The pending mandatory introduction of V16 GPS-enabled beacons proved one the main catalysts for growth in Telefonica Tech’s connected device numbers, which stood at 17 million at end-November.

It stated the figure is market leading in Spain.

Telefonica Tech highlighted a bumper Q3 contributed to the growth, with 3 million SIMs connected for a total of 12.3 million lines. It explained it is at the forefront of the digital transformation of road safety, as Spain does away with traditional hazard warning triangles in place of the connected beacons from the beginning of 2026.

The operator stated it is responsible for connecting more than 70 per cent of V16 beacons certified by Spain’s road traffic authority.

Other elements fuelling the rise in IoT devices connected by Telefonica Tech include demand from healthcare, industry and utilities.

It highlighted smart water meters and predictive maintenance functions in the aquatic sector, along with real-time monitoring tasks in the gas industry as drivers.

In social healthcare, it is deploying sensors in the homes of elderly or vulnerable people to alert carers of any problems.

Telefonica Tech also pointed to its provision of IoT services in the industrial sector which pave the way for robotics, digital twins, dedicated communications and computer vision.

The post Telefonica Tech clocks domestic IoT gains appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Azcue takes the title of chief financial and corporate development officer. The company’s group controller and planning director Ernesto Gardelliano will assume the role of chief strategy and control officer.

Telefonica explained combining finance leadership with corporate development would enable it to face “upcoming challenges with a more global and cohesive vision”.

Azcue was credited with extensive experience in M&A and has been on the operator’s executive committee since the start of 2025.

Abasolo is set to leave after more than 20 years with the company: she was appointed CFO in 2017.

The move is the latest in a shake-up at the operator group driven by CEO Marc Murtra during his first year at the helm.

Telefonica noted the latest changes reinforce a “commitment to excellence and innovation, evolving its operating model” to ensure the success of a strategic plan presented last month.

Listings
In a separate announcement also made yesterday (17 December), Telefonica detailed its intention to delist American depositary shares from both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Lima Stock Exchange in Peru.

The move to quit the NYSE listing came after an analysis “taking into account the administrative burden” and associated costs. It noted it is consistent with the new strategic plan to simplify its operating model.

The post Telefonica finance chief exits as revamp continues appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a stock market statement, America Movil revealed the agreement with Entel had been scrapped and it would “explore its potential participation” in a sales process initiated by Telefonica alone.

Bloomberg reported Entel is also set to consider going it alone on a bid.

The suitors entered the initial pact in July.

In a statement released in October, America Movil noted the rationale behind “jointly exploring their potential offer is based on the potential benefits that the transaction could generate for its clients and Chilean consumers”.

It added the move could “strengthen the telecommunications sector competitiveness, increasing the ability to continue investing and competing in high-speed networks and coverage, through a more efficient use of the involved assets, all of which is key to the country’s digitalisation”.

In a stock market statement issued in October, Telefonica Chile announced it had been informed by its parent company there was a “strategic evaluation process” of the business underway which could lead to its sale.

At the time, it added there had been “several non-binding expressions of interest” and a due diligence process was “underway with several potential buyers”.

A divestment in Chile would be the latest disposal of a Telefonica’s asset in Latin America, as it continues to sharpen its focus on priority markets.

The post Telefonica Chile suitors sever alliance appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Under the agreement, Nokia will use its Cloud RAN and AI-ready technologies to upgrade the operator’s network in a bid to support rapid 5G rollout, improve performance and achieve more sustainable network operations.

The Finnish vendor will supply its energy-efficient AirScale RAN portfolio, including Habrok Massive MIMO radios and small-cell solutions, to enhance Telefonica’s coverage and boost indoor connectivity. New baseband solutions will also be deployed to strengthen network performance and reliability.

Nokia’s Interleaved Passive Active Antenna technology will be used to simplify site design and speed up 5G deployment. The contract also includes ongoing maintenance and network optimisation services.

Telefonica will continue to use Nokia’s AI-powered network management platform MantaRay NM to monitor and optimise performance across radio, core and transport networks. The pair stated the tool underpins the operator’s ambition to achieve greater AI-powered network automation in the future.

