Telefonica Espana (Movistar) has announced that over the summer it has expanded its 5G network in the region of Castilla y Leon, deploying more than one hundred nodes in the 700MHz band in nine provinces. As a result of the expansion works, the telco said that as at end of August the Movistar brand was present in all the provinces of Castilla y Leon and in towns ranging from more than 20,000 inhabitants to those with fewer than 50; population coverage in the region stood at 70% at that date. Telefonica said it had invested more than EUR430 million (USD458 million) in new networks in Castilla y Leon over the last five years. The 700MHz band has been its chosen band for 5G deployment due to its better indoor penetration, though Movistar also operates in the 3.5GHz band – complementing the wider coverage footprint provided in the 700MHz band.
According to the company’s press release the nine provinces are: Avila (including San Juan de Gredos, Ojos-Albos, Higuera de las Duenas, and Berzal de Zapardiel); Burgos (Barbadillo del Mercado, Santa Gadea del Sil, Gumiel de Izan, and Villariezo, along with network densification in the city of Burgos); Leon (Brazuelo, Acebedo, San Cristobal de la Polantera, Corullon, Folgoso de la Ribera, Garrafede, Torio, Matanza de los Oteros and Cebrones del Rio, among others); Palencia (Torquemada, Astudillo, Espinosa de Villagonzalo, La Puebla de Valdavia, Fuentes de Nava, Santibbnez de la Pena and Buenavista de Valdavia); Salamanca (Belena, Macotera, Linares de RiofrIo, Casillas de las Flores, Las Veguillas or Villarino de los Aires); Segovia (Torre Val de San Pedro, Otero de los Herreros and Villacastin); Soria (Villar del Rio, Burgos de Osma-Ciudad de Osma, and Medinaceli); Valladolid (Rabano, Mayorga and Quintanilla de Onssimo, among others); and Zamora (Fonfria, Hermisende and Muelas del Pan, among others).