Online banking in rural Spain

Asteo Observatory

Spain is above the European average in percentage of electronic banking users, reaching 71.45%. What trends can we observe in rural areas of the country?

According to the latest report of the Asteo Observatory in rural populations with less than 10,000 inhabitants and ultra-rural populations (less than 1,000),going online to do business with the bank is the fourth most commonreason for surfing the Internet(63%).

In the case of smaller towns, the percentage is even higher, reaching 67%, compared to 62% in towns with between 1,001 and 10,000 inhabitants. These percentages increase in the case of teleworkers (72%) and households with children (71%).

What steps do you take when you connect with your bank?

The most frequent activities performed through online banking include balance inquiries (97%), managing transfers (72%), and using Bizum (65%). These patterns are consistent regardless of population size, with specific data of 97%, 72%, and 66% for areas with less than 10,000 inhabitants, and 99%, 72%, and 62% for those with less than 1,000 inhabitants.

Preferences and motivations for online banking

The main reason that leads Internet users in rural areas to opt for online banking is its 24/7 availability (59%) and the convenience of avoiding travel (59%). In smaller towns, these percentages increase to 64% and 62%, respectively. The absence of nearby bank branches is a more relevant factor in towns with less than 1,000 inhabitants, reaching 41% compared to an average of 19%. Nevertheless, it is the fifth most important reason. It is important to clarify that the Observatory’s studies collect data from Internet users residing in rural areas.

Curiosities: They are from Bizum and they are from traditional transfers.

A curious fact is that the use of Bizum is more common among women (76% vs. 57% of men), while men prefer traditional transfers (76% vs. 66% of women).

Impact of the presence of minors in the home

In the case of the use of Bizum, those who live in households where there is a minor also have higher percentages: 84% compared to 58% of households where all residents are of legal age.

When it comes to connecting to the bank, those who work remotely (72%) and those who have children at home (71%) also stand out with higher percentages.

Digital divide in rural areas

These data reflect the wide penetration of online banking among Internet users in rural areas and highlight the importance of encouraging and facilitating access to connectivity and frequent use by all residents of these areas in order to bridge the digital divide.

 

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Patricia Moreno Pacheco

Deployment Project Manager

Trained as an architect at the University of Seville and with international experience after her studies at the Leibniz Universität Hannover, she has a multidisciplinary technical profile. He stands out for his analytical capacity and leadership in telecommunications infrastructures, providing a highly consolidated strategic vision.

Her career began in civil architecture, working as a Municipal Architect and energy certifier. In 2017 she oriented her career towards the telco sector by joining Nokia as FTTx Network Design Engineer. For five years, he participated in large multinational deployments for operators in the USA, Italy, Chile, the Philippines and Germany. Later, at Inelcom, he took over team management and implementation support for the German UGG network, mastering the construction and last mile phases. All this international supervisory experience brought her to Asteo Red Neutra in 2023, where she manages field operations as Deployment Manager.

Away from blueprints and fiber optics, he is an active person who likes to enjoy his free time. He is passionate about climbing, paddle tennis and traveling, always looking for new environments to disconnect.

David Moreno Llorente

Director of Network Infrastructure and IT Systems

With more than 25 years of experience in the telecommunications sector in Spain, David has developed a solid track record of technical and operational excellence. His profile stands out for a clear focus on continuous improvement, results-oriented management and team management and development.

His career began in 1998 at UFINET, where for more than two decades he evolved professionally to consolidate his position as Director of Network Operation and Maintenance. During this period, he led strategic Engineering & Maintenance (E&M) projects, as well as service transformation and outsourcing initiatives, and performed transversal functions in the Operation and Maintenance units of the different countries in which the company operated, contributing to the standardization of processes and the improvement of operational efficiency.

In 2018, following the creation of Lyntia as an independent company from UFINET's infrastructure business, he continued his professional development as Director of the Operation and Maintenance units, both Access and Transport, providing a key strategic vision for the company.

All this experience in critical infrastructure management led him to Asteo Red Neutra in 2024, where he is currently in charge of the operational area as head of the company's Network Infrastructures and IT Systems.

Outside the professional sphere, David disconnects from technology through his passions: rally raids, scuba diving and cooking with his family.

Laura Díaz

Marketing and Communications Director

With 20 years of experience, Laura has developed the communication strategy for national and international companies. Since the official launch of ASTEO Red Neutra, she has led its communication and content strategy as an external consultant, until her incorporation to the team.

She started her career as a journalist in the IT sector. She specialised in Communication, advising companies in various sectors (banking, asset management, private equity, insurance and insurtech or telecommunications). She led Evercom's Financial Communication department, in charge of the area's growth strategy and the management of the team and clients.

She graduated in journalism from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, in Venezuela, took the ABC-UCM master's degree in journalism, and complemented her education with studies in International Business at Dublin Business School, and sustainability at the University of Cambridge.

Married to Santi, she is the mother of two children and, whenever she has some free time, she loves going swimming and to the cinema or enjoying long dinners with friends.

Alfonso García

Director of Business Development and Operations

A Telecommunications Engineer from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and PDD training at the University of Navarra IESE, he has more than 20 years of experience in Telecommunications in leading companies, leading the development of fibre infrastructures and management work in the commercialisation of fibre optic networks.

He began his experience in the Telecommunications Sector in Engineering, Technology and Deployment Departments of data and fibre networks in companies such as Payma Comunicaciones, Iberdrola Ingeniería y Consultoría and Madritel Comunicaciones. After this first technical stage, he developed his more commercial experience in the Iberdrola Group, taking over the Commercial Management of Iberdrola's Fibre Optic Network for Telecommunications Operators for 15 years. Before joining ASTEO Red Neutra, he was an advisor to CableRunner Iberica’s president and Commercial Director of GTD Spain, a Dark Fibre Neutral Operator for National and International Operators and DataCenters in Spain.

Alfonso is convinced of the potential of fibre networks, so he decided to focus his career on this technology from the very beginning.

A father of two, a lover of gastronomy and cooking, he is happy to cook on weekends for his family and friends. In love with skiing in winter and water sports in summer.

Luis Rodríguez

Luis Rodríguez

ASTEO’s CFO and HR Director

With more than 7 years of experience, he has worked in the financial departments of international companies, mainly in SICE CANADA INC (ACS Group Company) based in Toronto and Golden Agri-Resources (Sinarmas Group Company, listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange).

As Chief Financial and Human Resources Officer of SICE Canada Inc, he was responsible for managing the acquisition of capital assets, negotiating financial products with banks and financing entities, preparing and reporting the EEFFs to the parent company and ensuring regulatory compliance, among many other responsibilities.

Luis holds a degree in Economics from the University of Seville and an MBA from the University of Cadiz. In his free time he likes to practise all kinds of sports, especially crossfit and downhill.

Manuel Garnelo

Manuel Garnelo

ASTEO’s CTO and Chief Operating Officer

Responsible for the Engineering and Technology, Deployment and O&M (Operation and Maintenance) Departments. He has more than 20 years of experience in the telecommunications sector. Manuel has been responsible for FTTH deployments at Lyntia, Director of the Central Delegation at Verne, Head of FTTH deployments at Ericsson in the Mediterranean region and of the FTTH Centre of Excellence in Spain.

A Telecommunications Engineer from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, he is an enthusiast of the right of people to have a broadband connection and of the connected society.

Married to Teresa and father of two daughters, in his spare time he repairs and collects old radios and gramophones: if you have a lamp radio and you want to get rid of it, don't throw it away! He will take care of them. He will take care of them.