Nokia CEO Justin Hotard said the deal extension will help strengthen Telefonica’s “performance, efficiency and customer experience across their 5G network”, adding that with Nokia’s technology, the operator will be “positioned for long-term competitiveness as the AI supercycle takes hold”.

Hotard has repeatedly referenced the AI supercycle since taking on the role as Nokia boss earlier this year and this month announced a strategic revamp focussed on AI, cloud and next-generation connectivity.

Matthias Sauder, director networks at Telefonica Germany’s consumer brand O2 Telefonica, noted the deal reflects a “shared commitment to advancing 5G technology and creating a more connected and sustainable Germany”.

The post Nokia locks in 5G RAN deal with Telefonica Germany appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The companies stated the sale would position FiberPass to meet growing demand for FTTH services, boosting the quality and availability for consumer and business customers.

Proposed terms would see Telefonica retain control of FiberPass, with its stake reducing from 63 per cent to 55 per cent. Vodafone Spain’s holding would fall from 37 per cent to 5 per cent, with AXA IM Alts to then hold 40 per cent.

Telefonica noted 30 per cent of its remaining stake would be held by its Spanish division and 25 per cent its infrastructure unit.

Vodafone Spain and Telefonica launched FiberPass in March. It currently passes 3.7 million premises and is used by 1.4 million of the operators’ customers.

Financial institutions BBVA and Barclays advised Vodafone Spain and Telefonica Espana, with Rothschild & Co acting for AXA IM Alts.

Mark Gilligan, head of infrastructure at AXA IM Alts, said the company first invested in FTTH operations in 2018 and provides a service in France which passes 7 million homes.

“Fibre-to-the-home is central to our digital infrastructure strategy,” he said, highlighting demand is growing due to streaming and remote working, along with IoT uses.

He said the FiberPass deal is “a rare opportunity to scale in one of Europe’s most advanced FTTH markets and within a sector that is estimated to nearly double to $110 billion globally by 2030”.

The post Telefonica, Vodafone add Spanish fibre investor appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Reuters reported while discussions with unions UGT and CCOO are ongoing, with the proposed job cuts potentially impacting 41 per cent of the employees in the Telefonica de Espana unit, 31 per cent at Telefonica Moviles and 24 per cent at Telefonica Soluciones.

The news agency noted the layoffs represent a 20 per cent reduction of about 25,000 employees across the operator’s staff in Spain.

According to Reuters, UGT stated Telefonica also proposed a 32 per cent reduction at subscription TV service Movistar+.

Bloomberg added a representative for the UGT union stated Telefonica will hold additional meetings with three other subsidiaries.

Earlier in November, Telefonica revealed its five-year strategic plan under CEO Marc Murtra which includes cutting its dividend payouts next year to prioritise investment in core technology.

The post Telefonica mulls 5,000 job cuts as part of revamp appeared first on Mobile World Live.

During our Digital Unwrapped week Justin spoke to Maite Aparicio, Open RAN and RAN Innovation Manager, Telefónica SA about How open can 5G go?

The post Unwrapped Keynote: Telefónica SA appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a keynote interview with Mobile World Live, Aparicio argued 5G deployments have been so fast it hasn’t had a window to work out how open cloud RAN infrastructure can be on par with the systems it already has deployed.

“This does not mean that Telefonica is giving up cloud RAN. Our commitment is there.”

Asked about an earlier goal (stated in 2021) for half its 5G deployments to use open RAN by 2025, she acknowledged it has faced various barriers preventing it from going live. “There are some challenges and concerns that we need to overcome before the massive adoption of open RAN.”

The challenges include high-capacity scenarios requiring hardware and software optimisation and the need to integrate the solution with its legacy infrastructure, which in some cases increases the complexity of the sites it has in place.

In addition, Telefonica has found it needs time reach the same maturity level with the new open RAN players as it has with the traditional RAN vendors, which offer reliable performance. “We also need time to ensure interoperability, because there are a lot of pieces, and we need to guarantee they are all going to work together.” 

She also highlighted the need for new skills to operate and manage the network in a different way.

Telefonica is working on two separate streams: testing virtualised architectures with the traditional RAN vendors and building new multi-vendor environments with the new entrants in the ecosystem. 

The post Telefonica underlines open RAN commitment appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Telefonica stated its 2025 dividend is confirmed at €0.30 per share, but for 2026 this will be cut to €0.15, paid out in June 2027.

