Overview of Movistar
Movistar is the Latin American telecom brand of the Spanish Telefonica Group, operating in countries such as Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Telefonica uses the Vivo brand in Brazil, while the Movistar brand is used throughout other Latin American regions. By 2025, Telefonica's total global connections are approximately 326 million, including about 116.8 million for Brazil's Vivo. Movistar is a major operator in many Latin American countries, with around 25.2 million customers in Colombia (June 2025, including 21.7 million mobile users and 3.5 million fixed-line users).
In the field of the Internet of Things (IoT), Movistar, relying on Telefonica Group's Kite IoT platform, provides Latin American enterprises with end-to-end IoT connection and management services for connected vehicles, industrial IoT, smart cities, and more, making it one of the IoT leaders in Latin America.
Basic information of Movistar / Telefonica Latin America
- Brand: Telefonica Latin America brand (except Brazil, which uses Vivo)
- Headquarters: Madrid, Spain (Telefonica)
- Global Connections: Approximately 326 million (2025)
- Brazil Vivo: Approximately 116.8 million (2025 Q4)
- Colombia: Approximately 25.2 million customers (June 2025), 21.7 million mobile
- South America Coverage: Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Uruguay, Venezuela
- Network Standards: 4G LTE, 5G NR, NB-IoT, LTE-M
- IoT Platform: Kite (Unified by Telefonica Group)
- Venezuela: Approximately 41.7% market share, market leader
[[0]]Development history and characteristics
The Movistar brand was launched as a unified brand after Telefonica acquired and integrated operations in multiple Latin American countries. Telefonica has a deep history in Latin America, establishing networks in each country through acquisitions and self-builds. In Colombia, Movistar competes with Tigo (after Millicom acquired Telefonica Colombia), with approximately 8.61 million mobile internet connections in June 2025, close to Tigo (about 8.53 million), while Claro leads. In 2024, Millicom acquired Telefonica's operations in Colombia, Uruguay, and Ecuador, with some former Movistar assets incorporated into Tigo.
In Venezuela, Movistar holds about a 41.7% market share, making it the market leader. Digitel follows closely with about 37.7%, and Movilnet has about 20.5%.
Core Technical Capabilities
Pan-Latin American coverage
Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Uruguay, Venezuela
Kite IoT Platform
Telefonica Group unified IoT platform, connection management, connected vehicles
Connected vehicle expertise
Latin America's connected vehicle leader, solutions for automakers and fleets
Enterprise Private Network
Dedicated APN, fixed IP, multinational unified billing
Network standards and coverage
| Technical Standard | Coverage Area | Use Cases | Development Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4G LTE | Major cities in multiple Latin American countries | Mainstream IoT connectivity | Primary network |
| 5G NR | Major cities | High-speed mobility, industrial 5G | Rapid construction |
| NB-IoT / LTE-M | Some markets | Low-Power Internet of Things | Gradual expansion |
Industry Solutions
Connected Vehicles
- In-vehicle connectivity and remote diagnostics
- Fleet management and tracking
- UBI Insurance
Industrial Internet of Things
- Remote monitoring of factory equipment
- Predictive Maintenance
- Asset Tracking
Smart city
- Intelligent transportation
- Public Safety Monitoring
- Environmental monitoring
Financial Retail
- POS terminal connection
- ATM remote monitoring
- Branch network
Competitive Advantages
- Group endorsement: Telefonica global resources, Kite IoT platform
- Latin America presence: Own networks in multiple countries, unified cross-border IoT deployment
- Connected vehicles: Leader in Latin American connected vehicles
- Enterprise Services: Comprehensive B2B IoT solutions
- Note: Some assets in Colombia, Uruguay, and Ecuador have been transferred to Millicom, now operated by Tigo