Digital connectivity in Spain

National digital connectivity strategy and policy

Responsible authorities

• The Ministry for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service (Ministerio para la Transformación Digital y de la Función Pública) is responsible for the Government's policy on telecommunications, the information society, digital transformation and the development and promotion of artificial intelligence.
• The National Commission of Markets and Competition (Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia) is responsible for regulating all markets and productive sectors of the Spanish economy to ensure free competition and consumer protection.

Main aims and measures for digital connectivity development

The Spain Digital Agenda (España Digital) outlines strategic priorities to advance the country's digital transformation in line with the digital decade objectives. The agenda is structured around ten strategic axes and two cross-cutting axes, which are framed by three dimensions reflecting the Digital Decade Policy Programme: (i) infrastructure and technology; (ii) economy; and (iii) people. Regarding digital connectivity, it aims to guarantee 100 Mbps coverage for the entire population by closing the digital gap between urban and rural areas. Moreover, it seeks to advance 5G deployment by preparing the entire radio spectrum accordingly.

To achieve the digital connectivity objectives contained in the Spain Digital Agenda, the Spanish Government published the Digital Infrastructures and Connectivity Plan and the Strategy for the promotion of 5G technology. The plan outlines actions to cover 100% of the population with more than 100 Mbps. It focuses on rural areas that are not covered by the operators’ own deployment plans. Moreover, the plan includes measures to achieve 1 Gbps connectivity in data-intensive industry and research areas.

The Strategy for the promotion of 5G technology complements the national connectivity plan to account for the different level of maturity and transformational impact of 5G compared to, e.g., fibre. The strategy outlines actions to improve spectrum assignment and management, and incentivise 5G deployment and use, including through an updated regulatory and legal framework.

The National Telecommunications and Information Society Observatory (ONTSI) provides public information on the digital transformation to support the assessment and, where necessary, adjustment of measures developed within the framework of the Spain Digital Agenda.

The roadmap to implement the Connectivity Toolbox includes several measures to reduce costs. The main measures include streamlining permit granting procedures, improving the single information point and increasing the transparency of physical infrastructure.

National and regional digital connectivity financial instruments

• The implementation of the Spain Digital Agenda is financed with public funds from the various EU programmes and financing instruments under the Next Generation EU Recovery Plan. This is expected to be complemented by around EUR 50 billion from the private sector.
• The Plan for Connectivity and Digital Infrastructures and the Strategy to Promote 5G Technology is expected to receive EUR 4.3 billion in public funding between 2020 and 2025. It is expected that private investment to the tune of an additional EUR 24 billion will be secured within this period.
• Spain's Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) includes significant investments to close the existing digital divide between urban and rural areas in fixed and mobile digital connectivity networks. The plan includes EUR 15.4 billion to support fixed and 5G connectivity, data infrastructure and the related ecosystem. Among the RRP measures, the UNICO-Banda Ancha programme has allocated funds for ultrafast fixed digital connectivity networks in rural, remoted and less populated areas.

Data on digital connectivity development and technologies in Spain

For the latest data on digital connectivity coverage, take-up, subscriptions and penetrations, coverage of different digital connectivity technologies check the Digital Decade country reports.

National and EU publications and press documents

English

• Presentation of the Digital Spain Agenda
• Broadband Investment Handbook
• Mobile and Fixed Broadband Prices in Europe 2023
• Study on National Broadband Plans in the EU27

Spanish

• España Digital
• Plan para la Conectividad y las Infraestructuras Digitales de la sociedad, la economía y los territorios
• Estrategia de Impulso de la Tecnología 5G

Contact information

BCO Spain (national Broadband Competence Office): Spanish Ministry for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service

Contact via email
Website

National Commission for Markets and Competition (Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia, CNMC)

Contact via email
Website