Telefonica will halt all new fibre-optic installations in customer homes until Spain’s coronavirus lockdown comes to an end, according to unnamed sources cited by website Xataka Movil. The company expressed its disagreement with the Spanish government’s decision to partially lift the temporary ban on fixed and mobile number portability requests earlier this week following a video conference with employees led by CEO Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete. “People's health and safety are above the commercial battle. We are not going to put our people at risk because we also have more people on the street than any other operator in view of our position as a wholesale supplier, as well as a retailer, serving competing customers,” said the source.
As a result, the company intends to focus its efforts on maintaining the quality of its networks as data consumption surges, while exposing its workers outside their homes as little as possible, added the report.
