The Bell System was a trademark and service mark used by the United States telecommunications company American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T) and its affiliated companies to co-brand their extensive circuit-switched telephone network and their affiliations with each other. The telephone system had a near-monopoly on the U.S. telephone market until its divestiture in 1984.^[1] The Bell System was commonly called by the nickname Ma Bell. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1550 × 1550 pixel, file size: 40 KB, MIME type: image/png) These images are intended for the Bell System and possibly associated articles, to illustrate the history of the Bell System. ... “(TM)” redirects here. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Trademark. ... Telecommunication involves the transmission of signals over a distance for the purpose of communication. ... The term company may refer to a separate legal entity, as in English law, or may simply refer to a business, as is the common use in the United States. ... This article describes the former AT&T Corp. ... The public switched telephone network (PSTN) is the network of the worlds public circuit-switched telephone networks, in much the same way that the Internet is the network of the worlds public IP-based packet-switched networks. ... In finance and economics, divestment or divestiture is the reduction of some kind of asset, for either financial or social goals. ...

History

Bell System trademark used by AT&T and affiliated companies from 1921 to 1939

The Bell trademark (pictured right) used by both the AT&T corporation and the regional operating corporations from 1921 to 1939 to co-brand themselves under a single Bell System trademark would have the regional operating corporation's name where the "name of associated company" appears in this boilerplate version of the trademark. Phones themselves were made by Western Electric, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AT&T, who in turn owned or controlled the local Bell System companies responsible for local phone service. Member telephone companies paid a fixed fraction of their revenues as a license fee to support Bell Labs. Image File history File links Bell_System_Logo_1921-1939. ... Image File history File links Bell_System_Logo_1921-1939. ... Company Masthead Logo Logo until circa 1969, also current logo on company web site Logo 1969-1983 Western Electric (sometimes abbreviated WE and WECo) was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. ... Bell Laboratories (also known as Bell Labs and formerly known as AT&T Bell Laboratories and Bell Telephone Laboratories) was the main research and development arm of the United States Bell System. ...

As a result, by 1940 the Bell System effectively owned most telephone service in the United States, from local and long-distance service to the telephone itself. With control of the phone system, Bell could effectively prohibit its customers from connecting phones not made or sold by Bell companies to the system without leasing fees. For example, if a customer desired a type of phone not leased by the local Bell monopoly, one had to purchase the phone at cost, give it to the phone company, then pay a 're-wiring' charge and a monthly lease fee in order to use it. An oft-heard remark at the time was "Ma Bell has you by the calls".

A 1956 consent decree limited AT&T to engaging in only activities related to a maximum of 85% of the United States' national telephone network and certain government contracts, which precluded the Bell System from extending its reach into the fledgling computer industry and from continuing to hold interests in Canada and the Caribbean. The Bell System's Canadian operations included the Bell Canada regional operating company and the Northern Electric manufacturing subsidiary of the Bell System's Western Electric equipment manufacturer. Northern Electric and Bell Canada were spun off in 1956 as separate companies outside of the Bell System proper. The Bell System's Caribbean regional operating companies were sold to the International Telephone & Telegraph Co., later known as ITT. DECREE - The judgment or sentence of a court of equity which corresponds to the judgment of a court of law. ... For other uses, see Telephone (disambiguation). ... “West Indian” redirects here. ... Bell Canada Enterprises (TSX: BCE, NYSE: BCE), legally BCE Inc. ... Nortel Networks Corporation TSX: NT NYSE: NT, formerly known as Northern Telecom Limited and now known simply as Nortel, is a multinational telecommunications equipment manufacturer headquartered in Toronto, Canada. ... Company Masthead Logo Logo until circa 1969, also current logo on company web site Logo 1969-1983 Western Electric (sometimes abbreviated WE and WECo) was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. ... For other uses, see ITT (disambiguation). ...

The Bell System also owned various Caribbean regional operating companies, as well as 54% of NEC and a post-WW II re-construction relationship with NTT before the 1956 boundaries were implaced. Before 1956, the Bell System's reach was truly gargantuan, as the list below of now-divested formerly-held corporations indicates. Even during the period from 1956 to 1984, the Bell System's dominant reach into all forms of communications was pervasive within the United States and influential in telecommunication standardization throughout the industrialized world. NEC Corporation (Jp. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (日本電信電話 Nippon Denshin Denwa) is a telephone company that dominates the telecommunication market in Japan. ...

