JERSEY CITY: Many consumers in the US and UK are put off using the mobile web by technical problems and cost concerns, Antenna Software research has suggested.

The new Mobile Internet Attitudes Report, produced with the assistance of British pollsters YouGov, showed that 27% of UK and US mobile owners feel discouraged from going online through these devices due to unsatisfactory website display or functionality.

Despite falling data costs, 33% of Americans polled and 39% of Britons said the mobile web is still "too expensive" for them to use.

Jim Hammer, president and ceo at Antenna, said: "While operators have made great strides to promote flat-rate data, there is a lingering perception in both markets that accessing the internet through a mobile phone is expensive.

"In many cases, unlimited mobile data packages can be substantially cheaper than monthly fixed line broadband costs demonstrating we still have a way to go in educating consumers."

The report also found that regular mobile internet use was slightly more common in the UK, where 34% of mobile owners went online via wireless devices at least once a week.

In the US, this total was 33%, and another 44% of Americans said they never accessed the mobile web despite owning a handset capable of doing so.

Hammer added: "The desire for convenience and advancements in technology mean more people than ever before can enjoy good mobile internet experiences regardless of their handset.

"However, as results of the 2011 Mobile Internet Attitudes Report indicate, there's still much improvement to be made by operators and enterprises."

Recent Nielsen figures show that roughly one-third of US 15–24 year olds own a smartphone.

In Europe, this proportion stands at 28%, although Italy scored highest on the international survey with ownership rates of 47%.

Data sourced from Antenna Software/Nielsen; additional content by Warc staff