Major telecom operators and technology leaders kick off the 9th edition of the 5G Forum in Seville

• Orange, Telefónica and Vodafone took centre stage on the opening day, which focused on cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, artificial intelligence and the future of advanced connectivity.

The 9th edition of the 5G Forum kicked off in Seville, consolidating the Andalusian capital as one of Europe’s major hubs for the digital ecosystem and telecommunications. The opening day brought together the main operators in Spain, leading technology companies, public administrations and international experts at the Cartuja Auditorium —managed by Yventu— in Sevilla TechPark to analyse the present and future of 5G, with a particular focus on cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, artificial intelligence and the evolution towards 6G.

The forum kicked off with contributions from the leading operators in Spain: Vodafone, Telefónica and Orange, who shared their vision of the strategic role that advanced networks will play in the digital transformation of businesses, public administrations and essential services.

From left to right: María Jesús Almazor, Chief Revenue Officer at Telefónica Tech; Mónica Sala, Chief Network Officer at MasOrange; and Teresa Llamas, Director of Public Administration at Vodafone Spain.

Teresa Llamas, Director of Public Administration at Vodafone Spain, opened the sessions, highlighting Vodafone’s leadership in connectivity, the Internet of Things ( ) cybersecurity, IoT and artificial intelligence, as well as its commitment to Stand-Alone 5G to drive private networks and critical services in sectors such as industry, emergency services and healthcare.

Also participating in this opening session was María Jesús Almazor, Chief Revenue Officer at Telefónica Tech, who argued that the technology sector has entered a phase in which “success no longer depends solely on technology, but on how we integrate and govern it”. She also highlighted Telefónica’s projects related to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and private 5G networks, and delivered one of the day’s most striking messages: “Cybersecurity is no longer an insurance policy; it has become a licence to operate.”

For her part, Mónica Sala, Chief Network Officer at MasOrange, emphasised that “Stand-Alone 5G and Advanced 5G are already a reality”, with specific applications in industry, public administration and major events. She discussed use cases based on network slicing, private 5G networks, artificial intelligence and satellite connectivity.

Institutions and public administrations analyse the digital future

The institutional panel featured Álvaro Pimentel, Deputy Mayor of Seville City Council; Luis Pérez, Managing Director of Sevilla TechPark; and Julia Criado, Deputy Director-General for Radio Spectrum Planning and Management at the Ministry for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service.

Álvaro Pimentel, Deputy Mayor of Seville, during his participation in the 9th edition of the 5G Forum.

During their speeches, the institutional representatives highlighted the role of Seville and Andalusia as strategic hubs for technological development and digital innovation. “Seville is not just a city that observes progress, but a city that actively participates in building the future,” said Álvaro Pimentel. For his part, Luis Pérez recalled that “34 years after Expo ’92, the Isla de la Cartuja is home to one of Europe’s most important science and technology parks”. Julia Criado also emphasised the importance of spectrum planning and the European regulatory framework in accelerating the roll-out of advanced 5G services, noting that “5G is no longer a mere expectation but has become a widespread and strategic reality”.

Julia Criado, Deputy Director-General for Radio Spectrum Planning and Management at the Ministry for Digital Transformation and the Civil Service, during her participation in the 9th edition of the 5G Forum.

5G drives new services and real-world use cases

Throughout the day, representatives from the leading operators explored real-world applications linked to 5G, critical communications, the IoT, drones and advanced infrastructure.

Salomé Sarmiento, Product Manager for Telefónica’s Dron as a Service, highlighted the potential of the company’s connected drone service, noting that “the real challenge was not the technology, but scaling the service”. Telefónica showcased real-world examples in fire prevention, perimeter security and infrastructure monitoring, as well as conducting a remote drone flight demonstration in Moguer from its National Operations Centre in Madrid. “What seemed like something only NASA could do a few years ago, we are now doing at Telefónica,” she said.

Salomé Sarmiento, Product Manager for Telefónica’s Dron as a Service, during her participation in the 9th edition of the 5G Forum.

Speaking on behalf of Vodafone Business, Nerea Míguez, Director of Business Solutions for Public Administrations, defended the strategic importance of telecommunications resilience, asserting that “connectivity is today what oil was in the 20th century”.

Meanwhile, Javier Olveira, Director of Pre-Sales Engineering at MasOrange, highlighted that the 5G market in Spain has reached a stage of maturity, moving “from pilot projects and proof-of-concept trials to the actual commercialisation of advanced products and services”.

Critical infrastructure, satellite and cybersecurity

The event also brought together leading figures from the technology and digital infrastructure sectors. Raúl Maldonado, Corporate and People Director at Circet Spain, highlighted that Spain already has one of the most advanced 5G infrastructures in Europe, although he stressed that the current challenge lies in transforming that technological capability into a tangible experience for citizens and businesses. “The time for 5G is no longer in the laboratory or in pilot projects; the time for 5G is to deliver,” he stated.

