IT contractors working on the move will be pleased to hear that mobile networks will soon be able to carry more data.

Industry regulator Ofcom has agreed to increase the power limit levels for the 3G spectrum licences, it has been announced.

This means that each mobile operator will have more space on the spectrum to let data pass through, resulting in improved coverage and increased network speeds.

The move, which was originally suggested by Vodafone but quickly received backing form the other four major networks, has been prompted by increased use of smartphones and tablets.

"Dependent on network operators, this has the potential to improve voice capacity, data throughput and in-building signal availability by making more effective use of currently available base station technology," the regulator said