The dividend cut is part of the wider Transform and Grow plan, running from 2026-2030, which rests on six pillars designed to establish Telefonica as a “world-class European operator with profitable scale”.

It said the new strategy will target enhancing customer experience; expand its B2C offering; scale its B2B and public administration business; evolve technological capabilities through investment in fixed and mobile networks; simplify the operating model; and develop talent.

Transform & Grow also includes a number of initiatives aimed at improving financial performance, targeting €2.3 billion in savings in 2028 and €3 billion by 2030.

While the plan does not include any consolidation opportunities, the company said it “remains ready to seize any that may arise within the plan’s timeframe”. It also pledged its commitment to technological development of the sector and Europe’s strategic autonomy, emphasising a lack of consolidation had led to “inefficient investment compared with the United States and China”.

Since Murtra’s arrival, the company has sharpened focus on its three big European markets of Spain, the UK and Germany, as well as Brazil, while divesting several other operations in Latin America.

Q3 numbers
In the third quarter, revenue dipped 1.6 per cent year-on-year to just shy of €9 billion, blamed on the impact of exchange rates. Net income was reported at €271 million, down 45.1 per cent due to impairment charges in its Telefonica Tech business.

As of 30 September, net financial debt stood at €28.2 billion.

Commenting on the results, COO Emilio Gayo pointed to positives in fibre and 5G customer additions while stating solid operational momentum allowed it to confirm its full year guidance.

The post Telefonica targets €3B savings as part of 5-year plan appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The operators stated the satellite and teleport services framework agreement, signed by stc and Telefonica’s global business unit Telefonica Global Solutions (TGS), will target developing low Earth orbit (LEO), medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) networks.  

Combined satellite capabilities are intended to give customers access to scalable “high-speed connectivity, supporting mission-critical operations anywhere across land, sea and air”, explained the duo. Its tie-up will also aid in delivering satellite services across stc’s home market of Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and other global markets.

Mohammed Alabbadi, group chief carrier and wholesale officer at stc said the partnership enables the operator to expand its satellite capabilities and strengthens its role of being the choice for “industries that require secure, high-performance connectivity beyond traditional networks”.

The satellite agreement comes around a year after Spain’s government approved stc’s acquisition of an almost 10 per cent stake in Telefonica, as part of the Saudi operator group’s strategy to increase investments outside of its home market.

It has maintained it has no intention of acquiring a majority stake in the company.

The post Telefonica, stc deepen relations with satellite pact appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Mascaraque’s appointment takes the number of Telefonica directors from eight to nine and opens the door on a long career with companies including Google and IAC Search and Media.

The director founded online finance platform for SMEs Finexia and later BPM Marketing, which is heavily involved in developing AI tools for the sector.

Telefonica also highlighted experience as a non-executive chair of Media Response Group in Spain and Brazil along with board positions at Seaya Ventures, MedicAnimal and Geocast.

De Paz is moving to a role as deputy director to the chair, with responsibilities spanning infrastructure, property assets and corporate social responsibility. Telefonica explained he resigned his directorship voluntarily.

The shift means current head of Infrastructure Guillermo Ansaldo moves to an advisory role.

Ana Maria Sala Andres is appointed as de Paz’ replacement on Telefonica’s sustainability and regulation committee.

The post Telefonica shuffles upper management appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Speaking at a keynote session, Siemens director industrial wireless communication Daniel Mai (pictured, above) and Telefonica Germany head of new partner concepts Andreas Cott argued their ongoing project provided the reliability required for that specific vertical and had wider implications.

Cott (pictured, below) said slicing was “an opportunity for us as telcos to develop scalable, vertical-specific connectivity solutions,” highlighting its work for the water sector with Siemens had “no comparable solution” while providing the operator with “a lighthouse on how to leverage slicing for industry specific challenges”.

“Of course, challenges differ among different verticals but the approach, the way of working we get here is transferable,” he added.

Mai noted given the assets of water companies are so spread out compared to campus-based enterprises, “public mobile network is a better choice” rather than private network architecture.

Discussing the water deployment, Mai added “it’s not about the lowest latency or high throughput,” noting these were “the buzzwords MNOs like to talk about,” but highlighted in this case the key requirements were “reliability and continuity,” with applications generally requiring response in “seconds not milliseconds.”