The 1984 Bell System divestiture that brought an end to the affiliation branded as the Bell System was the result of a lawsuit alleging illegal practices by the Bell System companies to stifle competition in the telecommunications industry; the lawsuit was brought against it by the United States Department of Justice (DOJ). That lawsuit was filed in 1974, and was settled on January 8, 1982, displacing the former restrictions that AT&T and the DOJ had agreed to in 1956 based on a previous anti-trust lawsuit filed by the DOJ in 1949 that alleged that AT&T and its Bell System operating companies were using its near monopoly in telecommunications to attempt to establish allegedly unfair advantage in related technologies, especially the fledgling computer industry. The break up of AT&T was initiated in 1974 by the U.S. Department of Justice anti-trust suit against the telephone monopoly. ... It has been suggested that civil trial be merged into this article or section. ... Competition is the act of striving against others for the purpose of achieving gain, such as income, pride, amusement, or dominance. ... The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C. “Justice Department” redirects here. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Media:Example. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Prior to the 1984 break-up that ended the Bell System, the Bell System included not only AT&T corporate and its long-lines long-distance routing but also Bell Operating Companies.

On March 5, 2006, AT&T Inc. announced plans to merge with BellSouth, which would provide services to 70 million subscribers in 22 states, and gain 100% ownership of Cingular Wireless. The merger was finalized by the FCC on December 29, 2006. This article is about the day. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... BellSouth Corporation was an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. ... “AT&T Wireless” redirects here. ... is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Logo history

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 513 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1305 × 1525 pixel, file size: 38 KB, MIME type: image/png) These images are intended for the Bell System and possibly associated articles, to illustrate the history of the Bell System. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 513 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1305 × 1525 pixel, file size: 62 KB, MIME type: image/png) These images are intended for the Bell System and possibly associated articles, to illustrate the history of the Bell System. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 513 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1305 × 1525 pixel, file size: 62 KB, MIME type: image/png) These images are intended for the Bell System and possibly associated articles, to illustrate the history of the Bell System. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 513 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1305 × 1525 pixel, file size: 72 KB, MIME type: image/png) These images are intended for the Bell System and possibly associated articles, to illustrate the history of the Bell System. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 513 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1305 × 1525 pixel, file size: 40 KB, MIME type: image/png) These images are intended for the Bell System and possibly associated articles, to illustrate the history of the Bell System. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 513 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1305 × 1525 pixel, file size: 32 KB, MIME type: image/png) These images are intended for the Bell System and possibly associated articles, to illustrate the history of the Bell System. ...

Present-day usage of the Bell name

Bell System trademark used by AT&T and affiliated companies from 1969 to 1983

The Bell System trademark (as diagram) and service mark (as the words Bell System in text) was used before January 1, 1984, when the AT&T divestiture of its regional operating companies took effect. Image File history File links Bell_System_hires_1969_logo_blue. ... Image File history File links Bell_System_hires_1969_logo_blue. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

Of the various resulting 1984 spinoffs, only BellSouth actively used and promoted the Bell name and logo for its entire history, from the 1984 break up to its merger with the new AT&T in 2006. Similarly, cessation of using either the Bell name or logo occurred for many of the other companies more than a decade after the 1984 break up as part of an acquisition-related rebranding. The others have only used the marks on rare occasions to maintain their trademark rights, even less now that they have adopted names conceived long after divestiture. Examples include Verizon, which still uses the Bell logo on its trucks and payphones, and Qwest, formerly US West, which licenses the Northwestern Bell and Mountain Bell names to Unical Enterprises, who makes telephones under the Northwestern Bell name. Qwest also has a rural subsidiary in Oregon, Malheur Bell, that continues to use the Bell name and logo. BellSouth Corporation was an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. ... This article or section should include material from Bell Atlantic This article or section should include material from GTE Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) is a local exchange telephone company formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic, a former Bell Operating Company, and GTE, which was the largest independant local exchange... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... U S West, Inc. ... Northwestern Bell is one of the three Bells that, after the 1984 AT&T divestiture, was managed by US West, a part of Qwest. ... Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph was one of the three Bells that, after the 1984 AT&T divestiture, was managed by US West, now a part of Qwest. ... Malheur Home Telephone Company, commonly known as Malheur Bell, is a rural telephone company operating in Oregon. ...

