Some of the UK's most popular tourist hotspots have been given a 4G boost in time for what could be a record summer of staycations - and Falmouth is among them.

The town is one of 600 cell sites upgraded by Virgin Media O2 since last summer, boosting 31,300 postcodes in 2021 so far.

Falmouth has been included on the list in a bid to help keep coverage high despite an increase in demand when thousands more people arrive in the town.

Other areas include Plymouth, Bath and Cambridge.

The company has also continued to roll out its 5G network in tourist hotspots such as Edinburgh Castle and Bournemouth Pier, and museums and galleries such as the V&A Museum, National Portrait Gallery and Natural History Museum.

The announcement comes as new research commissioned by Virgin Media O2, and conducted by YouGov, found that over half (57 per cent) of Brits are planning to holiday in a remote area of the UK for a staycation this year.

In the first week of May, as lockdown eased, its network carried approximately 55% more peak hour data than it did in the same week last year.

The research also found that people are still keen to stay connected while away, with almost quarter (23%) of Brits planning on posting about their staycations live on social media, and a third (32%) of holidaymakers planning to keep in contact whilst out and about with friends and family.

And it's not just holidaymakers who plan to be making the most of this boosted connectivity, with one in five (19%) workers considering a ‘nomadic working’ break this summer, where they will work remotely whilst travelling or at a location out of their home.

Jeanie York, chief technology officer at Virgin Media O2 said: “After a year like no other, we know how important it has been to stay connected.

"That’s why we’re committed to providing our customers with reliable connectivity all across the UK - as shown by our £448m investment on newly released spectrum - to increase capacity in our network and power the technology of the future, as well as spearheading the Shared Rural Network.

“Whether you’re a holidaymaker heading off for a sunny staycation, a rural business or someone living and working in a remote area, we’re doubling down on 4G to ensure network capacity is deployed where it’s needed most."