What Movistar Mexico does

Movistar Mexico is the Mexican mobile telecommunications subsidiary of Spain-based Telefónica S.A., operating a 5G/4G LTE mobile network that serves over 20 million consumer and enterprise subscribers nationwide from its headquarters in Mexico City. Its product portfolio spans postpaid subscription plans (Plan Pro Ilimitado, Pro 30, Pro 20, Plan 10 annual prepaid), the Recarga Movistar prepaid top-up service with bundles from MX$10 to MX$500, eSIM digital activation via QR code, international roaming and long-distance across 160+ countries, and device financing through partners including PayJoy, Mercado Pago, Banco Azteca and Atrato. Under the Movistar Empresas business unit, it offers IoT (Smart Energy, Smart Mobility, Smart Connectivity, EcoSmart), Cloud 4 Business (Virtual Data Center, Multicloud, Microsoft 365), Cybersecurity (SOC, communications security), Big Data consulting and digital advertising for SMB, mid-market and enterprise customers.

The operator generates revenue through a combination of recurring monthly and annual subscriptions, usage-based prepaid recharges, hardware/device financing income, roaming and long-distance fees, and managed services for businesses. Distribution combines owned digital channels (website, Mi Movistar app, WhatsApp), company-owned Centros de Atención y Ventas (CAV) retail outlets, and a broad third-party retail network spanning Coppel, Elektra, Mega Elektra, OXXO and pharmacy chains, plus bank ATMs for prepaid recharges. Marketing emphasizes bundled entertainment (TikTok, YouTube, Spotify, VIX streaming) and 5G access at accessible price points.

In April 2026, Telefónica agreed to sell Movistar Mexico to a U.S.-led consortium headed by OXIO Inc. and Newfoundland Capital Management for USD 450 million, pending regulatory approval within 4-9 months. OXIO plans to migrate the operator onto its cloud-native, API-first Telecom-as-a-Service (TaaS) platform, repositioning Movistar Mexico from traditional connectivity into data-monetizing digital services and positioning Mexico as a North American digital infrastructure node. The Movistar brand, management team, and 20M+ subscriber base are expected to be retained during the transition.

Name

Movistar Mexico

Legal name

Movistar

Website

https://www.movistar.com.mx

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mobile Telecommunications

NAICS

Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite) (517112)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813)

akta.pro primary industry

Consumer Mobile Network Operators (Retail MNOs) (HDAIAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private LTE/5G Mobile Network Operators (Campus/Industrial) (HDAIAAAE)

Keywords

• Mobile telecommunications services
• Wireless network operator
• Postpaid mobile plans
• Prepaid recharge services
• Enterprise IoT solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Mexico

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Mobile Postpaid Plans (Renta Mensual): Monthly subscription plans (Plan Pro 20, Plan Pro 30, Plan Pro Ilimitado, Plan 10 annual) generating recurring revenue from individual and enterprise subscribers. Includes rental revenue, add-on modules, and device financing.
2. Prepaid Recharge (Recarga Movistar): Prepaid airtime recharge model with multiple price points ($10-$500 MXN). Revenue is consumption-based, driven by pay-as-you-go data, voice, and SMS. Additional benefits such as apps unlimited are bundled into recharges. Multiple recharge channels including app, website, retail, bank, and WhatsApp.
3. Device Financing and Hardware Sales: Smartphone sales through installment financing partners (PayJoy, Mercado Pago, Banco Azteca, Atrato) and months-without-interest programs. Revenue from device sales embedded in the commercial relationship.
4. International Roaming and Long Distance: Travel Diario, Travel Plus, and Bono 5GB roaming packages for international travel. Long distance calling packages to 160+ countries. Revenue from per-day roaming fees ($70 MXN/day) and per-minute LD charges.
5. Enterprise Digital Services: Business solutions including IoT (Smart Energy, Smart Mobility, Smart Connectivity, EcoSmart), cybersecurity (SOC, communications security), cloud services (Virtual Data Center, Multicloud, Microsoft 365), Big Data consulting, and digital advertising for enterprise clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Movistar Mexico is a mobile telecommunications operator providing 5G and 4G LTE wireless connectivity to over 20 million subscribers in Mexico. The company offers postpaid monthly plans (Plan Pro 20, Pro 30, Pro Ilimitado), an annual prepaid plan (Plan 10), and pay-as-you-go Recarga Movistar recharges, alongside smartphones with device financing, eSIM digital activation, international roaming across 160+ countries, and dedicated enterprise solutions including IoT, cloud, cybersecurity, and digital advertising under the Movistar Empresas brand.

