Telefónica has taken the definitive step towards the commercialization of its Edge Computing strategy in Europe. The operator has activated B2B (Business to Business) services in five nodes located in Madrid, Valencia, Seville, Bilbao and La Coruña, within a plan that plans to deploy 17 infrastructures in this first phase and consolidate one of the largest sovereign Edge networks in Europe.
With this activation, the business ecosystems of these cities They can now access advanced computing and storage capabilities at the edge of the network. In this way, latency is reduced and operational efficiency is improved in sectors such as industry, logistics or retail. The company thus reinforces its positioning in the new wave of digital transformation linked to artificial intelligence and real-time data processing.
17 nodes in 2026
Of the 17 planned nodes, 12 are already deployed: the five with active commercial services and another seven in Madrid (second node), Barcelona, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Valladolid, Terrassa and Mérida. Throughout the year Zaragoza, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Gijón, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Santiago de Compostela will be added.
“In this way, Telefónica In 2026 it will have 17 nodes, which will progressively activate their commercial services Edge from differential infrastructures, which are added to the leading communications networks that the company accredits for fixed technology (FTTH fiber) and mobile technology (5G Stand Alone SA), and that take advantage of the advantages offered by the Open Gateway APIs,” the telecommunications company explains.
From railway pilot to commercialization
Telefónica developed together with CAF (Constructions and Railway Auxiliary) the first European B2B pilot that integrates Edge and 5G SA applied to the railway sector. The project made it possible to deploy artificial vision solutions for interior perception without installing processing nodes in each car, maintaining low latency and processing close to the asset.
After this experience, The operator now begins the structured commercialization of its Edge portfolio for companies in two service levels: Basic Edge and Smart Edge.
Basic Edge: capillarity and data sovereignty
The Basic Edge is supported by a stable infrastructure that brings the cloud closer to the territory and guarantees data control in compliance with national, regional or local regulatory requirements. Each node acts as an availability zone, which allows applications to be deployed with greater guarantees of continuity and resilience.
When the customer has Telefónica fiber, the traffic between the factory, store or office and the Edge node remains within the service region, reducing network hops and latency. The service also incorporates virtual machines with GPUs for advanced artificial intelligence computing, available in service mode, avoiding high initial investments.
It also integrates sovereign AI capabilities through agents and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) technology, secure storage close to the data and comprehensive management of business licenses that the client needs.
Smart Edge: real-time applications and mobility
The second level, Smart Edge, introduces a dynamic approach designed for critical processes in real time. It allows you to select the optimal node at any time and create an operational and functional copy, executing it in memory when the user requires it.
This model makes it easier to operate in mobility or in a distributed manner, with access via FTTH or 5G SA, including guaranteed quality of service (QoS) and private APNs in 5G networks. The proposal is aimed at advanced industrial environments, mobile robotics, predictive maintenance, production line automation or intelligent fleet management.
Infrastructure reuse
The new nodes are located in old copper plants converted into Edge centers“in compliance with high availability requirements and the necessary security conditions,” Telefónica explains.
Edge Computing allows data to be processed and analyzed as close as possible to its origin, compared to the traditional model of large centralized cloud centers. To the elasticity of the cloud, it adds lower latency and greater data control, reinforcing digital sovereignty and reducing dependence on providers with platforms outside the European Union.
The plan is part of a Major Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI) coordinated by the European Commission to strengthen the continent’s digital capabilities. Telefónica Spain’s proposal was the best valued nationally in 2021 and received funding through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
With this deployment, The company aspires to position itself as a European benchmark in Sovereign Edgeintegrating physical infrastructure, 5G connectivity and advanced cloud services in an open and multi-provider model.