KTEL-CD signed on in late 1997 on UHF channel 15 as an affiliate of Telemundo. Telemundo had previously aired in Albuquerque on K59DB (now KTVS-LD) channel 59 since about 1988. It moved to UHF channel 53 in early 1999 just before full-powered station KAPX (now KTFQ) signed on channel 14. The station transmitted on UHF channel 53 from 1999 to 2007. KTEL-LP changed frequencies and broadcasts to channel 47 since channel 53 was part of the UHF band (Ch. 52–69) that the FCC had auctioned off from television broadcasts following the digital TV transition. Transmission on channel 53 ceased in early December 2007. The station call letters had not changed. KTEL-LP changed its call sign to KTEL-CA on March 19, 2015, and again on May 7, 2015 to the current KTEL-CD.