Telefónica, Orange and Vodafone have obtained a total of 1,800 megahertz for 5G
Spanish operators Telefónica, Orange and Vodafone have secured additional spectrum to expand 5G services after the government completed a tender to award frequencies in the 26 GHz band.
Telefónica secured 1 gigahertz of spectrum for a total of 20 million euros ($21.1 million), while Orange and Vodafone have obtained 400 megahertz for 8 million euros each.
Telefónica, Vodafone and Orange have bid for nine concessions at the state level, for a total of 1,800 MHz. At the regional level, local carrier Globe Operator Telecom had bid for a concession in Castilla-León region.
The Spanish government confirmed it raised a total of 36.2 million euros in the auction. The concessions will have a duration of 20 years, extendable only once for another 20 years.
The government was inititially expecting to award a total of 12 national concessions in the 25.10-27.50 GHz band, and 38 regional concessions in the 24.70-25.10 GHz band.
The starting price of each national concession had been set at 4 million euros.
In July 2021, the Spanish government raised a total of 1.1 billion euros in the 700 MHz spectrum auction, with local operators Telefónica, Vodafone and Orange securing these key frequencies to expand 5G services.
The Spanish Ministry of Economic Affairs had said that each 700 MHz license will have a duration of 20 years, rising to a maximum of 40 years.
Spanish operators have already launched 5G services through spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band, which was awarded in 2018.
In February 2021, the Spanish Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation had awarded the remaining two 10-megahertz blocks of spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band to local carriers Orange and Telefónica.
Orange and Telefónica were the only two operators that took part in this last auction, each paying the starting price of 21 million euros for a 10-megahertz block.
In July, Telefónica said its 5G network covered 82% of the Spanish population.
The operator said its 5G network provides coverage to 38 million people in 1,431 towns and cities across Spain.
By the end of 2022, the telco aims to reach 1,400 municipalities in Spain with its 5G service using this spectrum band, with the goal of reaching 2,400 by the end of 2023.
Rival operator Orange Spain ended September with a total of 1.47 million subscribers in the 5G segment. Orange already deployed its 5G services in 1,529 towns and cities in 52 provinces across Spain, surpassing its initial target for the full year.
According to Orange, its 5G network infrastructure reached 68.7% of the Spanish population as of the end of the third quarter.
Meanwhile, Masmovil is currently offering 5G service in almost 1,400 towns and cities in 51 provinces across Spain for the customers of its Yoigo brand. According to the operator, 70% of the country’s population is already covered with its 5G network infrastructure. Masmovil also said that it had reached 505 new towns and cities in its latest 5G expansion.
Vodafone is also offering 5G services in the main cities across the country.
