Hispasat to connect homes in rural Spain to internet for 35 euros a month

The satellite operator has been awarded 75 million euros by Brussels to achieve the plan to deliver services to areas still in a 'black hole' for high-quality connections ·

Edurne Martínez

Madrid

Monday, 17 April 2023, 12:30 | Updated 15:20h.

There are currently more than 1.36 million homes in Spain with no, or poor quality, internet connections - the vast majority of them in rural areas.

In a bid to improve that statistic Brussels has awarded Hispasat, the Spanish satellite operator, almost 75 million euros following an agreement with the government to offer internet at a speed of 100 megabits (Mbps) for 35 euros per month in the least populated areas of the country.

The goal of the initiative is to have 100 per cent of Spain's villages with quality internet coverage before the end of the year.

The connection of the entire country to internet services has been complicated in Spain because it is the second most mountainous country in Europe, behind only Switzerland. However fibre optic broadband currently reached 98% of the population.

The regions with the highest number of homes without a good internet connection were Castilla y León, Galicia, Andalusia and Asturias. Between them, they accounted for 66% of the total number of homes in Spain without a fibre connection.

In Castilla y León, there were more than 363,000 homes not connected to the network, 27% of the total. In Andalucia, there were almost 169,000 homes in this situation (12.5%).

Hispasat explained that they would operate as a wholesaler which would provide the service and then operators such as Telefónica, Orange or Vodafone - who they have agreements with - would then offer an internet package for a maximum of 35 euros. It would also include the installation of the antenna and router.

There is still no date for the official awarding of the budget, but Hispasat said it would be "very soon".

The grant subsidy will only be made available when households are connected to the network, and not only if the satellite connection was brought to the village.

Cows with digital cowbells

Hispasat also already been involved in twelve pilot projects to help rural businesses gain better internet connection and make a switch to digital.

An example of this was with livestock farming in the Sierra de Aralar (Navarra) where digital cowbells had been designed so that the cows grazing could be geolocated.

Sensors were also installed in the Hoces del Cabriel to measure the temperature of the forest and therefore prevent the risk of fires. When there were heat peaks, the emergency services would be notified. The devices also make it possible to analyse the evolution of the flames.

In nature parks all over Spain, hikers could also find a QR code at the entrance to the park that they could enter on their mobile phone to be geolocated in the event of an emergency, and if connection was lost.

Car parks in the mountains of Madrid have also installed sensors so that residents knew when they were full; and sensors in rubbish bins in villages so cleaning service were alerted when they needed emptying.

Top 50

Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.

Reporta un error en esta noticia