Telefónica, as the main technology partner for the Pope’s visit to Spain, will be the primary communications provider for the Supreme Pontiff and his entourage, as well as carrying out an unprecedented network optimization ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s pastoral tour, which will take place in Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands (Gran Canaria and Tenerife) from 6 to 12 June.
As the technology partner for the Pope’s visit to Spain, Telefónica is responsible for ensuring communications for the papal entourage and the organization accompanying Leo XIV on his pastoral tour.
Under a partnership agreement, the operator will make available to the event its extensive telecommunications infrastructure, its experience in managing major events, and its capacity for innovation and technological deployment to provide secure, stable and high-quality connectivity.
Borja Ochoa, President of Telefónica Spain, said: “Our commitment is to be the best gateway for citizens to digital technologies. During Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain, we are putting all our technological and human resources at the service of an event of great social significance, ensuring robust connectivity for all attendees, as well as for the staff carrying out their professional duties.”
Thanks to this deployment, both the papal entourage and the thousands of attendees and professionals involved in coordinating the events will be able to rely on a reliable connectivity service, reflecting Telefónica’s commitment to the success of an event of international significance.
In this way, Telefónica consolidates its role as an institutional benchmark in Spain and reaffirms its commitment to becoming the best gateway for citizens to access digital technologies.
Furthermore, Telefónica is rolling out a special plan that includes the reinforcement and optimization of a total of over 1,300 network points, which will strengthen connectivity for attendees, volunteers, the media and public services during the Supreme Pontiff’s stay, travels and public appearances in the various host locations.
In addition to this network operation, Telefónica will deploy four mobile units equipped with high-performance 5G and ten satellite backpacks at key locations to boost coverage, in view of the huge expected influx of people who will make intensive use of their mobile phones for both personal and professional voice and data communications.
In addition, a special team of technical staff from Telefónica will be deployed to provide round-the-clock on-site support, monitoring the network’s operation and taking immediate action should it be necessary.
In addition to this, there will be a special reinforcement of a team of more than 60 people who will be dedicated exclusively to monitoring this special operation from Telefónica’s CNSO (National Supervision and Operations Centre) in Madrid, covering the various locations where Pope Leo XIV’s visit will take place.
