Within the 700 MHz band, which is used for wider space protection, Movistar had 11,934 base stations in July, up 1,137 from March
In sum – what to know:
1,229 new 3.5 GHz websites since March – Movistar expanded from 6,958 to eight,178 websites, sustaining a lead of about 6,000 over rivals MásOrange and Vodafone.
Slower rollout at Vodafone – Added 265 3.5 GHz websites in the identical interval, reflecting a Zegona-led technique to deal with infrastructure monetisation.
700 MHz protection obligations met – All three main operators elevated website counts and fulfilled authorities necessities set within the July 2021 spectrum award.
Spanish cellular operator Movistar, owned by Telefonica, ended July 2025 with 8,178 energetic 5G base stations within the 3.5 GHz band, in keeping with the newest official information from Spain’s Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Perform.
This is a rise of 1,229 models from the 6,958 recorded in March, in keeping with the official data.
The three.5 GHz band is the spectrum band the place Spanish operators maintain probably the most capability, permitting for better information throughput. It’s used to supply higher-speed providers in contrast with lower-frequency bands.
Rival telco MásOrange had 4,254 3.5 GHz base stations in July, up from 3,631 in March, including 623 models. Vodafone elevated its rely from 1,903 to 2,168, a acquire of 265.
Vodafone’s slower growth on this band coincides with a strategic shift underneath new proprietor Zegona, specializing in producing returns from current infrastructure. This contains joint fiber corporations with MásOrange and Telefónica.
Within the 700 MHz band, which is used for wider space protection, together with rural areas and indoor penetration, Movistar had 11,934 base stations in July, up 1,137 from March. MásOrange added 656 websites in the identical interval, reaching 10,851, whereas Vodafone elevated by 695 to eight,092.
The Ministry’s information signifies all three operators have met the 5G protection obligations within the 700 MHz band set by the Spanish authorities within the July 2021 spectrum award.
5G cellular networks coated 96% of the Spanish inhabitants as of mid-2024, marking an increase of over 3.5 share factors in comparison with the earlier yr, in keeping with a earlier authorities report on nationwide connectivity printed in June.
The Broadband Protection Report in Spain, printed by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service, outlines the progress of broadband and 5G deployment throughout the nation as of June 2024. Over the previous three years, 5G protection has expanded by 37 share factors nationwide.
Protection is anticipated to develop even additional as soon as ongoing tasks underneath the UNICO 5G Energetic Networks Program are finalized. Almost €670 million ($766 million) was awarded by way of requires proposals in March and mid-2024 to speed up 5G Standalone deployments in cities with fewer than 10,000 residents, with a big portion centered on the three.5 GHz band.
The connectivity report additionally famous vital positive factors within the 3.4–3.8 GHz frequency bands — designated by the EU as a precedence for 5G — with protection growing by 16 share factors prior to now yr.
In only one yr, 3.5 GHz 5G protection in rural zones grew by over 12 share factors, reaching 23% at end-June 2024. Extra broadly, rural 5G protection has tripled since 2021, rising from 26% to 80% by 2024. Between June 2023 and June 2024 alone, rural protection expanded by 11 share factors.
In January 2025, Spanish telco Telefonica stated it was delivering 5G protection to greater than 90% of the Spanish inhabitants.
Movistar, which is a part of telecom group Telefonica, had launched 5G Standalone (SA) protection in Spain in July 2023. Movistar initially launched 5G SA in 11 Spanish cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga, Seville, Palma de Mallorca, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Ávila, Segovia, Castellón, El Ferrol and Vigo.
Movistar’s 5G SA community, whose core was supplied by Nordic distributors Ericsson and Nokia, operates within the 3.5 GHz band and ensures looking speeds of as much as 1,600 Mbps.
