Movistar surge: spain's telecom landscape shifts
The Spanish telecom market is experiencing a palpable reshuffling, with Movistar aggressively reclaiming ground while Digi’s rapid expansion appears to be hitting a wall. Preliminary data, gleaned from sector sources and published by El Español, suggest a significant power shift is underway, challenging the established order.
Movistar’s resurgence: a tale of two quarters
While Digi continues to attract porting activity, the momentum has undeniably swung towards Telefónica’s Movistar. Comparing the first quarter of 2025 with the corresponding period in 2026, Movistar has effectively doubled its net mobile line gains, leaping from 29,000 to a striking 57,000. The shift isn’t limited to mobile; Movistar has not only rectified a previous fiber optic deficit—losing 17,000 customers last year—but has also added a net gain of 1,600 fiber subscribers. This represents a remarkable turnaround, fueled by a concerted effort to underscore the quality and reliability of its network.
The “home of football” advantage, offered through Movistar Plus+, undeniably plays a role. For sports enthusiasts, the bundled fiber and television package represents a compelling value proposition. But equally significant are the targeted promotional campaigns, notably those designed to undercut Digi’s aggressively low pricing. The result? A considerably more competitive profile for Movistar, justifying this impressive surge in subscriber numbers.
Digi’s slowdown: is the low-price strategy reaching its limit?
The numbers tell a clear story: Digi’s growth trajectory has demonstrably decelerated. Despite maintaining a substantial volume of porting activity—a legacy of its disruptive, low-price strategy—the company’s growth rate has slowed by 13%. Between January and February, Digi added 200,000 net mobile lines; that figure has now significantly diminished. The slowdown isn’t confined to mobile; fixed-line porting has also experienced a cooling effect, dropping from 62,000 to 53,000 lines between January and March. This suggests a broader recalibration within Digi’s business model.
Vodafone, meanwhile, continues to struggle. Having lost 44,000 mobile lines in 2025, the company managed a net gain of 94,000 in 2026, a marginal improvement, while Finetwork’s performance remained largely static. In the fiber sector, Vodafone’s losses continued, albeit at a consistent pace, shedding another 11,000 lines after losing 8,000 the previous year.
Beyond portability: superior network performance
But there's more data painting a compelling picture. Telefónica isn’t just winning subscribers; it's doing so with a demonstrably superior network. According to industry sources, Movistar boasts significantly fewer service interruptions and faster resolution times—an average of 74 hours less than Digi. That’s a tangible advantage in a market increasingly demanding seamless connectivity.
The competition for Spanish telecom dominance has become a three-way battle between Movistar, Vodafone, and MasOrange, leaving smaller operators scrambling for relevance. Movistar’s recent performance isn't just a blip; it's a sign of a company reasserting its position at the top, and the figures suggest 2025 will see them continue their upward trajectory.