Product overview

Movistar Mexico operates as a comprehensive telecommunications operator offering a unified product portfolio centered on mobile services with multiple service models. The core offerings include postpaid Plans (Plan Pro Ilimitado, Pro 30, Pro 20) and the annual prepaid Plan 10, alongside the Recarga Movistar prepaid top-up service. Digital SIM technology (eSIM) enables dual-line functionality on compatible devices. The family offering (Family+) allows adding lines with discounts, while Pasa Gigas enables data sharing. Business customers access dedicated Planes Negocios (Pro Negocios 18/25/35/Ilimitado) with IoT solutions, Cloud 4 Business services, Cybersecurity, Advertising, and Big Data analytics. Additional services include international Roaming and Larga Distancia, device Protection plans, and equipment Financing through PayJoy, Mercado Pago, Banco Azteca, and Atrato. The pending acquisition by OXIO Inc. and Newfoundland Capital Management aims to transform the operator into a cloud-native, AI-driven telecom using OXIO's Telecom-as-a-Service platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Movistar 5G: 5G mobile network brand offering voice, data, plans, recharges, and smartphones
• Recarga Movistar
• Movistar Empresas
• Movistar Pro
• Movistar eSIM

Products and services

• Plan Pro Ilimitado Top-tier postpaid plan offering unlimited mobile data, voice, and SMS on Movistar's 5G network, with international roaming in North America and bundled entertainment apps including YouTube Premium. Targeted at individual consumers and small offices needing unlimited data.
• Plan Pro 30 Mid-tier postpaid plan providing 30 GB of high-speed data plus unlimited use of entertainment and social apps (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, TikTok, YouTube) and USA roaming. Targeted at data-heavy individual consumers.
• Plan Pro 20 Entry-level postpaid plan with 20 GB of mobile data, unlimited TikTok and YouTube streaming, and standard calling/SMS. Targeted at price-conscious individual consumers.
• Plan 10 (Annual Prepaid) Annual prepaid plan offering 10 GB of data per month, unlimited calls and SMS, and unlimited use of social apps for a full 12-month period when paying for 10 months upfront. Targeted at consumers seeking predictable annual costs without contracts.
• Recarga Movistar (Prepaid Recharge) Prepaid airtime and data top-up service offering bundles from $10 to $500 MXN with validity periods from 1 to 30 days, including unlimited use of social apps, data bonuses, and roaming in USA/Canada/Puerto Rico on higher recharges. Targeted at price-sensitive consumers and pay-as-you-go users.
• eSIM Digital SIM Digital eSIM service allowing customers to activate a Movistar line without a physical SIM card via QR code delivered by email, supporting dual-line functionality on compatible devices with prepaid recharge bundles ($100-$500 MXN) including unlimited apps. Targeted at consumers and travelers wanting instant activation and dual-SIM flexibility.
• Roaming Internacional International mobile roaming service covering 160-200+ countries with daily and extended-validity data/voice/SMS packages, including Travel Diario (daily unlimited data in USA/Canada/Puerto Rico), Travel Plus (extended roaming for Rest of the World), and Bono 5 GB USA. Targeted at travelers and business users needing international connectivity.
• Larga Distancia Internacional International long-distance voice calling service covering 160+ countries with bundled minutes packages starting at $115 MXN for 60 minutes. Targeted at consumers and businesses needing affordable international voice calling.
• Planes Negocios (Pro Negocios Business Plans) Dedicated business mobile plans (Pro Negocios 18/25/35/Ilimitado) offering 18 GB to unlimited data, unlimited apps, 5G access, and 5-25 GB international roaming. Targeted at small, mid-market, and enterprise business customers needing multi-line mobile connectivity.
• Soluciones IoT (IoT Solutions) Enterprise Internet of Things portfolio including Smart Energy, Smart Mobility, Smart Connectivity, EcoSmart, and the IoT Partner Program for managing large-scale connected device deployments over Movistar's mobile network. Targeted at enterprises deploying IoT at scale.
• Cloud 4 Business

