Movistar

For the cycling team, see Movistar Team.

Telefónica S. A.

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Type	Sociedad Anónima
Industry	Communications Services
Founded	25 July 1995
Headquarters	Madrid, Spain
Parent	Telefónica
Slogan	Compartida, la vida es más (Shared, life is more)
Website	movistar.com

Movistar stand at the Mobile World Congress.

Movistar is the major Spanish mobile phone operator owned by Telefónica S.A. operating in Spain and in many Latin American countries. It is the largest carrier in Spain with 22 million customers (cellphone services only) and 41.58% of market share.2 Its principal competitor in Latin America is América Móvil. It offers GSM 900/1800 MHz (Spain) 850/1900 MHz (America) (2G), UMTS 900/2100 MHz (Spain) 850/900/1900/2100 MHz (America) (3G) HSDPA (3.5G) and LTE 2600 MHz (Spain) 1700/2600 MHz (America) (4G) services.

The Movistar name 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 Móviles purchased the BellSouth mobile operations branch in South America.

After the purchase of O₂ in 2005 by Telefónica S.A., the company announced that the O₂ brand would continue to be used in the UK, Germany and Ireland (Rep.), as a separate branch with its own board and management structure. Eurotel in the Czech Republic was rebranded as Telefónica O₂ Czech Republic, as opposed to Telefónica Móvistar.

Since 2011, Telefónica S.A. have sponsored a UCI ProTeam cycling team in cycling under the name of Movistar Team, and a UCI Continental team, Movistar Continental Team.

As of 2011, most consumer and business services from Telefónica – mobile telephony, landline service, broadband and television (satellite or IPTV, depending on the location) - in Spain and most of Latin America are marketed under the Movistar brand.

Countries where Telefónica Móviles operates under the Movistar brand

VO70 Class yacht Movistar racing in Leg 1 of the 2005 Volvo Ocean Race, in Vigo, Spain.

• Argentina (formerly Telefónica Unifón and Movicom BellSouth)
• Chile (formerly Telefónica Móvil and BellSouth)
• Colombia (formerly BellSouth)
• Costa Rica (formerly Telefónica de Costa Rica, S.A.)
• Ecuador (formerly CelularPower, BellSouth)
• El Salvador (Formerly Telefónica Móviles or Telefónica MoviStar)
• Guatemala (formerly Telefónica MoviStar and BellSouth)
• Mexico (formerly Cedetel, Bajacel, Movitel, Norcel and Pegaso)
• Nicaragua (formerly BellSouth)
• Panama (formerly BellSouth)
• Peru (formerly Telefónica Móviles and BellSouth)
• Spain (formerly Telefónica MoviStar)
• Uruguay (formerly Movicom)
• Venezuela (formerly Telcel and Telcel BellSouth)

Countries where Telefónica Móviles operates wireless networks under other brands

• Brazil (formerly Telesp Celular in some places, now under the Vivo brand)
• Czech Republic (under the O₂ brand)
• Slovakia (under the O₂ brand)
• Germany (under the O₂ brand)
• United Kingdom (under the O₂ brand)

Mobile broadband

Main article: Mobile broadband

Movistar modems includes:

Cellular modules for the HSDPA and HSUPA networks can be located at: http://www.m2msearch.com/cellular-modules

Movistar advertisements

The 1983 song "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves was used by Telefónica to announce the unification of all its operation brands (Telefónica MoviStar, Bellsouth, Unifon, Telefónica Moviles, Telefónica Movil, Movicom) in Latin America and Spain under the Movistar brand after the takeover of BellSouth's Latin America division.1. Movistar has also used the New Radicals' hit "You Get What You Give", "Two Princes" by Spin Doctors and currently "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train, and other versions of the song, in audiovisual advertisement.

See also

• Moviline, Telefónica Móviles's old analog network
• Movistar Team

External links

• (Spanish) Movistar Global Website
  • Movistar España
  • Movistar México
  • Movistar Colombia
  • Movistar Perú