- This funding is in addition to the first call for applications for this Programme, awarded less than a year ago. The sum of both will allow more than two million people throughout Spain and more than 36,800 km of the road network to have 5G coverage
- The Government continues its commitment to extend ultra-fast communication networks to the entire population, especially in the smaller localities. 5G networks not only improve broadband coverage at high speeds; they also enable the development of new applications and services that strengthen the local economy
Barcelona, 4 March 2025.- The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Service, through the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures, has published the final resolution of the call 2024 of the UNICO Active Networks program, which will allocate 161.3 million euros to continue extending 5G infrastructure in municipalities of less than 10,000 inhabitants. This funding will enable 5G coverage to be extended to about 326,000 people and 6,800 km of the road network.
“Spaniards have a right to connectivity. Our country is widely connected thanks to the investment made in infrastructure since 2018 for more than 1.7 billion euros. Today 92% of Spanish households have access to 5G, but we want to continue closing even more the digital gap between urban centers and the rural world”, said the head of the department, Óscar López, since the MWC Barcelona 2025.
The recipients of the aid were Telefónica, which will receive EUR 102.7 million to extend coverage in 1,116 locations, and the MasOrange Group, which has been allocated EUR 58.6M million to enable 5G in 845 locations. In total, the projects will mobilize more than 195 million euros and involve the installation of 265 new communication towers in locations where these infrastructures did not exist.
In this way, the Government continues its commitment to ensure that ultra-fast communication networks reach the entire population, especially the smallest and most remote localities. 5G networks not only improve broadband coverage at high speeds; they also enable the development of new applications and services that strengthen the local economy.
Program UNICO 5G Active Networks
El programa UNICO 5G Redes Activas es una iniciativa pionera en Europa. It allocates European funds to finance active equipment and the construction of new towers that expand the territorial deployment of 5G with full functionality (Stand Alone) in small municipalities. The goal is to provide 5G coverage to locations where there is no 4G mobile coverage of at least 50 Mbps downstream, and where it is not expected to be in the next three years.
This Programme is funded by European Next Generation EU funds within the framework of the Recovery Plan. The first call for UNICO Active Networks 5G was resolved in July 2024. It awarded 508 million euros to bring 5G technology to more than 1.8 million inhabitants of small municipalities and 30,000 km of the road network.
The final resolution with the details of the sites that will benefit from the projects awarded in this call can be consulted Here we are..