Spain halts emergency Wi-Fi contract for migrants in Ceuta

The Spanish Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration has halted the processing of an emergency contract intended to provide free Wi-Fi services in migrant assistance areas in Ceuta. The decision follows public controversy regarding the planned direct award of the service to Telefónica through an exceptional administrative procedure.

The original plan aimed to deploy three access points in provisional accommodation areas and near the El Tarajal border crossing. The administration stated the goal was to ease communication congestion for administrative staff, security forces, and collaborating entities such as the Red Cross, while also providing connectivity for users in the autonomous city.

Government officials are currently evaluating alternatives, which include reducing the scale of the infrastructure or canceling the contract entirely.