Movistar - Spain
Movistar (Spain) uses 2 GSM bands, 2 UMTS bands, 6 LTE bands, and 5 5G NR bands. Find out if your unlocked phone or mobile device will work with Movistar (Spain). See the tables below for details.
Check device compatibilityCarrier website: http://www.movistar.es/
Last updated: 2024/08/04 - See latest updates
Movistar Spain is a major telecommunications provider in Spain, offering a range of mobile services to its customers. Here are some key points about its mobile network:
Coverage and Signal Quality:
- Movistar has extensive coverage across Spain, with good signal quality in most locations, especially in urban areas. However, some users have noted that while Movistar has the best coverage in many places, it can be expensive and there are cheaper alternatives available, such as virtual operators like Pepephone and Masmovil.
Services Offered:
- Movistar provides various mobile services, including voice and data plans. Customers can choose between prepaid and postpaid plans depending on their needs. The company also offers international roaming services for frequent travelers.
Promotions and Pricing:
- While Movistar is known for its extensive coverage, it is often considered one of the more expensive options in Spain. New prepaid customers might find better deals with other providers, such as Pepephone or Masmovil, which use the same network infrastructure but offer more competitive pricing.
Customer Support:
- Movistar provides customer support through multiple channels, including phone, email, social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, and an online help center. This comprehensive support system helps maintain customer satisfaction.
Technological Infrastructure:
- Movistar’s mobile network includes 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G coverage. Detailed coverage maps are available through apps like Opensignal and nPerf, which provide real-world data on network performance and coverage areas.
In summary, Movistar Spain offers a robust mobile network with extensive coverage, but it is often more expensive compared to other providers. Customers should consider their specific needs and budget when choosing a mobile service provider.
Frequency Bands
GSM
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 900 MHz (E-GSM) | GSM | Movistar Spain uses the 900 MHz (E-GSM) frequency band for GSM services. The 900 MHz (E-GSM) band ranges from 880 MHz to 960 MHz, with the uplink frequency range being 880 MHz to 915 MHz and the downlink range being 925 MHz to 960 MHz. This band supports 125 Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Numbers (ARFCNs), including those from 0 to 124 and 975 to 1023. |
| 1800 MHz (DCS) | GSM | Movistar Spain uses the GSM 1800 MHz (DCS) frequency band. This band is deployed for GSM services. |
UMTS
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| B1 (2100 MHz) | UMTS | Movistar Spain uses the UMTS B1 (2100 MHz) frequency band. This band was deployed in Spain. |
| B8 (900 MHz GSM) | UMTS | Movistar Spain uses the UMTS frequency band B8, which operates at 900 MHz GSM. This band is utilized for both GSM and UMTS services. |
LTE
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| B3 (1800 MHz +) | LTE | Movistar Spain uses LTE Band 3 (1800 MHz +) for its LTE deployments. This frequency band is one of the most widely used globally, particularly in Europe, APAC, MEA, and selected countries in South America, facilitating international roaming for mobile broadband services. It supports both FDD and TDD configurations, offering a balance between network coverage and data capacity, making it suitable for dense urban areas. |
| B7 (2600 MHz) | LTE | Movistar Spain uses LTE band B7 (2600 MHz) for its LTE network. This band is deployed to add additional capacity in high-traffic regions, including major cities and the coastline. |
| B1 (2100 MHz) | LTE | Movistar Spain uses LTE B1 (2100 MHz) for its network. The deployment date for this frequency band is not specified. |
| B8 (900 MHz) | LTE | Movistar Spain uses LTE band B8 (900 MHz). This band was deployed on August 4, 2024. |
| B20 (800 MHz DD) | LTE | Movistar Spain uses LTE B20 (800 MHz DD) for its LTE network deployments. This band is known for its wide area coverage and deep penetration, making it particularly suitable for regional and rural environments, as well as in-building coverage. It also supports IoT applications like eMTC (LTE Cat M1) and NB-IoT (LTE Cat NB1) due to its wide coverage characteristics. The deployment of this band by Movistar Spain was added on August 4, 2024. |
| B28 (700 MHz APT) | LTE | Movistar Spain uses LTE Band 28 (700 MHz APT) for its 4G LTE network. This frequency band operates between 703 MHz and 803 MHz, with a duplex mode of Full-Duplex Frequency Division Duplex (FDD). The uplink frequency range is 703–748 MHz, and the downlink frequency range is 758–803 MHz. The band supports channel bandwidths of 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz. It is widely used by public mobile operators for LTE network deployments due to its excellent propagation characteristics, which allow signals to penetrate buildings and cover larger geographic areas with less infrastructure. |
5G NR
| Name | Interface | Description |
|---|---|---|
| N1 (2100 MHz) | 5G NR | Movistar Spain uses the 5G NR N1 frequency band, which covers the range from 1920 to 2170 MHz. This band is commonly referred to as the 2.1 GHz 5G band. The deployment of this band is part of Movistar's efforts to enhance its 5G network, particularly in dense areas where additional capacity is needed. The specific deployment timeline for this band is not mentioned. |
| N3 (1800 MHz) | 5G NR | Movistar Spain uses the 5G NR N3 frequency band, which covers the 1710 to 1880 MHz range. This band is commonly referred to as the 1.8 GHz 5G band. The deployment details for this specific band are not provided in the available information. |
| N28 (700 MHz) | 5G NR | Movistar Spain uses the 5G NR N28 (700 MHz) frequency band. This band covers the range of 703 to 803 MHz and is commonly referred to as the APT 700 MHz 5G band. The n28 band is known for its excellent range and building penetration due to its propagation characteristics. Movistar Spain has been utilizing this band to offer 5G services, complementing its coverage in the 3.5 GHz band. The deployment of 5G NR N28 (700 MHz) by Movistar Spain allows the carrier to reach more than 2,200 municipalities across Spain, providing coverage to 85% of the population. |
| N78 (3500 MHz) | 5G NR | Movistar Spain uses the 5G NR N78 (3500 MHz) frequency band. This band is commonly referred to as the 3.5 GHz 5G band or C-band 5G. It is one of the most commonly tested and deployed 5G frequencies due to its relatively common availability and the need for large blocks of contiguous spectrum to operate large channel widths, which is essential for high-capacity throughput. The band has been historically used in small, ad-hoc WiMAX and proprietary point-to-multipoint networks. Advanced processing techniques such as massive MIMO, beam-forming, and beam-tracking help mitigate the limited range and building penetration of the higher frequencies used in this band. The most popular channel width for fully deployed n78 5G networks is the maximum 100 MHz. |
| N258 (mmWave 26 GHz) | 5G NR | Movistar Spain has activated its first mmWave antennas in Valencia, using the 26 GHz frequency band. This deployment was announced in September 2023. |
Latest updates
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency LTE B1 (2100 MHz) added to Movistar Spain.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency LTE B8 (900 MHz) added to Movistar Spain.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency LTE B20 (800 MHz DD) added to Movistar Spain.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency LTE B28 (700 MHz APT) added to Movistar Spain.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency 5G NR N1 (2100 MHz) added to Movistar Spain.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency 5G NR N3 (1800 MHz) added to Movistar Spain.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency 5G NR N28 (700 MHz) added to Movistar Spain.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency 5G NR N78 (3500 MHz) added to Movistar Spain.
- 2024/08/04 - Frequency 5G NR N258 (mmWave 26 GHz) added to Movistar Spain.