For his part, Álvaro Abascal, Manager of Public Administrations and Critical Networks at Axión, stressed that “anticipation is fundamental and an emergency network must always be available”, highlighting the strategic role of critical communications.

Álvaro Abascal, Manager of Public Administration and Critical Networks at Axión, during his participation in the 9th edition of the 5G Forum.

In the field of advanced connectivity, Javier Hernández, Key Account Manager at Boldyn Networks, highlighted complex deployments carried out in environments such as the London Underground and the historic city of Rome, arguing that “technology can transform security, transport and the digitalisation of cities even in the most demanding scenarios”.

Speaking on behalf of Huawei, Fernando de la Cruz, Wireless Chief Solution Architect, warned that “traffic generated by artificial intelligence could increase traditional traffic a hundredfold over the next ten years”, ushering in a new era based on the so-called Internet of Agents.

Cybersecurity and the evolution of data centres also took centre stage with the participation of Pablo Álvarez, Managing Director of Netmetrix, who highlighted that “networks are no longer hardware: today, networks are software, and that software resides in data centres”.

Satellite, edge computing and new network architectures

Satellite connectivity and hybrid architectures were the focus of another key part of the forum. María Lamelas, Telecom & Media Manager at Indra Group, emphasised that “the real challenge is no longer solely technological, but operational”, referring to the integration between terrestrial and satellite networks.

In this vein, José Luis Alcolea, Head of 5G Strategy at Hispasat, highlighted that “satellite communications are now a critical infrastructure for governments, defence and essential services”.

José Luis Alcolea, Head of 5G Strategy at Hispasat, during his participation in the 9th edition of the 5G Forum.

For his part, Pedro Abad, CEO of Asteo Red Neutra, presented the Venus Spain and Portugal project, promoted in conjunction with the European Union to strengthen high-capacity connectivity in the Iberian Peninsula and facilitate the rollout of 5G in rural areas.

The event also featured a presentation by Carlos Contreras Ramos, Network Visibility Solutions Architect at Keysight Technologies, who warned that “without quality data, there can be no effective artificial intelligence”.

Similarly, Ezequiel Adimari, Account Director at Mavenir, explained how artificial intelligence will transform telecommunications networks and services, whilst Francisco García Rubio, Sales Manager for Southern Europe at Andrew, discussed the role of DAS systems in optimising coverage and capacity in complex environments such as hospitals, airports and stadiums.

With this packed first day, the 5G Forum once again confirmed its role as Spain’s leading forum for analysing the real-world applications of 5G and discussing the major technological challenges that will shape the coming decade.

More than 20 organisations will showcase real-world use cases in the large exhibition area

One of the main attractions of this ninth edition is the extensive exhibition area, where attendees can discover live technology demonstrations and learn about real-world applications of 5G, artificial intelligence and edge computing developed by more than twenty companies and organisations. Among the highlights will be MasOrange’s “Forest Smart Guardian” service, demonstrations by L4S and Nokia Digital Twin, and the European 6G-PATH and 6G-VERSUS projects from the University of Málaga, among others. The exhibition area will also feature organisations such as Orange Empresas, Telefónica, Vodafone, DIGI, Ayscom, VIAVI Solutions / Wavecontrol, Minsait by Indra Group, Teltronic, Axión, Gradiant, ManageEngine, Italtel, Neutroon, Rohde & Schwarz, SAPEC, Ethon Shield, Anritsu and Secmotic, creating a space designed to showcase real technologies that are already transforming the digital ecosystem.

Exhibition area at the 9th edition of the 5G Forum.

The event also features an exclusive networking area, designed to facilitate the exchange of experiences between professionals, companies and institutions, fostering new partnerships and business opportunities.

VIP networking during the 9th edition of the 5G Forum.

All conferences from the 5G Forum will be available to view on-demand via The Observatory, the digital platform of Medina Media Events, where each conference will be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, free of charge.

The ninth edition of the 5G Forum is organised by Medina Media Events and is supported by Orange Empresas, Telefónica, Vodafone, DIGI, Huawei, Netmetrix, the Regional Government of Castile and León, Ayscom, Wavecontrol/Viavi Solutions, Minsait by Indra Group, Teltronic, Axión, Gradiant, Mavenir, HPE, Manage Engine, Asteo Red Neutra, the University of Málaga, Nokia, Andrew, Italtel, Gsertel, Neutroon, Templus, IplusF, Hispasat, Rohde & Schwarz, Circet, Sapec, Digital Innovation Hub Industry 4.0 / ITCL, Boldyn, Ethon Shield, Anritsu, Evolvers, Grupo Ximenez and Secmotic.

Photo of sponsors during the 9th edition of the 5G Forum.