Cincinnati Bell, a local franchise of the Bell System that was never wholly owned by AT&T and existed separately prior to 1984, also continues to use the Bell name. It stopped using the Bell logo in the summer of 2006. Cincinnati Bell is the dominant telephone company for Cincinnati, Ohio and its nearby suburbs in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1984, each regional Bell operating company was assigned a set list of names they were allowed to use in combination with the Bell marks. Again, aside from Cincinnati Bell and Malheur Bell, none of these Bell System names are currently in use in the United States. For example, Southwestern Bell used both the Bell name and the circled-bell trademark until SBC opted for all of its companies to do business under the "SBC" name in 2002. Bell Atlantic used the Bell name and circled-bell trademark until renaming itself Verizon in 2000. For information on holding company Southwestern Bell Corporation, later SBC Communications, Inc. ... This article or section should include material from Bell Atlantic This article or section should include material from GTE Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) is a local exchange telephone company formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic, a former Bell Operating Company, and GTE, which was the largest independant local exchange...

Of the various resulting 1956 spinoffs, only Bell Canada continues to use the Bell name, although cessation of using either the Bell name and circled-bell trademark occurred for some of these companies multiple decades later. For example, for the multiple decades that Nortel was named Northern Telecom, their research and development arm was Bell Northern Research. Bell Canada and its holding-company parent, Bell Canada Enterprises, still use the Bell name and used variations the circled-bell logo until 1977, which until 1976 strongly resembled the 1921 to 1939 Bell System trademark shown above. Bell Canada Enterprises (TSX: BCE, NYSE: BCE), legally BCE Inc. ... Northern Telecommunications Networks, commonly known as Nortel, is a telecommunications equipment manufacturer headquartered in Canada. ...

Subsidiaries and Bell Operating Companies Today

Before the 1984 break-up, the Bell System consisted of the companies listed below. These companies were divested from AT&T in 1984, except as noted. The former operating companies of the Bell System listed below are organized according to the current owners of the companies (or their successors). All of these companies, except for Cincinnati Bell, which remains independent, belong to AT&T, Verizon, or Qwest, the three remaining Regional Holding Companies (RBOCs). The Regional Bell operating companies (RBOC) are the result of the United States antitrust action against AT&T in 1983. ...

