Spanish paper El Pais reported that Telefonica had signed the deal with Huawei in late 2024
In sum – what to know:
Telefonica extends 5G deal in Spain – The operator reportedly signed a consumer core network contract with Huawei lasting until 2030, despite EU pressure to reduce reliance on “high-risk” vendors.
Huawei defends itself – The company emphasized confidentiality, regulatory alignment, and its 24-year track record in Spain, stressing its core user-plane and NOC equipment face no restrictions.
Tensions with EU oversight – The European Commission recently warned Spain over Huawei contracts, highlighting ongoing scrutiny as Telefónica simultaneously advances 5G core projects with Nokia for enterprise customers.
Spanish operator Telefonica has reportedly extended a contract with Chinese vendor Huawei to supply consumer 5G core equipment in Spain until 2030, according to Spanish newspaper El País, which cited industry sources.
The agreement was said to have been signed in late 2024, under then-CEO José María Álvarez-Pallete. Telefonica COO Emilio Gayo had recently told Reuters the operator was scaling back Huawei use in Spain and Germany in line with regulatory requirements.
In response to El País, Huawei Spain stressed its contracts are confidential and noted that specific elements, such as the 5G core in the user plane and the NOC, face no regulatory limitations.
“Our company’s agreements with clients, including operators, are subject to confidentiality clauses. Regarding the 5G core in the user plane and the NOC, these are elements whose commercialization has no regulatory restriction. In its 24 years in Spain, Huawei has demonstrated a solid track record in cybersecurity, strictly complying with local legislation and technical standards required for the commercialization of its products. Our technology has been assessed according to criteria established by competent authorities, ensuring its reliability, integrity and regulatory compliance,” a Huawei spokesperson said.
Two months after the Huawei contract was reportedly signed, Telefónica reached a separate deal with Nokia to supply enterprise-focused 5G core systems.
While the Spanish government has not imposed a ban on Huawei telecom equipment, the European Commission has urged member states to restrict the use of what it calls “high-risk” vendors. Last month, reports surfaced that Brussels had warned Spanish authorities about awarding Huawei contracts.
Spanish mobile operator Movistar, owned by Telefonica, ended July 2025 with 8,178 active 5G base stations in the 3.5 GHz band, according to the latest official data from Spain’s Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function.
This is an increase of 1,229 units from the 6,958 recorded in March, according to the official information.
The 3.5 GHz band is the spectrum band where Spanish operators hold the most capacity, allowing for greater data throughput. It is used to provide higher-speed services compared with lower-frequency bands.
