According to Google, mobile internet usage is surging among mobile phone users. A big factor in the sharp uptick has been the growing availiablity of flat-rate data plans from cell phone carriers, which allow users not to have to worry about per-minute charges while surfing the web while using their phones.

Google has seen an acceleration of Internet activity among mobile phone users in recent months since the company has introduced faster Web services on selected phone models, fueling confidence the mobile Internet era is at hand, the company said on Tuesday.

Early evidence showing sharp increases in Internet usage on phones, not just computers, has emerged from services Google has begun offering in recent months on Blackberry e-mail phones, Nokia devices for multimedia picture and video creators and business professionals and the Apple iPhone, the world's top Web search company said.

via Reuters