Rural areas in Spain to receive 5G boost as Vodafone expands network

Vodafone has revealed plans to expand its 5G network in Spain this year to 1,000 additional villages, towns and cities, with 238 of those having populations of less than 1,000 people and mainly being in rural areas.

How 5G benefits customers

5G offers greater availability of bandwidth, meaning more people can use it at the same time, and faster data transmission speeds, allowing customers to download content up to five times faster than on 4G.

Vodafone will take advantage of the 700 MHz (megahertz) frequency band for the new 5G roll-out, which offers wider coverage areas than other frequencies commonly used for 5G. This is ideal for rural areas.

The network expansion will see Vodafone’s 5G coverage in Spain reach 65% of the population across a total of 2,000 municipalities by the end of 2023.

Julia Velasco, Network Director, Vodafone Spain, said: “Our goal is to bridge the digital divide and provide connectivity to everyone, including those who need it most.”

Supporting rural connectivity

Around 15% of Europe’s population lives in rural or remote areas, and almost half of homes there struggle with inadequate broadband or mobile network coverage. Connectivity and digital services play a crucial role in ensuring rural communications can remain vibrant and achieve their economic potential.

We are working to expand rural connectivity across our markets and are committed to supporting an inclusive, sustainable digital society for all.