Telefónica has launched a comprehensive operation to strengthen its mobile network in Spain and ensure stable connectivity ahead of the coming total solar eclipse this month.

In total, more than 2,700 sites, spread across 31 Spanish provinces, have undergone technical upgrades, marking one of the operator’s largest infrastructure deployments in recent months. The eclipse will happen on August 12.

Planning began five months before the event, when the company launched a detailed survey of network coverage at strategic locations across the country. This mapping was guided by information provided by regional authorities, which identified more than 400 viewing locations where large crowds are expected: plazas, lookout points, parks, and rural areas with good visibility of the sky.

The operator expects the eclipse to generate a significant spike in data traffic, as thousands of users will simultaneously use their smartphones to photograph the phenomenon, record videos, livestream on social media, and search for real-time information. This type of sudden surge in demand is one of the greatest operational challenges for mobile networks, as it requires additional capacity in locations that, under normal conditions, would not experience such high peak usage.

The eclipse operation is not an isolated event on Telefónica’s 2026 calendar. In May, the company had already carried out large-scale network upgrades at more than 1,300 locations as part of the technological infrastructure prepared for Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain, which took place from June 6 to 12.

On that occasion, Telefónica served as the event’s official technology partner, providing fixed-line network reinforcement, dedicated technical teams, mobile 5G connectivity units, and tactical satellite connections to ensure coverage even in hard-to-reach areas or locations with large concentrations of worshippers.

These two initiatives—the papal visit and the solar eclipse—highlight a broader effort by Telefónica to position itself as a strategic partner in managing digital infrastructure during major public events in Spain.

By anticipating peaks in demand and coordinating efforts directly with regional authorities, the operator seeks to solidify its reputation as a technical leader in high-availability connectivity, particularly in settings where large numbers of people gather over short periods of time.

For the August eclipse, the company is banking on the fact that prior mapping efforts and targeted reinforcement at points of expected high traffic will be sufficient to prevent network instability, replicating the model already tested during events related to Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the country.

It’s expected that the eclipse will be particularly visible in Aragon, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, Cantabria, Castile -La Mancha, Castile and León, Catalonia, the Community of Madrid, the Valencian Community, Galicia, La Rioja, Navarre, and the Basque Country.

This piece was automatically translated from DCD’s Spanish site and edited by a member of DCD staff.