Cellnex Eyes Broadband Future for Spain's Critical Communications Networks

As operator eyes broadband evolution for Spain's public safety networks, European expansion plans also take shape.

Cellnex Telecom is responsible for the operational management of Rescat, Catalonia's dedicated emergency and public safety radiocommunications network, which processes more than 60 million group calls annually from agencies including the Mossos d'Esquadra police (the police of Catalonia) and the Generalitat's fire service (Bombers), while handling 10 million GPS position updates every day.

Today, the Rescat infrastructure comprises 321 TETRA base stations and 150 coverage extenders, providing service across 99% of Catalonian territory and supporting more than 60,000 users. The network also sustains over 600,000 hours of voice communications per year, enabling real-time coordination among Catalonia's emergency and public safety services — including during major incidents such as the 2025 Spanish blackout and the Valencia DANA flooding disaster.

Beyond Catalonia, Cellnex operates several other critical communications networks across Spain, including Comdes in the Comunidad Valenciana, Resgal in Galicia, and the Red Tetra network in Navarra. The company owns, operates, and maintains this infrastructure, and deploys mobile emergency units to critical locations as required.

In addition to public safety networks, Cellnex also serves critical service sectors — organisations whose private communications infrastructure is mission-essential — including nuclear power facilities such as the Vandellós plant in Tarragona, as well as metro rail operators.

Broadband Evolution Under Consideration

Antoni Liria, Global Sales Excellence & Marketing Director at Cellnex, in an inteview, indicated that the company is actively evaluating a transition toward broadband-based management of these networks, which would enable higher-speed data transfers, including image and video sharing. While no operator in Spain has yet deployed this type of connectivity — primarily due to cost considerations — Cellnex is exploring the option for Rescat and other critical communication networks.

European Expansion

Liria also stated that Cellnex is also pursuing a broader European growth strategy. Building on its existing presence in Portugal and the United Kingdom, the company has acquired infrastructure assets in Poland, Italy, and Sweden, positioning itself to meet growing demand for critical connectivity across the continent.