackballs and touch screens to allow you to navigate as you would with a mouse.

Very few mobile phones, however, are able to deal effectively with multiple windows, and some popular sites, such as Youtube, cannot be viewed on mobile phones at all.

So while the dream of having the internet on your mobile phone is here already, it is fair to say that it has some way to go before it can become a truly enjoyable, seamless experience.