Spain Marks 40 Years of Internet with Commemorative Event at UPM
Madrid, December 2, 2025 — The Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) is hosting a landmark event to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Spain’s first internet connection, a pivotal moment that took place on December 2, 1985, at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Telecomunicación (ETSIT). Organized by Professor Juan Quemada, emeritus professor and researcher at the Information Processing and Telecommunications Center (IPTC), the event honors the pioneers who helped usher Spain into the digital age.
The program begins at 12:30 PM with an institutional opening led by UPM’s rector, Óscar García. Professor Quemada will then deliver a talk reflecting on the early steps of internet deployment in Spain, including the historic sending of a test email via TCP/IP through EUnet — a milestone whose significance was not fully grasped at the time.
One of the highlights of the event is a live videoconference with Vinton Cerf and Robert Kahn, the American computer scientists widely recognized as the “fathers of the internet.” Their dialogue, moderated by Quemada, offers a rare opportunity to hear firsthand reflections on the global evolution of the internet.
A roundtable discussion will follow, featuring Spanish internet pioneers such as José Antonio Mañas (Goya Servicios Telemáticos), José Barberá and Víctor Castelo (RedIRIS), and Isidoro Padilla (Infovía, Telefónica), moderated by Professor Juan Riera. Their insights will shed light on the challenges and breakthroughs that shaped Spain’s digital infrastructure.
The event will also welcome institutional representatives including Miguel López-Valverde (Community of Madrid), Matías González (Ministry for Digital Transformation), and Fernando de Pablo (City of Madrid), underscoring the enduring importance of digital innovation in public policy.
To conclude, attendees will witness the inauguration of a new section at the ETSIT Telecommunications Museum dedicated to the history of the internet in Spain, followed by a cocktail reception. The event will be streamed live at audiovisuales.upm.es/directo, inviting the public to join in commemorating four decades of connectivity and progress.
Juan Quemada Vives: ORCID / LinkedIn
Related information:
‘Historia de Internet y de sus inicios en España’ (Juan Quemada, 2025)
‘La ETSIT, protagonista de la primera conexión española a internet’, por Juan Quemada (02-12-2024)
La primera conexión española al correo de internet entra en el museo (22-05-2024)
Original source of the news: ETSIT – Eventos: https://short.upm.es/3m583
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iptc-upm/
For more information: www.iptc.upm.es
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