Movistar

Movistar
Sociedad Anónima
Industry Communications Services
Founded 25 July 1995 (1995-07-25)
Headquarters Madrid, Spain
Parent Telefónica
Website www.movistar.com

Movistar (Spanish pronunciation: [moβisˈtaɾ]) is a major telecommunications brand owned by Telefónica, operating in Spain and in many Hispanic American countries.[1] It is the largest mobile phone operator in Spain with 22 million customers and 41.58% of market share, where it also markets landline, broadband and pay television (Movistar+).[2] Its principal competitor in Latin America is América Móvil.

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. After the purchase of O2 in 2005 by Telefónica, 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.

Since 2011, Telefónica has sponsored a UCI ProTeam squad in cycling under the name of Movistar Team, and since 2014, the MotoGP team Movistar Yamaha MotoGP.

A Disney and Telefónica deal brought Star Wars programming to Movistar+ schedule during October and November 2015 plus a pop up Star Wars pay channel starting in early December leading up to Force Awakens. The programming consisted of the six live movies plus extra and making of documentaries. Among the extra include San Diego Comic-Con The Star Wars Celebration program, Star Wars Universe documentary and The Fans' Empire.[3] Disney and Moviestar+ copied its Star Wars content and pop up channel leading up The Last Jedi. Duplicating the Sky Movies Disney arrangement in the UK, Movistar+ launched Movistar Disney on 22 December 2017.[4]

Countries where Telefónica operates under the Movistar brand

Movistar stand at the Mobile World Congress.
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, Cocelco, CeluMovil)
  • 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 operates under other brands

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

References

  1. ↑ Our Spanish-speaking customers know us as Movistar
  2. ↑ cmt.es Archived 2011-04-09 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ Gonzalez, Juan Fernandez. "Telefónica, Disney to launch Star Wars channel in Spain". Rapid TV News. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
  4. ↑ Fernandez Gonzalez, Juan (21 November 2017). "Telefónica, Disney consolidate partnership in Spain". Rapid TV News. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
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