Mobile internet connections are showing raised popularity alongside traditional home broadband links, according to Orange.

The internet service provider reports that the amount of television footage viewed over mobile connections has increased by 87 per cent since November 2007.

A 35 per cent growth has also been detected by the company in the number of page views received from mobile devices.

Matthew Kirk, director of portals for Orange, says: "Customers use the mobile internet alongside home broadband to stay connected wherever they are.

"It really is the third screen in our lives for entertainment, communication and information - alongside the TV and the PC."

Downloads of both audio and visual content are showing firm growth, Orange adds, with twice as many videos now being retrieved than at this point last year.

A new record for music downloads was also set in December, with 289,000 tracks downloaded over the course of the month.

Orange recently announced a scheme to offer discounted music downloads to 800,000 of its mobile customers, with the cost of the content partially offset by advertising.