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Finally, the current leader in the mobile data speed race is High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), an advanced 3G protocol that offers even faster speeds and capacity. Often referred to as 3.5G, HSDPA can race at speeds of up to 3.6Mbit/s, and could double to 7.2Mbit/s next year. All five major UK networks currently offer HSDPA in major cities, and a small number of compatible handsets are available.

WiFi

Many of today's cutting-edge smartphones have WiFi, which enables wireless internet access over a local network. Most handsets use 802.11b, which runs at 11Mbit/s, although faster 54Mbit/s 802.11g phones have been announced.

The major advantage of WiFi is that it's a simple and cost-effective means of getting online when you're out and about. The disadvantage is that, despite there being over two million WiFi hotspots in the UK, it's not always convenient to visit one and finding one can be tricky, particularly if you're in an unknown city.

The website www.totalhotspots.com provides a service that lets you locate your nearest wireless venue simply by texting the word 'hotspot' to 84140. The service costs £1 a request, and you receive the name, address and telephone number of the nearest hotspot by text.

One potential killer application, which could give WiFi a huge competitive edge over other similar technologies, is free VoIP calls over the internet. This would make manufacturers of WiFi handsets happy, but could pose a threat to mobile network operators. However, rather than competing

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with VoIP companies, the networks are more likely to create partnerships and offer combined services. For example, 3 offers free Skype calls as part of its X-Series range.

The networks

So how do you access these data services? First you need to pick a network. The five major UK networks (3, O2, Orange, T-Mobile and Vodafone) have different data services aimed at both casual and heavy users. We will look at each network's tariffs, including the types of connectivity on offer and the pricing structures. Some networks offer unlimited data packages, although these are usually subject to a fair usage policy whereby a maximum upper limit is imposed. However, the limits are high and designed purely to prevent abuse of the service. As long as you're not downloading entire TV series every week, you'll be fine.

3 X-Series

As the name suggests, 3 is solely a 3G network (www.three.co.uk). Its coverage is increasing all the time and now covers around 90 per cent of the country, with the focus on major cities. If you do wander out of a coverage zone, the handset automatically reverts to a 2.5G service (on the O2 network) and you continue your browsing session unaffected. In its infancy 3 adopted a 'walled garden' approach, restricting users to a limited number of sites on its own portal, but thankfully it now offers full web access.

3's top-of-the-range mobile internet offering, the X-Series, is highly competitive. You can choose from a wide range of handsets, with high-end smartphones, including Nokia's E65 and Sony Ericsson's W950i alongside competent all-rounders from Motorola and LG. Pick an X-Series price plan, ranging from £20-£50 a month, to receive unlimited mobile data (up to 1GB fair usage) and free Windows Live Messenger, with bookmarked sites such as Yahoo!, Google and eBay. For an extra £5 a month you can upgrade to X-Series Silver for unlimited Skype calls and Mobile Mail (3's email service), while for £10 a month X-Series Gold adds access to Slingbox (enabling you to watch your home TV on your mobile) and Orb (for streaming files on your PC to your phone).