The final yr has seen quite a lot of well-known sub-brands withdraw from the Spanish cellular market, as telecom giants like Telefonica and Orange have sought to streamline their respective product portfolios.
At present we take a more in-depth take a look at the historical past of those manufacturers—and their premature demises.
Amena
Proprietor: Orange Espana
Unique Launch: January 1999
Shutdown Date: September 13, 2021
In January 1999, Amena entered the market, becoming a member of Telefonica and Airtel (now Vodafone). The Amena model was first launched by Retevision Movil, which then grew to become the nation’s third cellular operator.
Amena shortly discovered its footing and handed ten million cellular subscriptions in 2005. The newcomer attracted the eye of France Telecom (now referred to as Orange Group), which agreed to pay EUR6.4 billion for an 80% stake in July 2005.
Regardless of the sizeable price ticket, France Telecom opted to exchange the Amena model with its personal tried and trusted Orange model in October 2006.
Unexpectedly, the Amena model was resurrected in 2012 as a sub-brand as Orange sought to focus on the funds phase.
Lower than a decade after the reintroduction, rumors advised that Orange was planning one other model overhaul, and Amena might be going through the chop as soon as once more.
Lower than a decade after the reintroduction, rumors advised that Orange was planning one other model overhaul, and Amena might be going through the chop as soon as once more.
Certain sufficient, Orange duly confirmed that the Amena sub-brand was set to be discontinued on September 13, 2021, and all subscribers have been migrated to the primary Orange model by end-2021.
The discontinuation of Amena marked the tip of one of many Spanish telecom sector’s most enduring manufacturers and heralded the disappearance of Orange’s second model of 2021—after Republica Movil (see beneath).
Republica Movil
Proprietor: Orange Espana
Unique Launch: 2013
Shutdown Date: June 11, 2021
Republica Movil launched over the Orange Espana community in 2013. In November 2018, it was acquired by its community host, having amassed 130,000 subscriptions in 5 years.
Nevertheless, the funds participant failed to tell apart itself from Orange’s present funds unit, Simyo—acquired from Dutch telco KPN in December 2012. Simyo reached the a million subscriber milestone in September 2018 and continues to develop immediately.
With tentative plans already underway to remove Amena, there was a way of inevitability when Orange confirmed that it was getting ready to merge the more and more peripheral Republica unit into Simyo in the summertime of 2021.
The tie-up befell on June 11, 2021, with Orange informing Republica subscribers: “At present we’re delighted to tell you of a brand new chapter within the historical past of Republica Movil … by which we’ll proceed to give you the very best service and the very best expertise as we’ve got carried out up to now.”
Tuenti
Proprietor: Telefonica Espana
Unique Launch: April 2006 (social community); February 2012 (MVNO)
Shutdown Date: June 1, 2022
Tuenti originated as a social community in April 2006, and went on to grow to be essentially the most used service of its form in Spain.
Tuenti originated as a social community in April 2006, and went on to grow to be essentially the most used service of its form in Spain. In August 2010, Tuenti was acquired by Telefonica, launching an MVNO over the community of its dad or mum firm in February 2012.
The Tuenti model was later prolonged to quite a lot of Latin American markets, and nonetheless exists in Argentina and Ecuador, though items in Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru have all been ditched.
Tuenti’s preliminary focus was on the supply of an end-to-end digital expertise, which emphasised its over-the-top multi-platform app as a means of accelerating buyer engagement. The corporate’s VozDigital service, launched in 2014, allowed prospects to put free calls from its app to any GSM or mounted line quantity nationwide, and to 40 different worldwide international locations, by way of Wi-Fi or 4G. Nevertheless, this service was discontinued on Could 29, 2019.
With curiosity in Tuenti waning, Telefonica finally determined to deactivate the sub-brand on June 1, 2022.
Cellular-only subscriptions are being migrated to Movistar’s “Inicia” tariff. Cellular/fiber subscriptions are being transferred to the O2 sub-brand, which launched in June 2018, mirroring the well-known model utilized by Telefonica’s UK subsidiary.
