Virgin Media O2 has announced plans to invest £700 million ($904m) into its mobile network this year in an effort to improve its reliability, speed, and coverage across the UK.

The figure equates to around £2 million ($2.58m) a day, the operator said.

The investment will be used to plug gaps in the telco's coverage in the country as the carrier reports that traffic over its network has more than doubled in the last five years.

Virgin Media O2 said the program will focus on expanding 4G and 5G coverage to historic 'not-spots' across rural and coastal areas.

In more dense areas, the telco will deploy more small cells to boost capacity, while the company added that it will also look at improving its network along railway lines, at airports, on motorways, and in stadiums and arenas.

Virgin Media O2 has previously deployed small cells in Birmingham, Reading, and Manchester.

“Our Mobile Transformation Plan combines the necessary financial investment with the latest technological innovation to make this a reality," said Jeanie York, chief technology officer, Virgin Media O2.

“We’re not just upgrading infrastructure; we’re creating a platform for future innovation. This program ensures our customers will continue to benefit from superior reliability as new technologies and demands emerge.”

Virgin Media O2 said the Mobile Transformation Plan sets out to bring its mobile and fixed networks closer together through the use of its fiber network.

In hard-to-reach parts of the UK, the carrier said it will utilize satellite technology to connect Virgin Media O2’s towers offering a cost-effective way to tackle remote signal not-spots.

The carrier will deploy Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) to support stadiums and transport hubs.

Bye-bye 3G

As Virgin Media O2 looks to focus fully on 4G and 5G, the carrier is also preparing to retire its legacy 3G network.

The telco announced in January that it will begin the switch off of its 3G network next month.

On top of these plans, Virgin Media said it will deploy additional spectrum and harness AI.

The company's move away from its 3G network will "support investment into more energy-efficient and higher-capacity future networks, and harnessing AI will enable the operator to unlock efficiencies that will be reinvested to improve the network experience."

Virgin Media O2 has previously claimed that its 4G mobile network covers 99 percent of the UK, while its 5G network reaches more than half of the nation.

In July, the company stated it would start its transition away from its 2G network this year.