Movistar () is a major

telecommunications Telecommunication is the transmission of information by various types of technologies over wire, radio, optical, or other electromagnetic systems. It has its origin in the desire of humans for communication over a distance greater than tha ...

provider owned by

Telefónica Telefónica, S.A. () is a Spanish Multinational corporation, multinational telecommunications company headquartered in Madrid, Spain. It is List of telephone operating companies, one of the largest telephone operators and List of mobile network ...

, operating in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' ( Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

and

Hispanic America The region known as Hispanic America (in Spanish called ''Hispanoamérica'' or ''América Hispana'') and historically as Spanish America (''América Española'') is the portion of the Americas comprising the Spanish-speaking countries of North, ...

n countries. It is the largest provider of landline, broadband, mobile services, and pay television ( Movistar+) in

. Movistar is the second-largest wireless carrier in Mexico, with 25.8 million subscribers as of January 2020.

History

The Movistar brand has been in use in Spain since the launch of GSM services in 1995. The name became effective worldwide on April 5, 2005, after Telefónica purchased the BellSouth mobile operations branch in

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...

. After the purchase of O₂ in 2005 by Telefónica, the company announced that the «O₂» brand would continue to be used in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG),, is a country in Central Europe. It is the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany lies between the Baltic and North Sea to the north and the Alps to the sou ...

, as a separate branch with its own board and management structure. Since 2011, Telefónica has sponsored a UCI ProTeam squad in cycling under the name of .

Countries where Telefónica operates under the Movistar brand

Mobile World Centre - 2013 - Barcelona 03

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...

(formerly Telefónica Unifón and Movicom BellSouth) *

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...

(formerly Telefónica Móvil and BellSouth) * Colombia (formerly Telefónica Telecom, Telecom, BellSouth, Cocelco, CeluMovil) *

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar language, Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechuan ...

(formerly CelularPower, BellSouth) *

El Salvador El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by ...

(formerly Telefónica Móviles or Telefónica MoviStar) *

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

(formerly Cedetel, Bajacel, Movitel, Norcel and Pegaso) *

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

(formerly Telefónica Móviles and BellSouth) *

(formerly Telefónica MoviStar) *

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

(formerly Telefónica Unifón and Movicom BellSouth) *

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in ...

(formerly Telcel and Telcel BellSouth) *

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest co ...

Former operations

* Guatemala (acquired by América Móvil, now operating as Claro) * Costa Rica (acquired by Liberty Latin America, now operating as LIBERTY)

Countries where Telefónica operates under other brands

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

(formerly Telesp and Telefônica, now under the Vivo brand) *

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. Th ...

(under the O₂ brand) *

(under the O₂ brand)

The 1983 song " Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves was used by

to announce the unification of all its operation brands (Telefónica MoviStar, Bellsouth, Unifon, Telefónica Moviles, Telefónica Movil, and Movicom) in Latin America and Spain under the Movistar brand after the takeover of BellSouth's Latin America division. Movistar has also used the New Radicals' hit " You Get What You Give" and " Two Princes" by Spin Doctors. Currently " Hey, Soul Sister" by Train is in advertising and other versions of the song are also used in audiovisual advertisements.

References

External links

* {{navboxes , titlestyle = background:#ccccff , list= {{Mexican mobile phone companies {{Argentine mobile network operators {{Chilean mobile network operators {{Colombian mobile network operators {{Ecuadorian mobile phone companies {{Peruvian mobile network operators {{Venezuelan mobile operators Telecommunications companies established in 1995 1995 establishments in Spain Telefónica Telecommunications companies of Spain Companies based in the Community of Madrid Mobile phone companies of Chile Mobile phone companies of Colombia Mobile phone companies of Ecuador Mobile phone companies of El Salvador Mobile phone companies of Guatemala Mobile phone companies of Mexico Mobile phone companies of Spain Spanish brands Tier 1 networks