Telefónica has reaffirmed its commitment to modernize its fixed-line infrastructure by completing a full transition to Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) and permanently closing all copper exchanges by 2024.
The copper network switch-off is scheduled to coincide with Telefónica’s centenary. This decision aligns with the company’s strategy to deliver higher performance and faster services while lowering energy consumption and reducing its carbon footprint.
José María Álvarez‑Pallete, Chairman of Telefónica, said:
“Telefónica continues to advance its transformation to preserve its leadership. The new digital era runs through our network.
We are pioneers in applying artificial intelligence to next‑generation networks and play a central role in the decarbonisation of the economy.
Closing our last copper central offices was one of Telefónica’s commitments, and we always honor our commitments and prepare for the future.”
Telefónica began decommissioning its copper network in 2014 and currently has 3,329 central offices remaining. By April 19, 2024, the company will have completed a major network conversion after closing a total of 8,532 exchanges.
Emilio Gayo, Chairman of Telefónica España, added:
“At Telefónica España we are committed to delivering the best connectivity to all our customers.
By announcing the shutdown of all copper exchanges and halting further copper deployments, we are moving toward a 100 percent fibre fixed network.”
Fiber delivers higher speeds, more stable connections, greater bandwidth, and significantly reduced latency. A single fibre exchange can support the same number of connections as four copper exchanges.
Telefónica’s fibre network also substantially reduces the company’s environmental impact—by up to 94 percent in Spain—thanks to improvements in energy efficiency, optimized technology design and deployment, and investments in renewable energy. Telefónica aims to reach net‑zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2040.
(Photo by Ralph (Ravi) Kayden on Unsplash)
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