Following regulatory approval and completion of the equal‑value merger between Orange and MásMóvil, the new entity MásOrange has become Spain’s largest telecommunications operator. This restructuring profoundly reshapes Spain’s telecom landscape and directly alters competitive dynamics within the A2P‑messaging sector.
On 12 March 2024, Spain’s Council of Ministers formally approved this “merger of equals”. The transaction closed on 26 March 2024 and the joint venture MásOrange was established, with Orange and MásMóvil each holding 50 % equity. The combined group serves over 30 million mobile subscribers and 7 million broadband customers, totalling more than 37 million users. It possesses substantial investment capacity for fixed and mobile networks to compete against domestic incumbent Telefónica (Movistar).
EU antitrust clearance carries significant binding conditions: the new group must divest radio spectrum and transfer 60 MHz to Digi Spain, enabling Digi to build the fourth home‑based MNO and offset anti‑competitive risks created by the merger. Excess‑spectrum issues must be resolved within five months, and spectrum transfers require prior authorisation from Spain’s Ministry of Digitalisation.
MásOrange commits to large‑scale long‑term investment in fibre‑optic and 5G infrastructure to reinforce Spain’s leading network position within Europe. In management, the former CEO of MásMóvil becomes CEO of the combined group, while Orange Spain’s general manager acts as non‑executive chairperson. For A2P services, MásOrange inherits the full PRO qualifications formerly held by Orange and MásMóvil. It may independently complete CNMC Alias alphanumeric sender‑ID filings and ranks among Spain’s four self‑operated MNOs endowed with registration competence.
