The closure of ADSL exchanges in Spain has been a reality for several years. The deployment of FTTH or fiber optics to the home makes this obsolete technology unnecessary, so the dominant operator in this market (Movistar) wants to turn off copper before 2025. This will allow it to be more efficient, save costs and offer better connections. Although this process is a reality in much of the country, there are still areas that depend on the old copper cable. For that reason, we tell you what happens when in your area they turn off the ADSL forever.
The copper pair is an infrastructure that has given us a lot in recent years, but that can no longer give more of itself. From allowing us phone calls to the first Internet connections through noisy modems. It also brought ADSL to the masses with speeds never seen before. However, it has many problems that we do not find in modern fiber networks. In addition, the latter have almost infinite growth possibilities, which prepares us both for the present and for the short, medium and long-term future of the Internet.
Control panel shutdown: what you need to know
The blue operator has a section on its website dedicated to explaining the process of switching off the centrals. This is a process that Telefónica has been running since 2012 to reach Spanish homes only with fiber optics. The process progressively affects different customers who must make an appointment for a specialized technician to carry out the standard installation for free at home.
The standard installation (valued at € 300) is free and usually takes 3 to 4 hours . The client will maintain their services in a generalized way and may even take advantage of to contract additional ones. Also, you will keep your phone number and will not lose it in this process. In case of not migrating to fiber optics, the service will be canceled and, in the future, the client will not be able to recover the landline number.
You cannot switch a switchboard without taking several steps
The National Commission of Markets and Competition, CNMC, has articulated a series of requirements for the closure of the plants:
- A switch can only be closed when more than 25% of the customers of that switch connect by alternative means to the copper network.
- If there are alternative operators unbundling the loop, Telefónica must continue to provide that wholesale service for 5 years and with 6 months of custody.
- If there are no alternative operators in the plant, the warranty period is reduced to 1 year with the relevant 6 months of custody.
However, in October we learned that the CNMC had decided to speed up the process. The warranty period goes from 5 years to only 2 years . This comes into effect as the process of closing new plants is announced. For example, one that was going to close in 2026 with the warranty period will now be able to do so in 2023.