Steep learning curve
Reflecting on the work, Mai said it had “been a steep learning curve”.

“We learnt a lot. Telefonica learnt a lot. Because we have different views and Telefonica traditionally looks at their core applications like connecting smartphones. Industrial assets is a different game,” Mai said.

He added it has discovered how the public network was structured is a “highly dynamic environment”.

To watch the whole interview, including discussion on the progress of the deployment and potential other uses for network slicing, click here.  

The post Siemens, Telefonica flushed with enthusiasm over slicing appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The operator noted the work on the Large Telco Model would help technicians detect network disruptions faster and improve operational coordination. The ultimate goal is to up service quality using a combination of genAI and automation.

Telefonica Germany will use a tailored version of a model developed by Nvidia and Tech Mahindra, which was unveiled earlier this year.

The operator’s director of service operations Mircea Anghel said the model would increase “the reliability and efficiency of our services through data-driven decisions and highly automated processes” and “elevate the customer experience to a new level.”

Nvidia global head of business development for the telco sector Chris Penrose added: “Autonomous networks are critical for delivering uninterrupted customer experiences and operational efficiency for telecom operators” stating the model “lays the foundation for the deployment of AI agents in autonomous networks”.

The post Telefonica Germany eyes AI operational boost appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The news comes less than a month after Reuters cited comments from the operator’s COO Emilio Gayo, who stated it was reducing use of the vendor’s equipment in Spain and Germany in line with regulatory requirements.

El Pais cited “highly reliable industry sources”, noting the deal was signed when the operator was under its previous CEO Jose Maria Alvarez Pallete.   

In its response to the newspaper, Huawei Spain emphasised its contracts in the country are confidential, but noted elements such as the “5G core in the user plane” were not subject to regulatory restrictions.

Telefonica inked an enterprise-focused core deal with Nokia two months after the deal was apparently signed with Huawei relating to its consumer business.

Although there is no blanket ban on Huawei in Spain, the European Commission has pushed for restrictions on the use of equipment from what it deems higher risk vendors in member states and last month reportedly warned the country’s authorities about a contract it gave the vendor.

Huawei has denied its equipment poses a security risk numerous times and regularly referred to the campaign against it, initially led by the US, as politically motivated.

The post Telefonica linked with extended Huawei 5G deal in Spain appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The utility company supplies water, sewage collection and treatment across 375 municipalities in the Sao Paulo area. It serves more than 28 million people.

In a translated regulatory filing, Sabesp revealed it signed a service agreement with Telefonica Brasil and its cloud affiliate in the country for the system comprising equipment, infrastructure and the underlying connectivity.

It added the smart meter project is “on a scale greater than similar initiatives known globally in the sanitation sector”.

The mammoth deal is the latest inked by an operator for use of IoT in the utilities segment, with water companies across a number of markets using connected technology for customer billing and within other parts of their businesses including leak detection.

In a corporate blog in 2024, Telefonica Tech cited internal data showing the adoption of smart meters could cut leaks by 40 per cent, cut maintenance costs and improve customer satisfaction by 60 per cent.

The post Water company taps Telefonica for $700M NB-IoT project appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Telefonica COO Emilio Gayo told Reuters the operator is “reducing our exposure to Huawei” in both countries, where governments have mandated the phase-out of the Chinese vendor’s equipment from 5G core networks due to national security concerns.

In the UK, where a similar ban is in place, Gayo added that Telefonica’s exposure to Huawei is already “very, very low”.

However, the operator confirmed it will continue using Huawei equipment in Brazil and other Latin American markets, where no such restrictions are in place. Reuters reported that Telefonica CEO Marc Murtra emphasised that equipment from all suppliers is subject to strict internal standards, ensuring security for the company and its customers.

Huawei has faced restrictions across European markets for a numbers of years, with governments citing national security risks.

However, Spain did recently award a €12 million wiretap contract to Huawei, which was met with a warning from the European Commission.

According to The Financial Times, the European watchdog warned that Huawei “represents materially higher risks” than other suppliers.

However, a Huawei spokesperson told Mobile World Live that all of its products in Spain “fully comply with local laws, regulations, and applicable product admission criteria and standards.”

