The network Mun2 was launched October 10, 1993 as GEMS Television. It was then owned by Columbia Pictures Television where the network's program schedule was focused towards Latino women. In 2001, the channel was purchased by Telemundo where it repackaged its format channeled toward younger viewers, making the name change to Mun2, which was a combined pun from Telemundo and "dos", the number 2 in Spanish.
The name choice was to reflect the "two worlds" where Latino Americans live. Its initial participants included programs from its former owners such as Spanish language versions of The Dating Game and Charlie's Angels. From 12:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the channel aired Spanish language network Home Shopping Network's - Home Shopping Español (HSE).
As of August 2013, the channel was available to approximately 39,888,000 pay television households which equaled 34.93% of all households with a television in the United States.
NBCUniversal announced on December 24, 2014, that Mun2 would be re-branded as NBC Universo effective February 1, 2015, to occur with its Spanish language broadcast of the Super Bowl XLIX. The re-launch of the network under the NBC brand, was built as a reflection of the broadcaster's commitment to the Spanish-language market.
