Mobile Internet usage is booming among the urban Chinese with the introduction of more advanced phones

Mobile Internet usage is booming among the urban Chinese with the introduction of more advanced phones, Mobile Phone software and attractive plans from operators.

Mobile chatting via QQ, an instant messaging (IM) tool similar to MSN Messenger, is a hit among the young while applications that make Chinese characters easier to type and simplified browsing tools have encouraged more mobile Internet usage. Mobile IM has grown rapidly among urban Chinese over the last few years.

According to Ericsson ConsumerLab studies, with just 1% using it in 2008, the usage of Mobile IM shot up to 15% at the beginning of 2010,

With the growing mobile IM usage, consumers said they were sending fewer messages via SMS.

The Ericsson ConsumerLab study showed how consumers’ act and what they think about telecommunication products and services. Its 2010 China mobile Internet study revealed that nine of 10 users would increase the usage or continue their current use of mobile Internet in the next 12 months.