O2 prepares for record staycation summer with 4G boost to iconic UK tourism destinations

• O2 has enhanced its existing network capacity, providing a 4G boost to just under 400 UK tourist hotspots, including the Abbey Road crossing, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace and the Angel of the North
• This major £32m investment is part of O2’s ongoing commitment to upgrading network connections across the country, and will help O2 customers share their summer with friends and family over a record-breaking UK staycation summer

Friday 19^th July 2019: O2 announces today that as part of its ongoing commitment to upgrading network connections across the UK, it has spent £32m to upgrade connections around Britain’s favourite selfie attractions and tourism destinations ahead of this summer.

The operator has delivered boosted 4G connectivity to just under 400 holiday hotspots – including some of the UK’s most popular beaches, National Trust and Historic England sites, as well as major landmarks.

Areas now benefitting from enhanced 4G coverage include St James’s Palace, Madame Tussauds and LEGOLAND Windsor. O2 has also connected 100 popular destinations to 4G for the first time, including Cornwall’s hugely popular Portreath beach, and the remote Luskentyre beach in the Outer Hebrides – recently voted TripAdvisor’s 2^nd best beach in Britain[1].

For those planning a trip to the Scottish Highlands, top tourist hotspots including Dunvegan Castle and the Talisker Distillery, as well as the picturesque Dornoch beach, have been newly connected to 4G, meaning those enjoying the beauty of the furthest reaches of Scotland will be able to access 4G connectivity.

O2’s investment programme has been aimed at preparing Britain for a record-breaking summer, with 92% of Brits planning to holiday on home soil in 2019.[2] The growing trend for staycations comes amid continued Brexit uncertainty and increasing consumer consciousness around the environmental impact of travelling abroad, along with hopes for a repeat of last summer’s record-breaking heatwave.

“British holidays should be about trips to the seaside, long walks and exploration”, says O2’s COO Derek McManus. “We’ve upgraded our network where people need it the most this summer, to ensure British holidaymakers will be able to share their summer with holiday selfies, use Google Maps to navigate the best hiking spots, and compare local restaurant reviews.”

Boost to UK tourism industries

O2’s investment in Britain’s holiday hotspots follows a recent study by the operator, which found that Britain’s tourism and hospitality sectors often stand the most to gain – over any other industry – from enhanced mobile coverage.

Mobile connectivity is key to Britain’s economy and society, so it is vital rural businesses and institutions take advantage of new opportunities and efficiencies mobile connectivity offers.

Minister for Tourism Rebecca Pow said:

“Mobile connectivity helps people make the most of their holiday and is essential for the UK tourism industry, which employs millions of people all across the UK and is one of our fastest growing sectors. It is great news that O2 is investing over £30m in improving 4G coverage to almost 400 holiday destinations and landmarks across the UK- from urban centres to some of our most remote visitor attractions.”

The operator continually invests in its network to deliver the best experience for its customers, investing around £2m a day in the network, helping to connect even more customers to high-speed 4G mobile connectivity and shape the future of a truly mobile Britain. 4G is currently available to O2 customers in almost 19,000 towns, cities and villages across the UK. Indoor population coverage remains around 99%.

Commenting, O2’s COO Derek McManus said: “4G will be the backbone of our network for years to come, that’s why we plan to add 4G to even more towns and rural locations throughout 2019. At the same time, we are also looking ahead. Our 5G rollout will start later this year and just like 4G, we intend to build 5G for our customers where they need it most.”