Spain is preparing a new Royal Decree that would require mobile operators to maintain at least four hours of network coverage during power outages. The measure is part of a broader regulatory framework aimed at strengthening the security and resilience of electronic communications networks, services, and certain digital infrastructures. The scope includes not only telecom operators but also certain providers of submarine cables, satellite systems, data centers, and internet exchange points. According to the Spanish government, the four-hour mobile coverage requirement will be introduced gradually over three years, covering 50% of the population in the first year, 65% in the second year, and 75% in the third year. Intermediate-level facilities must remain operational for at least 12 hours, while top-level national control centers must remain operational for at least 24 hours.
Spain is preparing a new Royal Decree that would require mobile operators to maintain at least four hours of mobile network coverage during power outages. The measure is designed to strengthen the resilience of electronic communications networks and digital infrastructure so that emergency calls, public alerts, government information, and basic communications can continue during major disruptions.
Óscar López, Spain’s Minister for Digital Transformation and Public Service, announced the measure on June 25, 2026, during the DigitalES Summit. The proposed regulation is formally linked to the Royal Decree on the security and resilience of electronic communications networks and services and certain digital infrastructures.
According to the Spanish government, mobile operators will be required to guarantee at least four hours of mobile coverage for 75% of the Spanish population during a power outage. The measure will not be implemented all at once. It will be phased in over three years. In the first year after the decree enters into force, the requirement will cover 50% of the population. In the second year, it will rise to 65%. In the third year, it will reach 75%.
The 75% figure is the standard confirmed in the government’s latest announcement. Earlier draft versions of the decree, submitted for public consultation in December 2025, referred to an 85% population coverage target. After regulatory review and industry discussions, the latest announced target was adjusted to 75%. Spanish media reported that telecom operators had raised concerns about the cost of meeting the earlier 85% requirement.
The new Royal Decree is not limited to the four-hour mobile coverage rule. The broader proposal treats electronic communications networks, electronic communications services, and certain digital infrastructures as essential services in emergency situations. It includes obligations related to security and resilience plans, power autonomy, incident reporting, emergency communications, and coordination with public authorities.
The scope of the regulation is also wider than ordinary mobile network operators. According to the government’s announcement and related regulatory documents, the decree may apply to telecom operators and certain digital infrastructure providers, including submarine cables, satellite systems, data centers, and internet exchange points. The main criteria include operators with more than 500,000 users, operators with annual revenue above €50 million, operators designated as critical, and providers that support emergency communications or public alert systems.
The draft decree excludes networks linked to national security and defense. This means the regulation is aimed at civilian electronic communications and digital infrastructure, while security and defense-related networks remain under separate legal frameworks.
The required operating time during a power outage depends on the importance of the facility. Intermediate-level facilities that could affect several territories or autonomous communities must remain operational for at least 12 hours. Top-level essential facilities, such as critical control centers that could affect nationwide network operations, must remain operational for at least 24 hours.
General facilities are subject to the minimum four-hour requirement. In the case of mobile networks, the central objective is to ensure that a defined share of the population can maintain access to mobile coverage during an outage. Operators may need to prioritize services, locations, and technical resources depending on the type of network, voice and data demand, and the role of specific facilities in public service continuity.
The decree also gives particular attention to the 112 emergency number and public alert systems. Operators that provide connectivity to emergency centers or public alert systems will be required to prepare security and resilience plans. They must also ensure alternative communication channels, such as the use of both fixed and mobile networks or connectivity through multiple operators.
This requirement is intended to prevent emergency calls and public warnings from being disrupted during major power failures or telecom incidents. The 112 emergency number is a central point for urgent assistance, while public alert systems can be essential for informing citizens during disasters or large-scale emergencies. If one network or technology fails, emergency services must still be able to receive calls and distribute warnings through alternative routes.
The proposal follows several major events that highlighted the importance of communications resilience. Spain’s Ministry for Digital Transformation cited the COVID-19 pandemic, the La Palma volcanic eruption, the 2024 DANA storm that severely affected the Valencia region, and the April 2025 Iberian Peninsula blackout as examples of situations that demonstrated the critical role of telecommunications and digital infrastructure.
The April 2025 blackout in Spain and Portugal showed how a power failure can affect telecoms, transport, finance, commercial activity, and public services at the same time. When power supply fails, telecom base stations and management centers can also be affected. If communications fail during the same period, citizens may struggle to contact family, make emergency calls, check transport information, or receive official instructions.