Regarding the wiretap equipment in question, OceanStor Dorado, the company stated it is “a common flash storage hardware” that adheres to Spain’s National Security Scheme and ICT security guidelines. “Huawei has no access to customer data, all the information stored in hardware belongs to and is at the exclusive disposal of the customer,” the spokesperson added.

The post Telefonica drops Huawei gear across Spain, Germany appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The operator, which is making a big push to reduce its exposure to Latin America, stated it booked the loss due to the impact of discontinued operations in Argentina, Peru, Uruguay and Ecuador. In the same period in 2024, it registered a profit of €417 million.

In total, it booked an impairment of €206 million on the value of the units sold . The company is also rumoured to be in exclusive discussions about a sale in Mexico, although this was not mentioned in the results announcement.

Revenue fell 3.7 per cent year-on-year to just shy of €9 billion, with its business in Spain and Brazil registering revenue increases of 1.9 per cent and 7.1 per cent respectively. However sales were impacted by currency swings, specifically a depreciation of the Brazilian real against the euro.

CEO Marc Murtra (pictured), who is planning to announce a strategic overhaul of the business later in the year, stated the results were in line with internal expectations.

“We are making progress in defining our strategic review, but in the meantime, we continue executing our mandate for the year with discipline and professionalism,” he added.

Telefonica maintained its full year outlook and dividend payouts for the year.

The post Telefonica books Q2 loss on LatAm disposals appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Ericsson stated it holds 50 per cent of the equity, while operators AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, KDDI, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefonica, Telstra, T-Mobile, Verizon and Vodafone have as expected taken the remaining stake combined.

Aduna became operational in September 2024, with a goal to create an ecosystem of companies also including hyperscalers, developers and other industry players committed to advancing APIs and establish a set of common interfaces based on the existing industry-wide CAMARA open source project.

It has also stated its work will be in-keeping with the GSMA’s Open Gateway initiative.

In addition to funding and commercial agreements, Ericsson stated the 12 operator shareholders will provide support through telecom operator relationships, knowledge of the developer community and expertise in network APIs.

Since its formation, Aduna has expanded its ecosystem, with operators including SoftBank Corp and NTT Docomo and five vendors including Microsoft and Syniverse the latest to join the effort.

Anthony Bartolo, who was named CEO of Aduna in January this year, stated closing the transaction was another important step for Aduna.

“In just ten months we have built an impressive ecosystem comprising the biggest names in telecoms and the wider ICT industry,” he said. “The closing provides renewed motivation for Aduna to accelerate the adoption of network APIs by developers on a global scale.”

The post Ericsson, operators finalise 50:50 API JV appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Three sources close to Reuters claim Telefonica is accelerating a plan to sell its Mexican operation, after rumours first emerged in February that is looking to exit the market, along with other businesses in the region.

It has since agreed a sale of its unit in Argentina to Telecom Argentina, a deal with Millicom for its Colombia operation and disposals in Uruguay and Peru.

If Reuters sources are proved correct, Mexico could well be next on the chopping block with Beyond ONE looking to bolster its presence in the country after buying MVNO Virgin Mobile Latin America in 2023.

A research note published in June by European financial services company Kepler Cheuvreux indicated Telefonica’s Mexico business could be worth around €520 million.

Under new CEO Marc Murtra, Telefonica has stated it plans to focus on four core markets of Brazil, the UK, Spain and Germany. It plans to unveil a major cost-cutting programme later this year.

However, Reuters added a sale in Mexico could be held up by the creation of a new antitrust commission, which has been mooted and would have oversight over telecoms companies.

The post Telefonica edges closer to Mexico sale appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The latest agreement is subject to regulatory approval and is part of an ongoing Telefonica strategy to cut its exposure to Latin America in favour of focusing on what it deems to be its key markets.

Telefonica noted its Movistar brand is the second largest in Ecuador, with around 5 million connections as of the end of March.

In its statement, Millicom positioned the purchase as significantly enhancing its footprint in the region and commercial reach.

The operator group’s CEO Marcelo Benitez added the “acquisition reflects our long-term confidence in Latin America and our commitment to purposeful, sustainable growth”.

“Ecuador offers a dynamic and growing digital market within a stable, dollarised economy, making it a natural fit for Millicom’s strategy. By expanding our presence in South America, we strengthen our platform for innovation, diversification and long-term value creation.”

