Vodafone España

Vodafone España, S.A.U. is a telecommunications company in Spain headquartered in Madrid. Since May 2024, it has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the British investment firm Zegona Communications, which acquired the company from Vodafone Group for €5 billion. Under a ten-year licensing agreement, the company continues to operate under the Vodafone brand. The company was founded in 1994 as Airtel by a consortium comprising Airtouch, British Telecom, and several Spanish partners including Banco Santander, Central Hispano, and Acciona. In 2001, Vodafone Group achieved full control by buying out BT and the Spanish shareholders, leading to a comprehensive rebranding as Vodafone. During its tenure under Vodafone Group, the company significantly expanded its infrastructure through two landmark acquisitions, starting with the Spanish operations of Tele2 in 2007 to enter the fixed-line market, followed by the purchase of major cable provider Ono in 2014 for €7.2 billion.