Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez has announced the launch of an ambitious new drive to bring internet at speeds of at least 100Mbps to 100 percent of the Spanish population over the next 5 years. The “Spain Digital 2025” plan encompasses 48 measures grouped into 10 key goals and will cost EUR 140 billion, the first EUR 70 billion of which will be spent over the next 3 years followed by the remaining half in 2024-25.
In a presentation held at his official residence in Madrid, Sanchez said the private sector would be responsible for EUR 50 billion of the first EUR 70 billion, with EUR 20 billion coming from public investment, including EU funds from the recently announced Next Generation EU recovery plan.
The Spain Digital 2025 programme is based on 10 key goals to be reached by 2025, such as bringing 100Mbps broadband to 100 percent of the population to finally bridge the digital divide, guaranteeing that 100 percent of the radio spectrum is ready for 5G services and ensuring that 80 percent of people have basic digital skills.
Spain’s government also wants 20,000 specialists in cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence and big data by 2025 as well as at least a quarter of SME revenues in the country to come from electronic commerce by the end of that year. A digital pact to guarantee rights of workers, consumers, citizens and companies will also be drawn up, said Sanchez.
Spain already has Europe’s most extensive FTTH network, with more than 80 percent of premises covered, way above the EU average of 34 percent, but in rural areas that figure currently stands at around 46 percent. A delayed auction of 5G-ready spectrum in the 700MHz band is now set to take place in the first quarter of 2021.