Last month, Millicom struck a deal to buy Telefonica’s Uruguay division for $440 million, having finalised a long-expected agreement for Telefonica’s majority stake in Colombian provider Coltel two months earlier.

Aside from the sales to Millicom, Telefonica also signed deals to exit Peru and Argentina during 2025. 

The post Telefonica to offload Ecuador unit in latest LatAm sale appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN), on behalf of the operators, stated it had presented a unified 6G vision to 3GPP, advocating for the critical need for harmonised global standards as it prepares for setting the scope for Release 20.

In its 6G Key Messages – An Operator View publication, NGMN argued that standards should be built upon the features and capabilities introduced with 5G and “create value through new services”, delivering benefits to users and operators.

To that end, 6G must demonstrate clear, tangible benefits with a realistic techno-economic framework network architecture to meet MNOs criteria for “modularity, simplicity, openness, operational simplification, compatibility and interoperability, while delivering economic and social sustainability”, said NGMN.

Embrace decoupled roadmaps
The latest rallying cry consolidates messages from a previous NGMN publication published in 2023, with industry heavyweights stressing the transition to 6G should be evolutionary but not force a complete hardware refresh.

It further acknowledged fresh radio equipment will be required to deploy new frequency bands, but the evolution towards 6G in existing bands should primarily occur through software upgrades.

Laurent Leboucher, chairman of the NGMN Alliance board and Orange Group CTO and EVP Networks, insisted the move to 6G should be seamless, fully compatible with 5G and “propelled by continuous software innovation”.

“The industry must move beyond synchronised hardware/software ‘G’ cycle and embrace decoupled roadmaps,” he added.

The post Operator giants call for seamless shift to 6G appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Bloomberg reported one area of discussion includes separating Vodafone Spain’s fixed-line and enterprise assets to address potential antitrust issues.

MasOrange could possibly take over Vodafone Spain’s low-cost brand Lowi, according to the news agency’s sources.

The acquisition could be expensive, as private equity company Zegona Communications acquired Vodafone Group’s Spanish operations for approximately €5 billion in 2024.

The preliminary talks followed Telefonica CEO and chairman Marc Murtra’s calls for consolidation among European operators earlier this year.

Bloomberg explained there haven’t been any formal proposals by MasOrange and Telefonica, and there’s no guarantee a deal will take place due to antitrust and funding issues.

MasOrange was established in 2024 after a €20 billion merger between Orange’s local subsidiary and MasMovil. 

Earlier this year, MasOrange struck an agreement with Vodafone Spain to establish FibreCo, a joint fibre network company set to provide access to approximately 12.2 million premises across the country.

The post Telefonica, MasOrange mull Vodafone Spain deal appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a statement on the acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approvals, Millicom pointed to expected benefits from infrastructure and commercial synergies with existing operations in Paraguay and Bolivia.

The buyer asserted the move would “consolidate its leadership position” in the region, noting Telefonica’s operation in Uruguay was a “well-established, profitable mobile operator with nationwide coverage”.  

Millicom CEO Marcelo Benitez said the acquisition “represents a key milestone in our purposeful growth strategy across Latin America,” stating Uruguay is “a country with strong fundamentals and a forward-looking digital agenda”.

“We are committed to being a long-term partner in Uruguay’s digital development by investing in mobile infrastructure, improving service quality, and fostering innovation and talent development.”

For Telefoncia, the deal will be the latest move in a strategy to divest units in Latin America, having already struck deals for its businesses in Peru, Colombia and Argentina.

In its brief statement on the sale Telefonica explained with the transaction it was “moving forward with its plan to reduce exposure in Latin America”.

It added the Movistar operation in Uruguay was the second largest mobile provider in the country with a 29 per cent market share.

The other two mobile players in the market are state-owned Antel and America Movil’s Claro.

The post Millicom to buy Telefonica unit in Uruguay for $440M appeared first on Mobile World Live.

On social media, the company’s Movistar division indicated some specific communications services across voice and internet had been disrupted, though as of midday CEST today (20 May), the problem had been largely resolved.

Telefonica Espana director of operations, networks and IT Sergio Sanchez noted at that point it had only a “few specific cases” outstanding and personnel had been sent out to fix these.   

