From network investment to the B2B leap: the new strategic cycle of telecommunications in Spain

In recent years, telecommunications operators have made a huge investment effort to modernize their fixed and mobile networks. This investment cycle has placed Spain in a particularly strong position in terms of connectivity. Today, fixed network coverage of at least 100 Mbps reaches 96.45% of households, 1 Gbps coverage reaches 93.88% and FTTH coverage stands at 94.79% of households. In rural areas, where historically one of the biggest gaps was, the improvement has also been very notable: fixed coverage of at least 100 Mbps reaches 87.87% of rural households and FTTH reaches 86.52%. The official coverage report also places Spain at the head of the EU in FTTH coverage and in third place in the OECD in terms of fiber subscriptions as a percentage of total fixed broadband.

This leadership in fiber has been accompanied by a very high penetration of services. According to the CNMC, in March 2025 Spain had 61.62 million active mobile lines, equivalent to 125.6 lines per 100 inhabitants. In addition, there were 54.41 million voice lines with mobile Internet access.
In fixed telephony, in April 2025, broadband exceeded 19.04 million lines, with a penetration of 38.8 lines per 100 inhabitants, and fiber to the home already reached 17.1 million lines. Added to this is another very revealing fact about the change of cycle: M2M lines, directly linked to the digitization of processes, IoT and asset connectivity, reached 15.82 million in April 2025, with a year-on-year growth of 32.9%.

In mobile, the evolution has also been profound. 4G coverage is now considered practically universal in Spain, and aggregate 5G coverage reaches 95.76% of the population, with 80.01% in rural areas. However, here it is worth introducing an important nuance: the 5G deployed to date is not fully standalone on a mass scale. The official report places 5G SA coverage at 44.11% of the population, while coverage in the 3.4-3.8 GHz band, one of the most relevant for advanced services, reaches 74.06%. In other words, Spain has come a long way in 5G extension, but is still on the way to a truly massive deployment of the most advanced SA capabilities.

And therein lies precisely the great strategic change in the sector. During the first phase, the network was built primarily with the end user in mind: more speed, better coverage, more capacity and a better digital experience. Now, however, the focus has shifted to the enterprise.
5G not only improves mobile access: according to the government's own report, it is a key enabler for smart manufacturing, real-time remote control of devices, the connected vehicle, intelligent transportation management and optimization of energy resources. In addition, 5G standalone incorporates a unique 5G core that enables automated, scalable and efficient management, a basic condition for business services with higher quality, security and personalization requirements.

This explains why the real monetization ground is no longer only in selling connectivity to the consumer, but in transforming the network into a business tool. Companies are no longer just asking for "coverage"; they are asking for solutions that automate processes, monitor assets, operate in real time, improve traceability, reduce incidents and ensure service levels adapted to their operations. This is where concepts such as 5G private networks, edge computing, network slicing and network APIs make sense, because they make it possible to convert a general infrastructure into connectivity tailored to each use case. The growth of M2M lines in Spain reinforces precisely this idea: business connectivity is no longer a promise, but an expanding reality.
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The success stories already show this change of focus very well. At MasOrange, one of the most representative examples is the Port of Barcelona. A private 5G SA network has been deployed there, with an investment of 3.6 million euros spread over five years, designed to support the land and maritime port ecosystem. The project allows, among other things, to reinforce critical facilities, connect cameras and sensors where fiber does not reach, support the Port Police and emergency services with real-time video and connected drones, and also improve rail operations and energy systems within the enclosure. In addition, the company's report notes that in 2024 it delivered its first private 5G SA B2B network to the Port of Barcelona and also deployed its first private network with network slices for BasqueCCAM, which clearly shows the move from mass connectivity to customized business solutions.

In Telefónica, one of the most illustrative cases is the one developed with Gestamp in a factory in Barcelona. The company connected physical elements of the plant, such as robotic welding cells, via 5G and brought data processing to the edge using MEC. This virtualized the entire factory for massive simulations and improved real-time decision making. The value of the case is not just in "having 5G," but in using the network as the basis for a more flexible, connected, analytical and efficient factory. That's precisely the kind of proposition that explains why industrial B2B has become a priority for operators.

At Vodafone, an equally representative case is that of Geoalcali at the Muga mine in Navarra. There, the operator announced the deployment of a private 5G/4G network to benefit more than 1,000 workers during the construction phase and another 800 in operation. The solution will enable voice and data communications, push-to-talk, connection of equipment and machinery at deep and remote points, remote control of machinery, process automation and real-time management of critical data. It is a good example of how telecommunications are no longer a support service but a direct factor in safety, productivity and operational continuity.

In addition to these individual cases, there is a very relevant move because it anticipates the next step in the market. In 2025, MasOrange, Telefónica and Vodafone Group, together with i2CAT, presented at MWC the first use case of the Open Gateway multi-operator innovation lab. The proof of concept, developed by LAUDE, integrates APIs such as Device Location Verification, Quality on Demand, Number Verification or Device Swap to build a solution with greater security and reliability. The value of this example is enormous: it shows that operators not only want to sell connectivity, but also expose programmable network capabilities for enterprises and developers to build new services on top of them.

Looking ahead, this evolution will have a growing impact on logistics, automotive, industrial maintenance, fleet management and the connected car. The official report itself identifies real-time remote control, the connected car and intelligent transportation management as some of the areas where 5G should enable new service models. In addition, the government is promoting actions to accelerate the deployment of 5G in transport corridors, roads and railways, which anticipates a scenario in which connectivity will be increasingly decisive for moving goods, coordinating infrastructure and automating operations.

In parallel, other technologies such as satellite will play a complementary role. Satellite coverage already reaches 100% of Spanish territory and, in eligible areas, provides access to connectivity of up to 200 Mbps through solutions such as Conectate35. It will not replace fiber or mobile networks where these are viable, but it will be a relevant support to close coverage gaps in areas where terrestrial investment is more complex.

In short, the sector is entering a new phase. Spain has already built an extraordinarily robust network base, especially in fiber and with very significant progress in 5G. The next step is not only to continue deploying, but also to monetize this capacity by helping companies to transform their business. This is where the great return on investment will be: in private networks, critical services, automation, intelligent logistics, connected industry and customized solutions. The user will continue to be important, but the great field of growth and differentiation for operators is already clearly in B2B.