• Exclusive agreement expands collaboration to deliver AI-ready, sovereign digital infrastructure nationwide.
• Nokia data center networking solutions support Telefónica’s move to distributed Edge architecture bringing compute and storage closer to end users.
• Nokia awarded exclusive responsibility to deploy the network connectivity for 17 new data center networks, 12 of which are already deployed.

Nokia has been selected by Telefónica for the deployment of networking solutions to support new Edge data center networks across Spain, marking a significant step forward in Telefónica’s next-generation digital infrastructure journey. Featuring high speed, ultra-low latency, and strong reliability, Nokia’s data center networking solutions will be implemented in Telefonica’s 17 new Edge nodes that deliver Artificial Intelligence (AI), B2B, and Telco Cloud services across residential, enterprise, and public sectors—reinforcing Spain’s position as a leader in advanced digital infrastructure in Europe.

Telefonica’s new Edge node project will support AI training and inferencing at the Edge and will power essential digital services in healthcare, education, industry, and government, underscoring Telefónica’s commitment to data sovereignty and technological innovation. Nokia is providing connectivity for compute and storage inside the Edge nodes and will also connect those Edge nodes to the outside world.

Under the multi-year agreement, Nokia was awarded exclusive responsibility for deploying networking solutions to support 17 Edge nodes, 12 of which have already been deployed, including at Telefónica’s flagship Tecno-Alcalá site—one of the largest data centers in the world.

The deployment follows a successful initial Nokia rollout of three pilot Edge data centers in 2024, and positions Nokia as the sole networking technology partner for Telefónica’s expanding Edge network. This single-vendor model will simplify operations, unify architecture, and increase efficiency across the project.

“This initiative fully aligns with our strategy to make Edge Cloud and Artificial Intelligence main cornerstones of Telefónica’s growth. Nokia has proven to be a trusted connectivity partner in this mission, and they are playing a critical role in building secure, reliable data center networks for our ambitious Edge node project. Through this effort, we are not only enhancing our digital infrastructure but also reinforcing Spain’s technological sovereignty and enabling a more dynamic, user-centric digital ecosystem,” said Sergio Sánchez, CTIO at Telefónica España.

“We are proud to collaborate with Telefónica for this landmark project that supports our customer’s shift to a nationwide distributed Edge architecture. This win underscores our long-term strategic relationship and Nokia’s leadership in building AI-ready, high-performance data centre networking solutions. Together, we’re creating the foundation for Spain’s digital future—bringing intelligence and services closer to where people and businesses need them most,” said David Heard, President, Network Infrastructure at Nokia.

Connectivity inside the Edge data centers will be provided by Nokia’s 7220 Interconnect Router (IXR) data center switches and 7750 Service Router (SR) data center gateways. The solution enables deep automation, multi-cloud integration, and agile adaptability to emerging digital demands.

Nokia is helping telecommunication providers, cloud providers and mission critical enterprises worldwide to build modern data center networks that are highly reliable, secure and easy to operate – which is essential to meet the growing demands of AI workloads worldwide.