Movistar surge: spain's telecom landscape shifts

The Spanish telecom market is experiencing a palpable realignment, as data reveals a surprising resurgence for Movistar while Digi's rapid expansion shows signs of cooling. The early indicators, though preliminary until the CNMC’s full report arrives, suggest a significant shift in consumer allegiance and a potential recalibration of the competitive landscape.

Movistar's dramatic turnaround

While Digi continues to attract a considerable number of port-ins, the numbers paint a far more compelling picture for Movistar. Just compare the first quarter of 2025 with the current period: net mobile lines have nearly doubled, jumping from 29,000 to a striking 57,000. That's a performance that demands attention.

But the story doesn't end there. Last year, Movistar faced a loss of 17,000 fiber customers. Now, they've not only recovered those losses but added an additional 1,600. The result? A complete reversal of fortune. Telefónica’s renewed focus on showcasing the quality of its lines and networks, coupled with the undeniable draw of Movistar Plus+ and its exclusive football rights, are clearly paying dividends. Let's be frank: for many Spaniards, access to live La Liga games is a deal-breaker, and Movistar is delivering it—with a healthy dose of targeted promotions aimed squarely at poaching Digi customers.

Digi's slowdown: is the price war losing steam?

The elephant in the room, of course, is Digi’s deceleration. The low-price strategy that propelled their initial growth is showing signs of fatigue, with a 13% slowdown in port-in rates. They're still attracting customers, but the exponential growth seen earlier is clearly waning. The data reveals a drop of 26,000 mobile lines and a similar dip in fixed-line porting—a worrying trend for a company built on aggressive subscriber acquisition.

Vodafone also isn't faring well, continuing a trend of losses, although the magnitude appears to be easing slightly. But the overall picture is clear: the once-disruptive Digi faces a growing challenge in sustaining its momentum. The pressure is on to innovate beyond simply offering the lowest prices.

And then there’s the subtle, yet significant, advantage Movistar holds: superior network performance. Preliminary findings suggest Movistar consistently outperforms Digi in terms of repair times—an average of 74 hours faster in resolving issues. Reliability matters, and it’s a factor Digi can’t ignore.

While the final CNMC report will provide a more comprehensive analysis, the initial data offers a glimpse into a telecom battlefield where Movistar is reasserting its dominance, Digi is facing headwinds, and Vodafone is struggling to stay afloat. The battle for Spain’s connected consumers is far from over, but the early rounds suggest a changing of the guard.