The objective of this study is to analyse the different competitive strategies used by european and Us Telecommunications operators (Tos) from the role of the institutions, the particular dynamics of domestic and regional markets of the United states and europe, and the own profile of each operator, from the 2008 Global Financial Crisis (GFC). Based on a conceptual model grounded on Barney, Porter and Peng, as a strategic tripod to define a com-petitive strategy, results of interviews with fifty industry professionals who have been directly or indirectly involved in aspects related to the strategic management of the seven Tos were analysed. The research gives an important result: the greater duration and depth of the gFC in Europe and the important existing and structural differences between the two regions led to a less favourable competitive environment and dynamics for the Tos in europe. in addition, differences in the profile of domestic markets and the degree of development of the mobile business negatively impacted the financial results of European operators due to less synergies and economies of scale, contributing to their worse comparative performance in capitaliza-tion. as a consequence, the competitive strategy and the business model management of the US TOs was more effective than that of the European TOs.