These circuits allowed, for example, stable and secure connections between different company locations or between critical equipment in sectors such as banking, transport or public administrations.
For years now, Telefónica has also offered ORLA-E circuits, which use more current technologies (such as Ethernet and fiber) and have been gradually replacing ORLA-T.
When does this service close?
The closure will take place in several phases. These are the key dates:
Effective immediately: Telefónica is no longer obligated to activate new ORLA-T circuits.
Until November 30, 2025: operators can request the migration of their active services.
April 30, 2026: deadline for completing all migrations. On this date, Telefónica will also cease providing retail and wholesale services to other companies within the group. From that point forward, Telefónica will be able to permanently shut down its ORLA-T network.
This timeline was adjusted after receiving input from operators such as Telefónica and Vodafone, who requested more time to organize particularly complex migrations, such as those affecting large clients or public administrations.
Why is it closing?
ORLA-T systems operate on technologies installed in the 1990s, many of whose components are now unavailable for spare parts and lack technical support. Furthermore, demand has plummeted: by the end of 2024, only 650 circuits remained active.
To facilitate the transition, Telefónica will have to provide each operator with detailed information on existing circuits, maintain regulated prices, and coordinate with them the action windows to minimize the impact.
What happens to current services?
Operators will need to migrate their services to existing alternatives (such as ORLA-E circuits). If they choose this option, Telefónica cannot charge them as if it were a new connection, but only the justified costs of the necessary technical modifications.
Furthermore, Telefónica must guarantee that the new circuits have sufficient capabilities to emulate the functionalities of the old ORLA-T.
During the closing process, Telefónica will send quarterly reports to the CNMC to monitor the progress of the migrations. If there are significant deviations from the plan, we may revise the dates through a new resolution.
