NEW DELHI:  Driven by strong adoption of cheaper smartphones and affordable data plans, the number of mobile Internet users in India is expected to reach 213 million by June this year, says a report.

According to the ‘Mobile Internet in India 2014′ by industry body Internet & Mobile Association of India and IMRB International, the number of mobile Internet users stood at 173 million at the end of December 2014.

Rural India is expected to account for 49 million by March 2015 and 53 million users by June 2015, growing at a rate of 33 percent from October 2014.

Urban India, however, would continue to account for a large percentage of the mobile Internet users across the country accounting for 143 million by March 2015 and 160 million by June 2015, the report said.

Also, the average monthly mobile bill has increased by 13 percent to 439. The proportion of this amount spend on mobile Internet was 45 percent last year and has now grown to 54 percent this year. As compared to last year, the average monthly spend on mobile Internet has gone up by 36 percent to reach 235.

More than half of the mobile Internet users spend more than 100 but less than or equal to  500 in availing the mobile Internet services, the report said. Nearly 30 percent spend more than Rs 500 on the mobile Internet connection, it added.

According to a previous IAMAI report, India was forecast to touch 302 million Internet users (mobile and broadband) by end of 2014, overtaking the US as the second largest Internet market in the world.

The total Internet userbase stood at 278 million at the end of October 2014 quarter and is estimated to grow to 354 million by June 2015.