The mobile phone industry has been establishing itself as a serious Internet access provider based on its unique mobility, increasingly powerful functions and low cost.

But steep charges, low connection speed and a lack of useful information are major obstacles.

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According to the CNNIC's latest statistics, the number of people who access the Internet via mobile phones at least once a week reached 17 million in 2006, accounting for 12.4 percent of all Internet users in China.

About 70 percent of mobile phone Internet users regarded e-mail and information browsing as their most used online services. But more than four-fifths contended that high charges and low connection speed were major sticking points.

The statistics showed that nearly 70 percent of Internet users in China do not use mobile phones to get online simply because of the high cost and low speed.

Despite the obstacles, Wang Enhai, director of the CNNIC's Information Services Department, said mobile phones were becoming an important tool for Internet users, noting that the coming third generation3G network in China would see mobile phones become popular tools to access the Internet.

China was home to 462 million mobile phone users last year, much higher than China's 137 million Internet users.

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