O2 Broadband has signed a deal with Critical Path to enable its mobile customers with broadband connections to access e-mail messages on their handsets faster and easier than before.

The facility will also enable customers to synchronise contacts along with diary and task information.

The synchronisation facility, it is claimed, will enable customers to cut the amount of time spent inputting contacts into a new device to a matter of minutes.

O2's mobile customers are able to access the mobile email and synchronisation features immediately after signing up for O2 Broadband.

Nick Hill, broadband online manager at O2, said: "The mobile email and synchronization features are just some of the first steps we’re taking to bring mobile and fixed-line communications services together for our subscribers.

"Our aim is to provide seamlessly integrated experiences across mobile and web. In this case, we have made it easy for our O2 Broadband users to access their email on the go via their mobile phone and access their contacts from anywhere."

News of the additional service comes as O2 was recently voted the UK's best performing ISP in a poll conducted by Thinkbroadband.com.