Sanchez explained one of its routers experienced “an incident” during a network upgrade, which “impacted the services of some businesses and public services, as well as local service in some areas”.

It subsequently isolated affected nodes from the network and was able to resolve the issue.

Telefonica’s O2 Espana added some mobile services were also impacted.

Both divisions apologised for the inconvenience.

Spanish newspaper El Pais reported 112 emergency service calls for some users had been disrupted for “hours” in several autonomous communities including the Basque Country, Valencia area and Andalucia.

The issue led to a barrage of complaints on social media platform X, with some comparing disruption to that experienced during a massive power outage which hit the country last month and led to operators scrambling to keep the network lights on.

The post Telefonica units apologise after Spain outage appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In its earnings statement, Telefonica reported writedowns amounting to €1.2 billion from Argentina and €500 million in Peru. Net income from continuing operations reached €427 million, a 26 per cent year-on-year decrease.

Revenue dropped 2.9 per cent year-on-year to €9.2 billion. The company, however pointed to strength around its core businesses, with growth in Spain, above inflation growth in Brazil and operational improvement in Germany.

It also said it had successfully reduced exposure in Latin America during the quarter, a long-standing goal, after the sale of its stake in Argentina and an agreement to sell operations in Colombia. Press rumours continue to circulate that the company is also edging towards a sale of its Chile unit.

CEO Marc Murtra, who took the helm earlier this year, has revealed plans to conduct a strategic review of the company, which looks likely to focus on Europe, technology excellence and simplifying the operator.

Gayo, who commented in the statement, said the first quarter results met expectations and its numbers would improve throughout the year in line with targets.

“During the second half of the year, we will communicate the conclusions of the strategic review we are conducting,” he added.

The post Telefonica takes hit on LatAm sales appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Vodafone Spain reported on X around 60 per cent of mobile traffic had been restored and 50 per cent of nodes were active as of 11pm local time, stating the figures would grow as the nation’s electrical networks came back online.

The operator stated all “grid control centres, including data centres and other systems” remained online and had “sufficient autonomy” to continue operating until the main power networks were restored.

Vodafone’s teams “are working tirelessly, prioritising decisions and implementing measures to maintain telecommunications operations in critical infrastructure and providing all necessary support to our customers”.

Nevertheless, Vodafone urged “responsible mobile phone use to prevent network outages”.

Backup generators initially kept Vodafone’s network operating at 70 per cent of normal, it noted in an earlier post.

Telefonica also pointed to the use of substitute power sources in a series of X posts, listing generators and batteries. An emergency committee was activated to manage the crisis and the operator began “streamlining the use of resources” to keep networks running “as long as possible”, with “essential services” prioritised.

MasOrange pinned a call to subscribers to “limit communications to the strictly necessary” on its X page, noting it was more important to keep the network clear for use by emergency services.

“We also recommend activating power-saving mode on your devices”.

Digi posted this morning that most fibre and mobile customers were able to “use their services normally”.

It earlier posted only that it was working to minimise the disruption.

Blackout
The Guardian reported the power outage affected much of Spain along with Portugal, with the latter’s grid operator pointing to extreme temperatures as a likely cause even though Spanish authorities conceded the problem probably began there.

Spain’s electrical grid operator stated service had been restored across nearly 90 per cent of the mainland by this morning, The Guardian wrote.

In Portugal, the grid operator reported 6.2 million customers out of 6.5 million affected were back up and running, the newspaper added.

The post Spanish operators power through blackouts appeared first on Mobile World Live.

As of the end of 2024 the company had cut its Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions by 56 per cent against the volume recorded in 2020, a figure the company asserts means it is on track to meet an ambition of slashing the initial level 90 per cent by 2030.

The equivalent figure it reported in 2023 was a 45 per cent cut on 2020.

Among achievements highlighted for 2024 were a 15 per cent saving in data centre cooling energy across 20 of its sites, deployment of 350 electric vehicles on its way to a fully electric fleet and a further drop in plastic packaging used for own-brand products.

It aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions across its products, operations and supply chain (Scope 3 emissions) by 2040.

The company noted in an attempt to “galvanise further action”, its annual bonus scheme includes an element based on its performance in this area.

As part of its green activities, it also runs O2 Recycle for consumers and businesses.