• AT&T Inc., formerly SBC Communications, Inc., a currently-existing holding company
  • AT&T Corporation, a former holding company
    • AT&T Communications (Long Lines until 1984), the inter-operating-company routing unit
    • AT&T Labs, once a portion of Bell Labs
  • Ameritech Corporation, a former RBOC holding company
    • Illinois Bell Telephone Company, a currently existing regional LEC
    • Indiana Bell Telephone Company, Inc., a currently existing regional LEC
    • Michigan Bell Telephone Company, a currently existing regional LEC
    • The Ohio Bell Telephone Company, a currently existing regional LEC
    • Wisconsin Telephone Company, a currently existing regional LEC
  • BellSouth Corporation, a former RBOC holding company. Its two operating companies merged into one:
    • BellSouth Telecommunications, Operating Company formed by the merger of:
      • South Central Bell Telephone Company, a former regional LEC
      • Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company, a former regional LEC
  • Pacific Telesis, a former RBOC holding company
    • The Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company, a currently existing regional LEC, more commonly known as Pacific Telephone
      • Bell Telephone Company of Nevada, a currently existing regional LEC, more commonly known as Nevada Bell; omitted from the MFJ
  • Southern New England Telecommunications Corp., a former holding company
    • Southern New England Telephone Company, a currently existing regional LEC that AT&T owned 16.8% of before 1984 and thus was left separate by the 1984 break-up
  • Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, a currently existing regional LEC
• Cincinnati Bell, Inc., a currently-existing regional operating company of which AT&T owned 27.8% before 1984 and thus was left separate in by 1984 break-up
• Qwest Communications International, Inc., a currently-existing holding company. Its three operating companies merged into one while still under U S West:
  • U S WEST, Inc., a former RBOC holding company
    • The Mountain States Telephone & Telegraph Company, a currently existing regional LEC, commonly known as Mountain Bell
      • Malheur Home Telephone Company, a currently existing independent LEC which Mountain Bell acquired a controlling interest in; not a Bell Operating Company
    • Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company, a former regional LEC
    • Northwestern Bell Telephone Company, a former regional LEC
• Verizon Communications, Inc., formerly Bell Atlantic Corporation, a currently-existing holding company
  • The Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania, a currently existing regional LEC
  • The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company, a currently existing regional LEC
  • The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of Maryland, a currently existing regional LEC
  • The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of Virginia, a currently existing regional LEC
  • The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia, a currently existing regional LEC
  • The Diamond State Telephone Company, a currently existing regional LEC
  • New Jersey Bell Telephone Company, a currently existing regional LEC
  • NYNEX, a former RBOC holding company
    • New England Telephone and Telegraph Company, a currently existing regional LEC
    • The New York Telephone Company, a currently existing regional LEC
• Alcatel-Lucent, a currently-existing equipment/research company
  • Lucent Technologies, Inc., a research company spun off separately in 1995 and merged with Alcatel in 2006
    • Western Electric, a former telecommunications and recording equipment-manufacturing company that ceased to have that name as of the 1984 break-up
    • Bell Labs, the former AT&T-corporate research unit
• Avaya, Inc., a currently-existing equipment manufacturing company spun off from Lucent in 2000
• LSI Corporation, a currently-existing holding company
  • Agere Systems, incorporated on August 1, 2000, the former Micro Electronics subsidiary of Lucent was then spun off in 2002 and acquired by LSI in 2007
• Systimax Solutions, the Western Electric Structured Cabling unit, once known as AT&T Network Systems was spun off from Avaya in 2002 and is now part of CommScope
• Telcordia Technologies, Inc., a currently-existing research company, formerly known as Bell Communications Research (Bellcore)

