Background

Telefónica I+D was created in 1988 with the aim of promoting the operator's R+D activities using the knowledge necessary to carry out this type of activity.

Since then, there have been many milestones marking its path.

1988

Telefónica I+D was set up using Telefónica's Centro de Investigación y Estudios (Research and Studies Centre) as a foundation.

1990

This year saw the launch of the Modular Public Telephone Booths, an outdoor public telephone booth that enjoyed huge success, and which provided a public telephone service to more than 40 countries on five continents. Over half a million public telephones were installed.

1991

The development of large network management systems: such as the EOC (Operating and Switching Structure), the SGT (Traffic Management System), etc.

Other projects of particular importance were related to speech technologies and the protection of the telephone installations close to the route of the AVE high-speed train.

1993

The demonstrator of the RECIBA project (Experimental Network of Integrated Broadband Communications) was adopted as the fundamental core of the PlanBA (National Broadband Plan) where both the aspects related to network and services served as a preview of the future.

1994

AENOR (Spanish Association for Standardization and Certification) awarded the company the ISO 9001 Certification in recognition of its quality system.

1995

This year saw the launch of Infovía, an Internet access service available at the price of a local call by dialling 055 on a basic telephone line. Telefónica was now way ahead in terms of on-line services making it possible for the Spanish company to join the Internet. There were more than 2,000 service providers and almost one million lines connected to Internet in Spain this year.

This same year witnessed the development of CPSA (Center for Advanced Service Provisioning) on the telephone network. This platform boosted the development of intelligent network services, among others, the launch of Páginas Blancas (White Pages Directory) and the Spain Direct and Televoto (Remote Voting) services .

1998

The Telefónica I+D centre in Valladolid was established in the Boecillo technological park.

AENOR (Spanish Association for Standardization and Certification) awarded Telefónica I+D the environmental management ISO 9001 certificate.

1999

Telefónica I+D collaborated in creating the IP Network, a new network nucleus for Telefónica's multimedia services. Thanks to this, it was possible to expand broadband services within Spain.

2000

Telefónica I+D developed innovative services for the digital home and later for the connected car.

2002

This year saw interactive voice services (1003 Automatic service and the e-Moción voice portal of Telefónica Móviles) rapidly gain importance).

Telefónica I+D collaborated in studies carried out on the Information Society in Spain, Europe and several Latin American countries, These were to later become studies of references in the sector.

The Telefónica I+D centre in Barcelona was created. Activities at Telefónica Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Telefónica I+D's subsidiary in São Paulo, Brazil, got underway.

The Príncipe Felipe award for Business Excellence was awarded to Telefónica I+D.

2003

The Telefónica I+D centre in Huesca was established in the Walqa technological park.

2004

Imagenio, Telefónica's pioneering solution for IP television, was launched on the market. This an interactive a la carte television service available through an ADSL connection.

The pre-payment system for mobile phones was also launched this year.

The Telefónica I+D centre in Mexico was set up.

2005

The Scientific Advisory Council, was established and was composed of individuals of renowned prestige from the national and international scientific and technological sectors. Its function is to identify the most relevant aspects of the ICT sector (Information and Communication Technologies) and offer guidance regarding its possible scientific-technological evolution.

The Telefónica I+D centre in Granada was set up.

The year ended with the implantation of a probe access interface (Grifos) throughout the entire Telefónica Group. The process first got underway in 1998.

2007

The integrated management system for the transportation network, GEISER, was implanted throughout Spain.

The SIGRES management system was internationalized and installed in the operators of the Telefónica Group in Latin America.

According to data of the European Commission, Telefónica I+D participates in more European ICT research projects than any other company on the continent.

The ring-tone service was developed for Telefónica Móviles.