The consumer scheme has processed more than 4 million devices since launch in 2009. Having initially been for mobile phones, it was since expanded to accept a range of other electronics including games consoles, MacBooks and ear buds.

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The operator’s Telefonica Hispanoamerica unit announced the deal was signed and closed yesterday (13 April), and covered its entire stake along with a loan it made in February to keep the Peruvian business running while it moved to restructure through a bankruptcy process.

Telefonica Hispanoamerica hailed the sale for maintaining its service to more than 13 million customers in Peru.

Integra Tec appointed German Ranftl as chair of Telefonica del Peru to oversee a restructuring process, with Elena Maestre continuing to lead its existing management team.

Telefonica Hispanoamerica explained the Peruvian operator will still have access to a PEN1.5 billion credit facility it arranged as part of the bankruptcy process.

At the time of initiating the voluntary bankruptcy process, Telefonica Hispanoamerica explained historic tax issues and administrative decisions left the Peruvian business “at a competitive disadvantage” and Bloomberg reported the operator had failed in previous bids to sell the unit.

The deal also involves an “indirect transfer of control” of shares the unit holds in rural operator Internet para Todos.

Telefonica Hispanoamerica stated Integra Tec brings “extensive experience” of Latin American telecoms, utilities, media, energy, chemical and natural resources industries, along with “the recovery of companies facing financial difficulties”.

It added Integra Tec is committed to expanding Telefonica del Peru’s services, restructure its debt and deliver a solid capital structure.

The Peru move follows reports its unit in Mexico is up for sale alongside planned deals in Argentina and Colombia.

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Addressing investors Murtra, who took over from long-term boss Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete earlier this year, outlined his major priorities for the business and reiterated concerns about the state of the industry in Europe previously voiced at MWC Barcelona 2025.

“The high level of fragmentation in the telecommunications sector in Europe, unique in the world, and the excessive regulation, also unique in its intensity, have uprooted the possibility that European telcos could have been technological giants capable of competing with their US and Chinese counterparts,” he said.

His solution to this is for large companies in the sector to “consolidate and grow to a scale that will allow them to invest, innovate and attract talent in a decisive way”.

Murtra argues this process of consolidation should begin within countries rather than across them “otherwise it will not make economic sense”.

Review
Before the end of the year, the chief plans to present a strategic review to the company’s board which he positioned as being “ambitious”, and would be “carried out with analysis and with strict professionalism”.

The executive noted Telefonica is working on three priorities with its home continent at the centre of his plans.

“Our priority will be Europe, Europe and Europe, we will maintain our leadership position in Brazil as a core market and we will focus on what we know how to do as an industrial operator.”

Under Murtra’s relatively short tenure so far rumours have been rife surrounding the company’s operations in Latin America, with deals already announced for units in Colombia and Argentina.

Discussing its position in Europe, he added “we consider intra-market consolidations to be economically profitable. There will be no European consolidation, nor will we consolidate without prior intra-market consolidation and without economic rationality”.

Another of the executive’s priorities is to “maintain sound financial discipline and to simplify the company”, with the third major focus “operating under parameters of technological and operational excellence”.

He added “people will be key” for all these areas.

At the meeting, Murtra received the support of almost 91 per cent for his appointment as an executive director, with shareholders also approving all of the proposals put forward by the board.

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The system will use the former’s IoT technology to send data collected by the Dexory robots, which can scan up to 10,000 inventory locations per hour in 3D using cameras and Lidar sensors.

Information will be supplied to a digital twin platform with the ultimate aim of aiding customer warehouse operations.

In a statement, Telefonica Tech noted its partner’s hardware was able to capture real-time data on factors such as an item’s volume, dimensions and location.  

The Spanish telecoms giant’s division added “with this alliance, we strengthen our digital service portfolio, providing logistics, distribution, and manufacturing companies with accurate data and real-time visibility to improve efficiency and safety in their operations”.

Dexory specialises in warehouse visibility platforms for the logistics industry, offering the robots themselves alongside data and insight platform DexoryView.

Among the benefits it promotes for its platform is the ability to eliminate wasted space in facilities, improve organisation and cutting unnecessary stock movement.

This, it asserts, can smooth workflows, improve throughput and enable faster handling.

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