Telecommunications giant Telefonica has announced that it will be phasing out copper networks in Spain as part of its commitment to a more sustainable, high-performance future. In 2014, Telefonica began switching its infrastructure to fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) technology, which is faster, more reliable and has a significantly lower carbon footprint.
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Telefonica Celebrates its first 100 Years
Now, with the announcement of the closure of all its copper exchanges by April 19, 2024, the operator will have completed the process in Spain in time for its centenary. The closure of the last 3,329 copper central offices is the final step in Telefonica's switch-off process, which began in 2014.
Key to Digitalisation
Telefonica's fixed network is a crucial enabler for digitalisation, providing voice and data transmission services that require flexible, dynamic, and secure networks. The company believes that to achieve ultra-connectivity in Spain, it is essential to combine FTTH with the 5G mobile network, which has already been deployed to reach 85% of the population in the country with more than 250,000 inhabitants.
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Telefonica, in a statement, said, "In this regulated process, the CNMC is notified of the closure of copper exchanges, which are subsequently closed. At present, 2,236 of the 5,203 central offices announced to the CNMC have already been closed. With the notification of these 3,329 additional exchanges and the closure of all those already notified, the official closure of the copper service will be completed."
Path to Sustainability
Telefonica's fibre network reduces the environmental impact by up to 94% in Spain, which is 18 times less than copper for equivalent data consumption. This is due to the company's previous efforts in terms of energy efficiency, technology design and implementation, and investment in renewables.
Furthermore, a single fibre exchange can serve the same number of accesses as four copper exchanges. Telefonica has shown the same level of commitment from switching 2G/3G networks to 4G/5G Networks with a 7 times lower impact per equivalent consumption.
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Reduction in CO2 emission
Since 2015, in Spain, Telefonica has managed to reduce CO2 emissions from its operations by 96% (scopes 1 and 2) and energy consumption by 12%, although data traffic has multiplied by 4.7 in the same period.
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Telefonica's priority is to keep energy consumption stable while data traffic increases. Sustainability management initiatives include using renewable energy in 100% of operations and various efficiency and network modernisation projects, such as replacing copper with fibre. The company is progressing towards zero net emissions throughout the value chain by 2040.