In a power outage, mobile networks are not simply a convenience service. Citizens use mobile phones to contact relatives, call emergency services, receive alerts, check transport updates, and follow official information. Mobile data and voice services become part of basic public safety infrastructure during blackouts, wildfires, floods, extreme heat, major accidents, and other disruptions.
The issue is also relevant for travelers and foreign residents in Spain. Visitors often rely on mobile phones for maps, translation, airline and rail information, accommodation contact, local news, and public transport updates. International students and long-term residents may need to contact schools, landlords, family members, consulates, or public authorities. For people unfamiliar with the language or administrative system, loss of mobile access can make emergency situations harder to manage.
The proposed Royal Decree also requires covered operators to prepare security and resilience plans. Public consultation documents from the Ministry for Digital Transformation indicate that operators must prepare general security plans as well as more specific plans for networks, services, and incident categories. These plans may include risk analysis, preventive measures, power autonomy requirements, and incident response procedures.
Incident reporting obligations are also being strengthened. Earlier draft materials proposed an initial notification as soon as possible, with a maximum one-hour deadline after an incident is detected, followed by intermediate reports, a final report, and a detailed post-incident report. The purpose is to help authorities identify the cause, impact, response measures, and corrective actions after major disruptions.
Supervision will be handled by the competent national authority for telecommunications and digital infrastructure. The Ministry has stated that the Secretariat of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures will supervise compliance and coordinate with central government, autonomous communities, European institutions, and international bodies. A coordination framework is also expected to bring together operators, public authorities, and other relevant actors for planning and simulation exercises.
Spain’s National Markets and Competition Commission, CNMC, has also reviewed the draft regulation. In a March 2026 statement, CNMC said the objective of the rule is to ensure that communication networks remain operational during serious situations such as natural disasters, cyberattacks, or power supply interruptions. CNMC supported the goal of strengthening resilience but warned that the decree should avoid overlap with other cybersecurity and critical infrastructure rules.
CNMC also suggested reviewing the scope of application, obligations for certain digital infrastructure providers, security plans, incident reporting, sanctions, and implementation deadlines. It specifically noted that the energy autonomy requirements for mobile network facilities should be introduced gradually and should consider economically efficient technical alternatives, such as operator roaming and, in the medium or long term, satellite backup options.
The regulation may require significant investment from telecom operators and infrastructure providers. Maintaining service during power outages requires batteries, generators, backup power systems, remote management tools, and maintenance procedures at base stations, management centers, and control facilities. Urban, rural, mountain, and island areas may face different technical and cost challenges.
Earlier draft-stage cost estimates reportedly ranged from €51 million to €73 million, but operators argued that the real cost could be much higher in some urban settings and technically complex locations. The adjustment from the earlier 85% coverage target to the latest 75% target appears to reflect part of this cost and implementation debate.
The new rules show that Spain is treating electricity networks, telecom networks, and digital infrastructure as interdependent systems in emergency planning. When electricity fails, communications can also fail. When communications fail, emergency calls, rescue requests, transport updates, medical coordination, and public alert systems can be disrupted. Securing a minimum period of communications continuity has therefore become a policy priority.
However, a four-hour coverage requirement does not solve every emergency scenario. If a large-scale blackout lasts longer, additional backup power and on-site response will be necessary. If many users connect at the same time, network congestion may also occur. Minimum coverage requirements must therefore be supported by traffic prioritization, emergency communication routes, public alert systems, satellite backup options, and cooperation between operators.
Citizens and travelers should also prepare for disruptions. Portable chargers, offline maps, saved accommodation addresses, emergency contacts, copies of passports or residence cards, and some cash can help during power or communications failures. Even if mobile networks remain available for several hours, users may be unable to access information if their own devices run out of battery.
International students and long-term residents in Spain should also check local emergency information channels. Autonomous communities, city councils, universities, accommodation providers, and transport operators may issue separate guidance during major disruptions. In the event of a blackout or telecom incident, official channels should be checked first, and essential information should be saved while connectivity remains available.
The Royal Decree has not yet entered into force. It remains a regulatory proposal moving through the formal approval process. The Spanish government aims to approve it before the end of 2026. The final text may still adjust technical details, implementation schedules, cost responsibilities, supervision procedures, and specific compliance standards.
The main issues to watch are the final approval date, how the 75% mobile coverage target will be calculated, operator investment plans, the scope of obligations for data centers, submarine cables, satellite systems, and internet exchange points, connectivity requirements for 112 emergency centers, and the classification of intermediate and top-level essential facilities. Spain’s telecom and digital infrastructure policy is likely to remain closely linked to disaster response, public safety, tourism safety, and the living environment for foreign residents.