Spain has just made digital history by becoming the first country to fully retire its old-school ADSL network. Telecom giant Telefónica flipped the final switch on May 27, dismantling the last 661 copper-based exchanges that once served up slow, dial-up–era speeds to millions of homes. With over 8,500 exchanges gone since 2014, the nation’s digital transformation is now officially complete.
The Final Curtain on ADSL
After a decade-long push, Telefónica wrapped up its massive network cleanup, ensuring that every nook and cranny of the country can now tap into a modern fiber connection. That means more than 31 million households can finally kiss their creaky copper lines goodbye and enjoy lightning-fast Internet speeds.
For many Spaniards, ADSL was the only choice for broadband until fiber-optic cables started snaking through cities and towns around 2014. But as demand for streaming, remote work, gaming, and smart-home gadgets skyrocketed, copper simply couldn’t keep up. Now, with fiber in place, users can expect download speeds of up to 1 Gbps and rock-solid reliability.
Of course, ripping out decades-old infrastructure is no small feat. Technicians spent months decommissioning 661 exchanges this spring alone, carefully extracting cables and upgrading lines. It’s a massive logistical win, and a big step toward a fully digital Spain.
Behind the Scenes: Telefónica’s Fiber Rollout
So how did Telefónica pull off this feat? The secret sauce was a multi-pronged strategy: aggressive investment, regional partnerships, and smart planning. Starting in 2014, the company funneled billions into laying down fiber-optic cables, prioritizing densely populated areas first, then gradually moving into rural zones.
Public-private collaborations played a key role. Local governments often chipped in to extend fiber to remote villages where the economics wouldn’t normally make sense. By pooling resources, Telefónica and municipal authorities made sure no community was left in the digital dust.
Another factor was consumer eagerness. Once villagers and city dwellers alike caught wind of blistering fiber speeds, sign-ups spiked. Telefónica leveraged that demand to justify further network expansion, creating a virtuous cycle: more users meant more revenue, which funded deeper fiber penetration.
France and Others: A More Gradual Shift
By comparison, Spain’s all-or-nothing approach is unique. Take France, for instance: the French plan is more phased. The country aims to complete its fiber rollout by 2030, five years after Spain’s cutoff, and they’re unplugging ADSL exchange by exchange rather than en masse.
Earlier this year, France retired its first batch of 162 communes from the ADSL club. Next up: 800 more in 2026, and over 2,100 by 2027. Some cities, like Rennes, have already gone fully fiber, disconnecting copper in April. But rural regions still have time to prepare.
To avoid leaving anyone offline, French officials are encouraging alternatives like 4G/5G home routers and even satellite-based services such as Starlink. It’s a stopgap solution that keeps people connected until fiber finally arrives.
What’s Next: Wireless and Beyond
With copper in the rearview mirror, Spain—and soon other countries—are eyeing the future of wireless connectivity. 4G and 5G home broadband options are popping up everywhere, offering speeds that rival older fiber plans without the need for digging trenches or stringing cables.
Satellite Internet, too, is gaining traction. Companies like Starlink are promising high-speed access to even the most remote areas, though latency and weather conditions can still pose challenges. But for regions where fiber is still a dream, satellites provide a viable path to the digital highway.
Ultimately, Spain’s full fiber triumph shows that bold infrastructure moves pay off. Other nations will be watching closely, weighing whether to adopt a similar all-in strategy or stick with a more measured rollout. One thing’s certain: copper is officially old news, and the era of high-speed, future-proof networks is here to stay.
