Movistar Mexico is a major telecommunications provider owned by Telefónica, a Spanish multinational company. The Movistar brand was introduced in Spain on July 25, 1995, and became effective worldwide on April 5, 2005, following Telefónica's acquisition of BellSouth's mobile operations in South America. In Mexico, Movistar is the second-largest wireless carrier, with 25.8 million subscribers as of January 2020. Initially, the company operated under the name Pegaso PCS before merging with Telefónica Móviles in 2002 and 2003 to unify its services under the Movistar brand.
Country
Mexico
Type
Mobile Network Operator
Movistar Logo

3G Network

Movistar Mexico launched its 3G network in the second quarter of 2007, utilizing the 1900 MHz (PCS) and 850 MHz frequency bands for UMTS services. The network supported HSPA+ technology, offering data speeds of up to 21 Mbps. However, the 2G network was shut down in 2021 as part of a broader transition to more advanced technologies. The 3G network's shutdown date has not been explicitly mentioned, but it is likely to follow the global trend of phasing out older technologies in favour of 4G and 5G.

Network Frequency Band Status
B2 (1900 MHz)
Active
B4 (1700 MHz)
Active
B5 (850 MHz)
Active
Date Event Subtype
Launch of 3G Network
Launch

4G Network

Movistar Mexico began deploying its 4G LTE network in October 2012, using the LTE Band B2 (1900 MHz PCS). The deployment expanded to include LTE Band B4 (1700/2100 MHz AWS 1) and LTE Band B7 (2600 MHz) by November 2013. The LTE Band B28 (700 MHz APT) was added to the network on August 3, 2024, enhancing coverage and signal penetration courtesy of the Red Compartida wholesale network. By 2015, Movistar extended its 4G coverage to 60% of Mexico's population. The network sharing agreement with AT&T Mexico, established in 2019, consolidated much of the network.

4G Frequency Bands
Network Frequency Band Status Known EARFCNs
B2 (1900 MHz)
Active
B4 (1700 MHz)
Active
2250
B5 (850 MHz)
Active
2475
B7 (2600 MHz)
Active
3150
Date Event Subtype
Launch of 4G Network
Launch

5G Network

Movistar Mexico was one of the three operators with deployed 5G networks in the country, alongside Telcel and AT&T, launching its network in December 2022. Movistar Mexico used the 5G NR frequency band n38 (2600 MHz), supporting channel bandwidths of up to 40 MHz. The economic contribution of 5G in Mexico is expected to grow significantly, with forecasts predicting an increase from 3 billion USD in 2025 to 13 billion USD by 2030. Movistar's network sharing strategy is anticipated to play a crucial role in the rollout and expansion of its 5G services.

Network Frequency Band Max. Channel Bandwidth Status
n38 (2600 MHz)
40
Active
Date Event Subtype
Launch of 5G Network
Launch