Mobile web browsing is increasing dramatically, according to the latest report from browser maker Opera.

The firm's State of the Mobile Web report for November found that the number of people accessing web pages through a mobile device had risen sharply across Europe, led by Russia and Ukraine and followed closely by the UK.

"The mobile web is growing around the world, even in countries where broadband penetration is high, because consumers are used to having ubiquitous access to the web wherever they are," said Jon von Tetzchner, chief executive at Opera.

"But the real promise of the mobile web is in connecting those who do not have broadband readily available. The next billion people will use the web first on their mobile phones.

"Once that happens we will finally unleash the vast potential and realise the greatest benefit of the mobile web."

Opera Mini users viewed more than 5.7 billion pages in November, a rise of 12.1 per cent on October and 303 per cent on November 2007.

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