How Will MasOrange and Ericsson Transform Spain’s 5G Network?

Ericsson and MasOrange, an amalgamation of Orange Spain and Masmovil, have announced a significant five-year partnership that aims to create a future-ready Open RAN network. Under the terms of this collaboration, Ericsson will integrate the existing networks of Orange Spain and Masmovil to bolster the consolidated MasOrange network with high-performance and sustainable solutions designed for open architecture. Alongside this initiative, there will be the deployment of Ericsson-powered 5G Standalone (5G SA) in rural Spain starting in October 2024.

Advancing 5G Infrastructure

Integration and Network Enhancement

The project is set to develop one of Europe’s most extensive and modern 5G SA mobile networks, significantly enhancing 5G services for subscribers across the country. MasOrange’s CEO, Meinrad Spenger, underscored the importance of this collaboration, noting its critical role in developing an open and programmable mobile infrastructure that will spur technological advancements and promote sustainable growth. Spenger highlighted that a robust, open infrastructure is pivotal for the European telecommunications industry’s future competitiveness and technological leadership.

Ericsson’s Jenny Lindqvist echoed these sentiments, emphasizing that the industry’s vision is grounded in open networks that drive rapid innovation and growth through network APIs and developer ecosystems. This collaboration highlights the strategic importance of such open networks in driving the next wave of telecom innovation. Moreover, this partnership reflects a concerted effort to align the technical and strategic objectives with broader industry trends favoring open, robust, and developer-friendly systems.

Focus on Network Optimization

The partnership will see MasOrange upgrading its network using an array of sophisticated Ericsson Radio System products and Core solutions, aimed particularly at enhancing network capacity and user experience through 5G Massive MIMO Time Division Duplex (TDD) technology. This upgrade will support simultaneous multiple signal transmissions, effectively maximizing spectrum efficiency and boosting overall network capacity. Improving network capacity is fundamental in accommodating the expected surge in data traffic due to increased 5G adoption.

Additionally, the project will prioritize network densification and optimization to significantly enhance performance, coverage, and capacity. Currently, MasOrange’s 5G network reaches 86% of Spain’s population, covering around 3,500 municipalities. These numbers are set to rise, with plans in place to expand 5G coverage to almost 3,700 municipalities by the end of 2024. Specifically, they aim to cover 100% of the nearly 750 Spanish municipalities with populations exceeding 10,000 by the same time frame, demonstrating a strategic focus on both urban and rural areas to provide ubiquitous, high-quality 5G connectivity.

Investment and Expansion

Financial Commitment

MasOrange’s extensive network currently includes nearly 10,000 sites operating in the 700 MHz band, with many of these sites serving smaller towns and villages, underscoring the company’s commitment to broadening digital inclusion. Moreover, MasOrange has outlined its investment strategy, planning to invest 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) in Spain over the next three years. This substantial investment aims to springboard the country’s digital infrastructure into new heights and mark a significant evolution in the nation’s telecommunications landscape.

The investment follows the completion of the Orange-Masmovil joint venture, which received approval from both the EU and Spanish government earlier this year. This merger signifies a significant consolidation within the industry, likely to foster greater operational efficiencies and a more cohesive strategy toward network deployment and innovation. The newly formed entity, MasOrange, is now positioned to leverage synergies and drive forward with its ambitious plans, supported by Ericsson’s state-of-the-art technology and expansive expertise.

Broader Implications for the Market

Ericsson and MasOrange, a merger between Orange Spain and Masmovil, have announced a significant five-year partnership aimed at establishing a future-focused Open RAN network. This collaboration involves Ericsson integrating the current networks of Orange Spain and Masmovil to enhance the unified MasOrange network. Ericsson will provide high-performance and sustainable solutions tailored for open architecture. Additionally, this initiative includes the rollout of 5G Standalone (5G SA) technology in rural Spain, which is scheduled to begin in October 2024. The deployment of 5G SA is a crucial step towards improving connectivity in underserved regions, ensuring better service quality and coverage. This partnership highlights Ericsson’s continued commitment to innovation and sustainability in telecommunications, as well as MasOrange’s dedication to enhancing services for their customers. The combined expertise of both organizations promises to deliver a robust and future-ready network, marking a notable advancement in Spain’s telecommunications landscape.

Explore more

How Is AI Revolutionizing Payroll in HR Management?

Imagine a scenario where payroll errors cost a multinational corporation millions annually due to manual miscalculations and delayed corrections, shaking employee trust and straining HR resources. This is not a far-fetched situation but a reality many organizations faced before the advent of cutting-edge technology. Payroll, once considered a mundane back-office task, has emerged as a critical pillar of employee satisfaction

AI-Driven B2B Marketing – Review

Setting the Stage for AI in B2B Marketing Imagine a marketing landscape where 80% of repetitive tasks are handled not by teams of professionals, but by intelligent systems that draft content, analyze data, and target buyers with precision, transforming the reality of B2B marketing in 2025. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful force in this space, offering solutions

5 Ways Behavioral Science Boosts B2B Marketing Success

In today’s cutthroat B2B marketing arena, a staggering statistic reveals a harsh truth: over 70% of marketing emails go unopened, buried under an avalanche of digital clutter. Picture a meticulously crafted campaign—polished visuals, compelling data, and airtight logic—vanishing into the void of ignored inboxes and skipped LinkedIn posts. What if the key to breaking through isn’t just sharper tactics, but

Trend Analysis: Private Cloud Resurgence in APAC

In an era where public cloud solutions have long been heralded as the ultimate destination for enterprise IT, a surprising shift is unfolding across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with private cloud infrastructure staging a remarkable comeback. This resurgence challenges the notion that public cloud is the only path forward, as businesses grapple with stringent data sovereignty laws, complex compliance requirements,

iPhone 17 Series Faces Price Hikes Due to US Tariffs

What happens when the sleek, cutting-edge device in your pocket becomes a casualty of global trade wars? As Apple unveils the iPhone 17 series this year, consumers are bracing for a jolt—not just from groundbreaking technology, but from price tags that sting more than ever. Reports suggest that tariffs imposed by the US on Chinese goods are driving costs upward,