The mobile Internet is defined as online access via a mobile device, including smartphones, tablets, netbooks, and laptop computers. There are multiple ways to connect to the Internet using a mobile device, including a USB modem, a PCMCIA card, or the internal chips in smartphones and tablets. With more and more people using the Internet all the time, and the popularity of mobile computing devices on a rapid rise, the mobile Internet is fast becoming one of the major ways that people experience the world wide web. There are a number of mobile network protocols and standards in operation around the world, all of which are designed to enhance the usability, interoperability, and accessibility or mobile Internet use. The main networks that are used today include 3G, 3.5G or HSPA, and 4G, although GPRS and CSD are also still in use. There are a variety of mobiles Internet services in operation around the world, with both pre-paid and post-paid services available in most locations.

In the first quarter of 2011 alone, there was a 30 percent rise in mobile Internet use around the world, with a number of developed and developing nations seeing large increases in the numbers of people going online through the use of mobile networks and technology. According to BuzzCity, the four biggest movers in terms of mobile usage were the United States, Vietnam, India, and Indonesia. However, similar trends can also be seen in other countries, where more people are using mobile devices to experience the Internet. Along with improvements in wireless network infrastructure and technology, much of this movement can also be attributed to the rising popularity of smartphones and tablet computers.

Smartphones have been around the a few years already, and tablets like the Apple iPad are selling like hot cakes all over the world. Mobile Internet networks are collectively known by a few different names, including mobile broadband and wireless Internet. While this technology is sometimes confused with WiFi networks, they can be differentiated by their long range use and unique infrastructure topologies. Many laptops, tablets, and smartphones are sold these days with internal modems to access the mobile Internet, with USB surf sticks also regularly used to connect laptop computers and enable people to go online.