Murtra makes his debut on Mobile, calling on the EU to facilitate telecom mergers

BarcelonaThe new president of Telefónica, Marc Murtra, has made his debut at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) with a direct appeal to the European Union to facilitate mergers between European telecos, and has asked the authorities to "adapt their regulations and objectives to allow technological and telecommunications consolidation." This is how Murtra was received by the global technology community at the opening conference of the largest congress on technology and connectivity, which will be held at Fira de Barcelona's Gran Via venue from 3 to 6 March.

"It is time for the major European telecommunications companies to be allowed to consolidate and grow in order to create technological capacity," he said. "This step can reinforce European strategic autonomy, unlock productivity and improve people's lives," he stressed. Thus, the president of Telefónica has acknowledged that this scenario will force telecommunications operators to adapt, focus on what they know how to do and work properly.

"But it is not only us who will have to adapt," he added. "The European Commission, European member states, regulators and others must adapt their regulations and objectives to allow technological and telecommunications consolidation." Otherwise, he warned, "Europe's position in the world will continue to decline and it will not have the capacity to decide its future autonomously."

With this message, Murtra consolidated his replacement of José María Álvarez-Pallete, who until a few months ago was the president of Telefónica and also president of the GSMA, the employers' association of the large telecommunications companies and organizer of the Mobile. After histeleoperator exit, Pallete also left his post at the GSMA. Murtra joined the board of the employers' association as a director, but the institution will not name a new president until after the MWC.

Telefónica's new direction

Murtra recalled that in Europe the telecommunications sector is much more fragmented than in China or the United States, where the fact of having more muscle allows operators to carry out greater investments. "We must be aware that the excessive fragmentation of the telecoms "In Europe, excessive regulation and insufficient profitability of the sector hampered Europe, which fell behind technologically," he lamented.

Telefónica is opening a new era with Marc Murtra as president. The new president already insisted last week at the presentation of the company's results - in which he lost 49 million euros in 2024 for the business in Latin America – which will review all the company's business areas, and placed emphasis on the consolidation of the telecommunications sector in Europe and the role that Telefónica should play.

"The industry of thetelecoms"It is strategic," stressed Murtra, who anticipated that they will not be a "passive" asset in this European consolidation, but that they will "help to lead." The director sees it as an essential step towards the vision of strategic autonomy that Europe yearns for. Regarding some specific operations, Murtra limited himself to leaving the details for the strategic plan, although he has already cooled off the 'intra'.