Spain
All the latest key telecoms and digital infra insight, news and analysis from Spain.
M&A
Vodafone’s European retrench continues: Italian retreat gets final regulatory nods
Authorities rubber-stamp Swisscom’s acquisition of Vodafone Italy, pushing Margherita Della Valle’s ‘right-sized’ vision closer. By mid-2025, with €36bn+ bagged over 12 months, what’s in store for the far from insignificant remnants of rump Europe, developing market, digital infra, jazzed-up central function, and other assets and stakes? Read more…
Weekly Briefings
Telefónicawatch Weekly: fresh infra deals unwrapped; new execs take the reins
Group secures agreements to upgrade mobile and IT in Germany, Peru, and Spain. In Brazil, Vivo finalises long-sought-after deal to ease financial and regulatory obligations associated with fixed-line telephony…
People
Telefónica Peoplewatch: Bluevía names fresh CEO to manage strategy transition
Recent strategic and senior leadership changes at Telefónica include Group CTIO Enrique Blanco and strategy lead Mark Evans preparing to step down from Executive Committee in early-2025; and Spain fibre JV Bluevía appointing new CEO…
People
Telefónica Vice-Chairman Javier Echenique dies at 74
Operator’s CEO Álvarez-Pallete laments loss of Echenique in same year as death of former Group Chairman César Alierta.
Weekly Briefings
Telefónicawatch Weekly: rivals crash Group’s regulatory party; networks to get autonomous upgrade
Group CEO José María Álvarez-Pallete calls for greater deregulation in Europe despite seeing rays of hope shining through, as recent regulatory wins in Colombia and Spain grind to a halt. Meanwhile, Telefónica’s networks set to gain further autonomy starting in 2025. Read more…
Network & Infrastructure
Spain’s big-three take home extra rural 5G SA cash — report
MásOrange, Telefónica España, and Vodafone Spain reportedly share financing from second UNICO-5G Redes Activas tender, enabling operators to build more than 9,000 new 5G SA sites in rural areas. Read more…
Network & Infrastructure
Vantage Towers looks to shared urban infra for new growth opportunities
Electric vehicle charging has sparked potential new services and customers for European TowerCo Vantage Towers, but in-building and shared urban infrastructure remain priorities for growth.
Network & Infrastructure
Telefónica shifts autonomous networks strategy into fourth gear
Network and systems operations lead says Group is seeking to evolve many autonomous network PoCs into minimum viable products starting in 2025, as it seeks to accelerate its journey towards Level 4 autonomy. Read more…
Public Affairs
Exasperated telco CEOs mulled strike action to drive EU regulatory change: Orange’s Heydemann
Orange CEO says the concept of a CEO strike came up in discussions over how to change European regulators’ mindset towards sector, although concedes impracticality of such a move.
People
Telefónica’s long-time CTIO Enrique Blanco to retire in 2025
Spanish telco rings in 2025 with executive changes to replace Global CTIO Enrique Blanco and Chief Strategy and Development Officer Mark Evans, who are leaving the company.
Network & Infrastructure
Rivals rail against CNMC plans to amend Telefónica regulations – report
Spanish regulator is consulting on raising prices for duct access and making the methodology underpinning economic replicability tests more “flexible”. Read more…