Beginning in 1991, the Baby Bells began to consolidate operations or legally rename their Bell Operating Companies according to the parent company name, such as "Bell Atlantic – Delaware, Inc." or "U S West Communications, Inc.", to "unify" the corporate image. To this day, the only remaining Baby Bell that has not renamed its operating companies are AT&T, formerly SBC Communications. Since 1995, there have only been 19 Bell Operating Companies, following the mergers of US West's and BellSouth's operating companies. Only 9 of those 19 have retained their original corporate name since their incorporation before 1984. This article is about the current AT&T. For the 1885-2005 company, see American Telephone & Telegraph. ... AT&T (formerly an abbreviation for American Telephone and Telegraph) Corporation (NYSE: T) is an American telecommunications company. ... AT&T Long Lines logo, 1969-1983 The AT&T Long Lines microwave relay network provided long-distance transport services to AT&T and its customers from the late 1940s to the early 1980s. ... AT&T Labs is the research & development arm of American telecommunications giant, AT&T. AT&T Labs originated in 1996, when AT&T spun-off most of its Bell Labs research business as Lucent Technologies. ... Ameritech (American Information Technologies) is a U.S. telecommunications company that arose out of the 1984 AT&T divestiture. ... Illinois Bell is the name of the Bell Operating Company serving Illinois. ... Indiana Bell Telephone Company, Inc. ... Michigan Bell was one of the 22 Local Exchange Carriers that were part of the AT&T Bell System. ... The Ohio Bell Telephone Company is the Bell Operating Company serving most of Ohio. ... Wisconsin Bell is the name of the Bell Operating Company serving Wisconsin. ... BellSouth Corporation was an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. ... For the Regional Bell Operating Company created in 1984 as a holding company, see BellSouth. ... South Central Bell is one of the two telephone companies that, after the 1984 AT&T divestiture, was held by the BellSouth Corp. ... BellSouth Corporation (NYSE: BLS) is a U.S. telecommunications company based in Atlanta, Georgia. ... For current information on this topic, see AT&T. Pacific Telesis Group was one of the seven Regional Bell Operating Companies created after the 1984 breakup of AT&T as a holding company for Pacific Bell and Nevada Bell. ... The Pacific Telephone & Telegraph company was the name of the former Bell Systems telephone operations in California and Nevada. ... For current information on this topic, see AT&T. Pacific Telesis Group was one of the seven Regional Bell Operating Companies created after the 1984 breakup of AT&T as a holding company for Pacific Bell and Nevada Bell. ... MFJ can mean: Modification of Final Judgment, a legal agreement stemming from the 1982 AT&T breakup MFJ Enterprises, ham radio manufacturer based in Mississippi, USA Mixed Fruit Juice, a popular fruit drink consumed and talked about in Infosys Mangalore Category: ... The Southern New England Telephone Company (commonly referred to as SNET by its customers) started operations on January 27, 1878 as the District Telephone Company of New Haven. ... For information on holding company Southwestern Bell Corporation, later SBC Communications, Inc. ... Cincinnati Bell is the dominant telephone company for Cincinnati, Ohio and its nearby suburbs in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... U S West, Inc. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Malheur Home Telephone Company, commonly known as Malheur Bell, is a rural telephone company operating in Oregon. ... Bell System trademark used by AT&T and affiliated companies from 1921 to 1939 The Bell System was a trademark and service mark used by the US telecommunications company American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T) and its affiliated companies to co-brand their extensive circuit-switched telephone network and their... Pacific Northwest Bell is one of the three telephone companies that, after the 1984 AT&T divestiture, was managed US West, now a part of Qwest. ... Northwestern Bell is one of the three Bells that, after the 1984 AT&T divestiture, was managed by US West, a part of Qwest. ... Verizon Communications, Inc. ... Categories: Corporation stubs | Communications companies of the United States | Defunct companies | Telephone companies | Public Utilities ... Bell of Pennsylvania is the former name of the Bell Operating Company serving Pennsylvania. ... C&P Telephone was a d/b/a name for four of AT&Ts, and after January 1, 1984, Bell Atlantics Bell Operating Companies. ... C&P Telephone was a d/b/a name for four of AT&Ts, and after January 1, 1984, Bell Atlantics Bell Operating Companies. ... C&P Telephone was a d/b/a name for four of AT&Ts, and after January 1, 1984, Bell Atlantics Bell Operating Companies. ... C&P Telephone was a d/b/a name for four of AT&Ts, and after January 1, 1984, Bell Atlantics Bell Operating Companies. ... Diamond State Telephone is the name of the Bell Systems former telephone operations in Delaware. ... Company logo, 1969-1995 New Jersey Bell is the former d/b/a name of the New Jersey Bell Telephone Company, a Bell Operating Company serving the U.S. state of New Jersey. ... NYNEX Corporation (pronounced Nine-x) was a telephone company which served five New England states (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont) as well as New York. ... Verizon New England, Inc. ... The New York Telephone Company (NYTel) was organized in 1896, taking over the New York City operations of the American Bell Telephone Company. ... Alcatel Lucent (or Alcatel-Lucent according to some sources) is the name of the new company formed after the merge agreement signed by Alcatel and Lucent Technologies. ... In 1996, AT&T spun off its Systems and Technology units, along with the famous Bell Laboratories, to form a new company named Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU). ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Alcatel SA is a global company, headquartered in France that provides hardware, software and services to telecommunications service providers and enterprises. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Company Masthead Logo Logo until circa 1969, also current logo on company web site Logo 1969-1983 Western Electric (sometimes abbreviated WE and WECo) was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. ... Bell Laboratories (also known as Bell Labs and formerly known as AT&T Bell Laboratories and Bell Telephone Laboratories) was the main research and development arm of the United States Bell System. ... Avaya Inc. ... In 1996, AT&T spun off its Systems and Technology units, along with the famous Bell Laboratories, to form a new company named Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU). ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... LSI was founded in Milpitas, CA by Wilfred Corrigan in 1981 after he left an executive position with Fairchild Semiconductor. ... Agere Systems Inc. ... In 1996, AT&T spun off its Systems and Technology units, along with the famous Bell Laboratories, to form a new company named Lucent Technologies (NYSE: LU). ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... LSI may mean: Large Scale Integration electronic integrated circuit Latent Semantic Indexing LSI: Love Sex Intelligence, a single on the album Boss Drum by The Shamen The IATA airport code for Sumburgh Airport The Life Span Institute at the University of Kansas in the United States LSI Logic LSI Industries... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Company Masthead Logo Logo until circa 1969, also current logo on company web site Logo 1969-1983 Western Electric (sometimes abbreviated WE and WECo) was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. ... Avaya Inc. ... Avaya Inc. ... Telcordia Technologies, formerly Bell Communications Research, Inc. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... The Regional Bell operating companies (RBOC) are the result of the United States antitrust action against AT&T in 1983. ... Bell System trademark used by AT&T and affiliated companies from 1921 to 1939 The Bell System was a trademark and service mark used by the US telecommunications company American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T) and its affiliated companies to co-brand their extensive circuit-switched telephone network and their... Prior to the divestiture of AT&T in 1984, a Baby Bell was one of the 22 Bell Operating Companies owned by AT&T. Collectively, along with AT&T Long Lines, Western Electric and Bell Telephone Laboratories, these companies were considered the Bell System There were: New England Telephone (ME... This article is about the current AT&T. For the 1885-2005 company, see American Telephone & Telegraph. ... SBC Communications NYSE: SBC is an American telecommunications company based in San Antonio, Texas. ... U S West, Inc. ... BellSouth Corporation was an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. ... This article is about the year. ...

