Telefónica Europe

Telefónica Europe plc was a European broadband and telecommunications company that traded as O2 (typeset as O₂). The company originated as a collection of worldwide telecommunications companies, known in the later half of the 1990s as BT Wireless, and a global mobile data business known then as Genie Internet, both subsidiaries of British Telecommunications.

Telefónica Europe provided mobile telephony operations in the United Kingdom and Germany, and licensed its brand to former operations in Ireland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. O2 has additionally established a joint venture with Tesco Mobile in the United Kingdom, Ireland and in Slovakia, and the Tchibo Mobilfunk network in Germany.

As part of a reorganisation of Telefónica in 2014, Telefónica Europe's holdings and operations became direct subsidiaries of its parent. Telefónica Europe's subsidiaries continue to operate under the O2 brand.

History

1985–2001: BT Wireless era

United Kingdom

Originally launched in January 1985 (1985-01), Cellnet was launched as a subsidiary of Telecom Securicor Cellular Radio Limited, a 60:40 venture between British Telecommunications and Securicor respectively.