A1 Telekom Austria traces its origins to Austria's first GSM mobile phone network which began testing in 1992 and commercial operations in 1994, under the name Mobilkom Austria, then part of the Austrian state-owned PTT agency Post- und Telegraphenverwaltung [de] (PTV, ÖPT) until it was split off into its own company in 1996.

The group is the European unit of the company América Móvil, the 3rd biggest provider of wireless services in the world.

A1 Telekom Austria Group also operates in the following markets: Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia.

[9] In October 2013 A1 Telekom Austria AG acquired 2 x 70 MHz in mobile frequencies in the Austrian multiband auction.

As a consequence of the acquisition of Orange Austria by Hutchison Drei, A1 acquired the discount flanker brand Yesss!