MADRID -- Telefónica has announced today that the first phase of a new working model has been completed with the creation of "Global Centres" aimed at delivering operational excellence. The main objective is to ensure better decision-making in terms of technology, speed, simplicity, efficiency and reliability in network installations throughout the whole group.

The creation of global centres is part of Telefónica Group's network technical transformation programme - a key strategy in the process of becoming a leading Digital Telco.

This initiative is part of Telefónica’s technological transformation and leadership strategy developed to address the current digital trading environment. It is also part of an ambitious, extensive programme aimed at building the best network on the market and generating maximum efficiency.

The first of the plan's three phases is complete with the Global Device Development Centre, the Global Operational Support Processes and Systems Centre, and the Global Energy and Rentals Centre now fully operational.

The Global Centres are structured as distributed global units, which bring together the most skilled professionals, both in terms of leadership and technical expertise regardless of their geographical location.

Home Gateway Unit (HGU): The First Tangible Result of the Global Device Development Centre

As a first example of the work of the new global centres, Telefónica, through its Global Device Development Centre, has created a product which integrates several current pieces of equipment -the router, ONTs and Videobridge- a customer currently needs to have in the home in order to access fibre services. In a world first Telefónica presents the Home Gateway Unit (HGU), a three-in-one device, which enables customers to use Telefónica's full fibre capability, thereby improving their connectivity experience and reducing power consumption.

Thanks to the HGU, customers can make the most of the current speeds of Telefónica's fibre network, even via Wi-Fi, as well as the speed upgrades still to come. Furthermore, this equipment ensures the best customer experience with the most advanced services, a valuable differentiation for the company in this space.

The HGU is now commercially available in Spain, currently in Madrid, Levante, Murcia and Andalusia, for new fibre connections of any speed (30 or 300Mbps) or upgrades from Movistar ADSL to fibre. By the first quarter of 2016, the new device will be available in all the cities and Telefónica facilities in Spain. It is due to arrive in Brazil and Chile in the first half of next year.

For current Movistar customers in Spain, who already enjoy Movistar services with other devices and connectivities of 30 or 300Mbps for fibre, Telefónica will also make an offer available whereby they can swap their current device for the new HGU.

It is the first in a new generation of own devices entirely designed, developed and homologated to the highest quality standards by the Global Device Development Centre.

The Global Device Development Centre aims to design, develop and certify a global homogeneous portfolio of devices for all carriers of the Group, thereby guaranteeing time-to-market and quality standards, by means of a single end-to-end process. Among other devices, the portfolio, expected to be available in three years' time, includes xDSL routers, FTTH, cable, 3G/LTE, and the certification of mobile devices and TV decoders.

Telefónica SA (NYSE: TEF)