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% discount on postpaid plans for first 2 months when contracted online
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration22 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• PayJoysupportingOthersPayJoy is a smartphone financing partner enabling customers to purchase devices without a credit card or bank account, with weekly payment options. Available through the Movistar website and retail channels.
• Mercado PagosupportingOthersMercado Pago is a payment and financing partner enabling monthly installment payments for smartphone purchases through Mercado Pago. Integrated as a payment option in the Movistar online store.
• Banco AztecasupportingOthersBanco Azteca provides weekly smartphone financing options for customers at Movistar retail stores, offering a 100% digital process from the store channel.
• AtratosupportingOthersAtrato offers flexible installment plans for smartphone purchases, with quick approval decisions, integrated as a payment option for Movistar device purchases.
• VIX (Streaming Platform)supportingOthersVIX is a streaming video platform bundled into prepaid recharge packages, offering unlimited VIX access within Mexico, USA, Canada, and Puerto Rico as part of higher-tier recharge promotions.
• OXXO, Convenience Stores, and Pharmacy ChainssupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOXXO and pharmacy chains (Farmapronto, Farmacias Sufacen, La Mas Barata, Super Sánchez) and convenience stores (Dunosusa, One Stop, Casa de las Carcasas) serve as recharge distribution points, allowing customers to add airtime at point-of-sale.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Telcel (América Móvil): Mexico's largest mobile operator and Movistar Mexico's primary competitor. Comparable product set (postpaid, prepaid, 5G), same B2C/B2B segments, and directly overlapping distribution footprint. Telcel led registered lines at 19% vs Movistar's 16%.
• AT&T Mexico: Second major mobile operator in Mexico competing head-to-head with Movistar on postpaid plans, 5G coverage, and enterprise services. Operates similar wholesale/own-network hybrid model in the same Mexican market.

Regional players

• Tigo Guatemala: Millicom's Central American mobile operator offering comparable prepaid/postpaid plans and 4G/5G data bundles. Comparable on LATAM MNO economics, prepaid dependence, and app-bundling model.
• Movistar Argentina (Telefónica): Sibling Movistar operation under Telefónica brand in Argentina with same postpaid/prepaid/5G portfolio structure. Highly comparable on product taxonomy, plan architecture, and app-bundling strategy.

Emerging players

• Bait (by Telefónica/Movistar ecosystem): Mexican MVNO targeting prepaid youth segment with digital-first proposition. Directly competes with Movistar's Recarga Movistar prepaid offering on price-sensitive consumer segments.
• Virgin Mobile Mexico: Digital-first mobile operator in Mexico targeting prepaid and youth segments with app-based UX. Comparable on prepaid recharge model and digital distribution, but sub-scale relative to Movistar's 20M+ base.
• Walmart Connect Mexico: Retail-led MVNO leveraging Walmart Mexico's footprint. Competes in prepaid price-sensitive segment with strong retail distribution, overlapping Movistar's convenience-store recharge channel strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Altán Redes: Mexican wholesale shared-network operator (Red Compartida) providing 4.5G coverage. Comparable as a Mexican wireless carrier infrastructure peer; competes as an enabler for MVNOs that may erode Movistar's prepaid share.

Others

• Mercado Libre (Mercado Pago): Fintech and e-commerce platform whose Mercado Pago arm partners with Movistar for device financing. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler that increasingly bundles connectivity and could become a competitor in digital telecom services.
• OXXO (FEMSA) - distribution channel: Not a telecom operator but a key distribution channel partner for Movistar prepaid recharges. Relevant as a peer in the telecom distribution ecosystem and a competitive threat if FEMSA launches deeper telecom integration.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/movistarmx
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MovistarMX
• Facebookfacebook.com/movistarmx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/movistarnegociosmx
• Instagraminstagram.com/movistarmx
• TikToktiktok.com/@movistarmx

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Movistar Mexico