Telefónica has solidified its position as the leading 5G operator in Spain, with a deployment that already reaches 5,700 municipalities and provides service to more than 94% of the population. It’s not just about “map coverage”: the company has brought the technology to two key bands —3,500 MHz and 700 MHz— and has transformed its network into 5G Stand Alone (5G SA), the “full” version of the standard that enables full potential, especially in the business sector.
In a context where Spain has set a goal to become one of Europe’s most advanced countries in connectivity, Telefónica’s deployment is a cornerstone of that strategy.
A network that reaches nearly the whole country
Telefónica’s 5G rollout relies on thousands of active nodes distributed across the territory. The operator has installed equipment in more than 5,000 municipalities, with coverage overlapping and allowing to serve 5,700 localities in total. The key is combining two frequency bands with complementary functions:
- Band at 3,500 MHz (5G+ or high-performance 5G):
Aimed at delivering ultra-fast speeds (over 2 Gbps) and very low latency, especially in urban areas and industrial parks. - Band at 700 MHz:
With greater penetration ability in buildings and coverage over large areas, it’s ideal for rural zones, highways, and indoor environments where mobile signals previously struggled.
According to the company, this combination makes its mobile 5G network the most extensive and relevant in the country, both in the number of nodes and municipalities covered, with a special focus on the 3,500 MHz band in the business ecosystem.
Castilla-La Mancha, an example of how 5G is starting to bridge the rural gap
The deployment isn’t limited to major capitals. Castilla-La Mancha is a good example of how 5G is beginning to reduce the divide between city and countryside.
In the region, Telefónica’s 5G is already available in the five provincial capitals (Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, Guadalajara, and Toledo) and has expanded to numerous medium and small municipalities. The 700 MHz band plays a leading role: it reinforces indoor coverage, reaches dispersed communities, and ensures continuity along transport corridors that traditionally suffered from shadow zones.
At the same time, the 3,500 MHz band is beginning to establish itself in industrial areas and urban environments where companies and public administrations demand higher bandwidth and minimal latency to connect sensors, cameras, or critical applications.
For a region with a strong primary sector, agro-food industry, and a network of medium-sized cities, this type of deployment opens the door to projects such as:
- Connected farming (sensors on crops, smart irrigation, remote monitoring).
- Road logistics and transportation with connected vehicles and real-time tracking.
- Digitized public services, from emergencies to administrative procedures in small municipalities.
5G+ at 3,500 MHz: speed and latency designed for more than just streaming videos
The so-called high-performance band (3,500 MHz) is the most “premium” part of the rollout. Telefónica already operates thousands of 5G+ nodes in nearly 3,000 municipalities, and this number continues to grow.
This band enables:
- More than 2 Gbps download speeds under optimal conditions.
- Very low latencies, essential for real-time applications.
- A more robust and predictable network to support numerous connected devices simultaneously.
In everyday use, this translates to:
- Near-instant downloads of large files.
- High-resolution video streaming without interruptions, even at crowded events.
- Enhanced experience in online gaming and interactive applications.
- More stable connections for remote work and video conferences.
But its greatest impact is in professional environments: factories, ports, logistics centers, or large corporate campuses that require mission-critical connectivity, massive sensor deployment, and guaranteed service quality.
5G Stand Alone: the step that turns the network into a platform for businesses
The other major element of the announcement is that the network is now 5G Stand Alone (SA) in the 5,700 municipalities where Telefónica offers 5G, both in 700 MHz and 3,500 MHz (or both). This means that 5G no longer relies on 4G infrastructure for its core; instead, it operates end-to-end on dedicated 5G infrastructure.
In practice, 5G SA allows for:
- Higher sustained speeds and lower latency compared to early 5G versions (NSA).
- Greater efficiency in spectrum and network utilization.
- Activation of advanced capabilities such as:
- Network Slicing: creating “virtual slices” of the network with guaranteed quality of service for specific clients or applications.
- Edge Computing: processing data near the user, on peripheral nodes, without sending it to distant data centers.
Telefónica has been testing these capabilities with real clients for years, and in 2024 became the first operator in Spain to launch a commercial 5G Network Slicing service for enterprises. One notable case is the 112 emergency service in Extremadura, where a specific “slice” guarantees priority for calls, video, and critical data even during saturation.
For industrial companies, logistics sectors, or public administrations, this type of service enables:
- Connecting robots, autonomous vehicles, cameras, and sensors with reliability.
- Prioritizing traffic for emergencies or critical services over other network use.
- Meeting security and availability requirements without deploying private networks from scratch.
Almost mass deployment… but with pending challenges
With over 94% of the population covered and 5,700 municipalities with 5G, Spain ranks among Europe’s most advanced countries in this technology, and Telefónica takes considerable credit for it.
However, there are still challenges:
- Real indoor quality: map coverage doesn’t always translate into a strong signal inside old buildings or dispersed rural homes.
- Device compatibility: not all citizens have upgraded to 5G smartphones, so parts of the deployment aren’t yet fully utilized.
- Large-scale enterprise use cases: the technology is ready, but many SMEs and public entities are still in pilot phases.
- Territorial gap: although improved, some rural areas still depend on further improvements or combinations with fiber and satellite.
Nevertheless, Telefónica’s rollout marks a turning point: 5G in Spain is no longer just a commercial claim but a critical infrastructure relied upon by increasing digital services—from mobile entertainment to emergency management, industry, and smart cities.
Frequently Asked Questions about Telefónica’s 5G in Spain
What’s the difference between “normal” 5G and 5G Stand Alone (5G SA)?
The “non-standalone” (NSA) 5G uses part of the 4G infrastructure in the core network, while 5G SA operates entirely on dedicated 5G technology. This provides lower latency, higher sustained speeds, and advanced functions like Network Slicing and Edge Computing, especially beneficial for businesses and critical services.
What’s the difference between the 3,500 MHz band and the 700 MHz band in Telefónica’s 5G?
The 3,500 MHz band offers more speed and lower latency, ideal for urban, enterprise environments, and demanding services (5G+ or high-performance 5G). The 700 MHz band has greater coverage and better indoor penetration, improving service in buildings, rural areas, highways, and small towns.
How can I check if my town, such as in Castilla-La Mancha, has Telefónica’s 5G coverage?
The easiest way is to consult the official Movistar/Telefónica coverage map on their website, where you can filter by technology (4G, 5G, 5G+) and enter the town name or postal code. It will show if 5G is available and whether it operates over 700 MHz, 3,500 MHz, or both.
What can companies and public administrations do with 5GSA and Network Slicing?
With 5G SA and Network Slicing, organizations can access “dedicated” network slices with guaranteed service quality for critical applications: connected factories, vehicle fleets, surveillance systems, emergency services, or smart city projects. This reduces the need for deploying private networks and enhances process digitization with higher security and reliability.
Sources:
Telefónica Spain (corporate info on 5G and 5G SA deployment); Spanish economic and tech press (coverage and frequency band data); public communications on Network Slicing projects and use cases like Extremadura’s 112 service.