The year 2000 is 15 years away

In 1985 Telefónica made an incredible exercise of projection into the future and gave shape to one of the most emblematic campaigns in its history. "15 years to the year 2000" was a gamble and a vision that still surprises. In a book, in a press advertising campaign and, above all, in a television spot, Telefónica dared to draw the future and got it right. "Around the phone, something wonderful is going to happen," we said, and it did. "The telephone wire will turn voice into light, light into image...". The announcement spoke of seizing opportunities, of quality of life, of improving, thanks to technology, the daily lives of households and businesses. And that Telefónica would be there. The two components of the company's DNA, anticipation and commitment, shine as brightly as ever in this campaign.

Conquering international markets

Before leaving home to go big and look for operations in other countries on other continents, Telefónica needed to finance itself in international markets. Under the chairmanship of Luis Solana, and with the aim of avoiding at all costs the entry of large operators into our market, Telefónica managed this year to be listed on the London, Paris, Frankfurt and Tokyo stock exchanges. In that year alone, 47.5 million shares were placed (30,000 million pesetas/180 million euros).

Benjamin, the first forerunner of the mobile phone

We are still a long way from the popularisation of mobile phones, but the advantages of wireless telephony are beginning to be known in homes and offices. This year it is the Benjamin terminal, an interesting model manufactured by Telyco. Very modern for the time, compact, small and cordless, with a cover protecting the keyboard, as the first mobile phones would later become, the Benjamin was distributed from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s in white or red.