Goodbye to ADSL in Torrevieja

The arrival of ADSL to Spain in 1999 marked a before and after in internet access. For the first time, the population could enjoy a faster and more stable connection than that offered by the 56k “modem”, at an affordable price. With download speeds of 256 Kbps and upload speeds of 128 Kbps for less than 10,000 pesetas per month, the Internet was opened to a wider audience.

25 years later, the panorama has changed radically. Telefónica has completed the closure of all its copper plants in Spain, ending an era and giving way to fiber optic technology. Today, we can enjoy symmetrical speeds of 300 Mb for less than 30 euros per month, a huge difference compared to what ADSL offered in its beginnings.

The closure of the copper exchanges has been gradual and planned since 2014. Since then, the 8,800 ADSL exchanges that existed in Spain have been progressively dismantled, replacing them with more modern and efficient fiber optic networks.

This process has culminated today with the closure of the last 3,329 copper plants, which means that Telefónica no longer has retail clients that use this technology. Although some plants will continue to operate until 2025 or 2026 for exceptional reasons, ADSL is now history in Spain.

With the closure of ADSL, a chapter in the history of telecommunications in Spain closes. However, this also represents a new beginning, full of opportunities and possibilities thanks to fiber optics.