Welcome to the 'Woliday' – half of Brits plan on going mobile and working through an extended getaway

EE Woliday

New research from EE reveals almost half (47%) of Brits will make the most of ubiquitous mobile coverage to take an extended ‘woliday’ - as travel restrictions lead to staycations increase
Nearly three quarters (73%) of workers reveal how the main motivation is to spend more quality time with family at UK holiday hotspots
Superfast data speed has become a top priority for over a third (36%) of Brits when booking a holiday – as EE announced upgrading of mobile capacity in top coastal destinations including Brighton, Poole, Blackpool and Southend-on-Sea

Millions of Brits are planning to take a ‘woliday’ this summer – making the most of mobile connectivity to extend their hols and working from wherever they are, new research from EE reveals today. It comes as EE recently announced it has added extra mobile capacity to some of the UK’s most popular coastal locations, in anticipation of a bumper ‘staycation summer’.

Almost half (47%) of UK adults say they are spending extra days away this summer at UK seaside resorts and other holiday hotspots so they can make the most of being able to ‘work from phone’ after many have had their breaks abroad scuppered by Covid restrictions.

Beaches are proving the most popular option for those who are planning to take a ‘woliday’ this summer with 42% saying they will work from the beach and 54% saying the feel of sand between their toes will make them more productive.

More than two thirds (68%) expect to reply to work emails from their ‘woliday’ while one in five (22%) say they will dial into meetings from the beach and a third (31%) will check in with their boss from the poolside.

For those who are able to take more time away and enjoy their ‘woliday’, the biggest motivating factor was being able to spend quality time with loved-ones out of office hours (73%), over a quarter (27%) said they wanted to be closer to nature and 22% said it would reduce stress.

Smartphones are key with 46% of Brits saying they could do their whole job with just their mobile while 36% say picking a destination with reliable mobile connectivity providing superfast 4G and 5G speeds on their handsets is a priority when planning a break.

EE, named the UK’s best mobile network for eight years running, is helping families who are wolidaying make the most of their time away and is rolling out its award-winning 5G network – now available across many of the UK’s much-loved beaches and seaside resorts. EE also offers 4GEE and 5GEE WiFi mobile broadband devices which are perfect for connecting laptops and tablets, so Brits don’t always need to rely on their smartphone to keep themselves and their family online.

To make sure they can work remotely seven in 10 (70%) say they will be bringing their work mobile phone on holiday, while 56% say they will bring their laptop and 9% plan to bring files or paperwork to read.

Alex Cornett, Mobile Propositions Director at EE, said: “Millions of us are holidaying in the UK this year, and EE is here to help people make the most of it.

“This isn’t about bunking off and it isn’t about having to work through your holiday, this is about a unique opportunity to extend our holidays and make the most of our time by the seaside with family and friends.

“EE is already making waves in seaside towns so if you plan to work from the beach this summer, our 4G and 5G coverage is a shore thing.”

– ENDS –

For more information, please contact:

Ben Endley
Ben.endley@goldbug.agency
07598227519

Notes to Editors
EE has upgraded its 4G network in the following locations, with a further 16 locations* to follow later this summer:

Blackpool
Bournemouth
Brighton
Dawlish
Gt Yarmouth
Isle of Sheppey
Maldon
Porthcawl
Rhyl

As part of its ongoing 5G rollout, EE has switched on the next-generation technology in:

Ayr
Blackpool
Brighton
Paignton
Poole
Porthcawl
Southend-on-Sea
Swansea
Weston-Super-Mare

About EE

EE runs the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator. EE brought the first 4G network to the UK in October 2012, and launched the UK’s first 5G network in May 2019.

EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being named the UK’s no.1

5G network by RootMetrics® in 2020 and being named the UK's best network every year since 2014 for the following awards: The Mobile Choice Awards, The Mobile Industry Awards and by RootMetrics®.

As well as offering mobile services to consumers and small and medium businesses, EE

also provides home and business broadband using both 4G and fixed line connections.

EE is committed to being number one for service in the industry, and has nearly 600 shops across the UK. EE remains the only mobile provider to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK and Ireland and was recognised as the UK’s Best Large Contact Centre by the UK

Customer Experience Awards 2018 and Welsh Contact Centre Awards 2019. EE was

awarded The Sunday Times’ Best 100 Companies to Work for in 2018 and 2019, as well as being named Best Employer 2018 by the European Contact Centre Customer Service awards.

EE is part of BT’s Consumer business unit which provides products and services to all of

BT’s consumer customers in the UK.

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