Vodafone Spain has announced the activation of 5G services on the 700 MHz band, pledging to extend the coverage to a total of 109 localities across 30 provinces by the end of 2022. Over half of that total (55) corresponds to towns with less than 55,000 inhabitants, while all 25 of the large cities currently covered by Vodafone’s 5G network on the 3.5 GHz band will be upgraded to 5G standalone (SA) networks with the 700 MHz band frequencies, enabling significantly better coverage in indoor and larger outdoor areas.
Vodafone activated Spain’s first commercial 5G network in an initial 15 cities back in 2019, extending it to another 10 cities last March. It acquired 2x10 MHz blocks of 700 MHz band spectrum in July’s auction of 5G-compatible frequencies, paying EUR 350 million for its concession in a single instalment plus a licensing fee of EUR 15.5 million a year.
The rights are valid until 2041, with an automatic renewal with no additional fees for a further 20 years (until 2061), subject to meeting certain licence conditions, such as activating 5G services in 450 localities with populations above 50,000 by the end of June 2025, as well as covering the country’s largest airports, train stations and motorways.
The first 17 large cities to receive the coverage upgrade are Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville, Malaga, Zaragoza, San Sebastian, Pamplona, Logrono, Toledo, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Palma de Mallorca, Valladolid, Murcia, Segovia, Castellon and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, to be followed by La Coruna, Vigo, Gijon, Santander, Bilbao, Vitoria, Badajoz and Alicante before the end of the year.
Vodafone added that it intends to bring 5G on the 700 MHz band to 30 percent of localities with up to 50,000 inhabitants by December.