Before the 1956 break-up, the Bell System also included the companies listed below. Bell Canada, Northern Electric, and the Caribbean regional operating companies were considered part of the Bell System proper before the 1956 break-up. Nippon Electric was considered a more distant affiliate of Western Electric than Northern Electric, where Nippon Electric via its own research and development adapted the designs of Western Electric's North American telecommunications equipment for use in Japan, which to this day gives much of Japan's telephone equipment and network a closer resemblance to North American ANSI and Telcordia standards than to European-originated ITU-T standards. Before the 1956 break-up, Northern Electric was predominantly focused only on manufacturing without any significant amount of separate telecommunication-equipment research & development of its own. The post-WWII-occupation operation of NTT was considered an administrative adjunct to the North American Bell System. The American National Standards Institute or ANSI (pronounced an-see) is a nonprofit organization that oversees the development of standards for products, services, processes and systems in the United States. ... Telcordia Technologies, formerly Bell Communications Research, Inc. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... The ITU Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) coordinates standards for telecommunications on behalf of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. ...

• Bell Canada Enterprises, Inc., a currently-existing regional operating company
  • Bell Canada, a current LEC
• Nortel Networks Corporation, formerly Northern Telecom, a currently-existing equipment-manufacturing company
  • Northern Electric, a former telecommunications equipment-manufacturing subsidiary of Western Electric
  • Dominion Electric, a former recording equipment-manufacturing company
• Various former Caribbean regional operating companies, sold to ITT
• NEC, a currently-existing equipment-manufacturing company in Japan
  • Nippon Electric, a former telecommunications equipment-manufacturing company 54% owned by Western Electric
• NTT, a currently-existing telecommunications company in Japan that was administered by AT&T as part of General Douglas MacArthur's post-WWII reconstruction

Bell Canada Enterprises (TSX: BCE, NYSE: BCE), legally BCE Inc. ... Bell Canada Enterprises (TSX: BCE, NYSE: BCE), legally BCE Inc. ... Northern Telecommunications Networks, commonly known as Nortel, is a telecommunications equipment manufacturer headquartered in Canada. ... “West Indian” redirects here. ... For other uses, see ITT (disambiguation). ... NEC Corporation (Jp. ... Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (日本電信電話 Nippon Denshin Denwa) is a telephone company that dominates the telecommunication market in Japan. ...

Pop Culture

• Hip Hop artist MF Doom refers to the Bell System in a verse of Beef Rapp, his first track on MM..Food?. The verse goes as follows:

"Keep a cooker where the jar fell, And keep a cheap hooker that's off the hook like Ma Bell"

• The Beastie Boys refer to the Bell System in a line from "Sure Shot", on the "Ill Communication" album:

"Like Ma Bell, I got the ill communications"

Beastie Boys is a hip hop musical group from New York City, consisting of Michael Mike D Diamond, Adam MCA Yauch, Adam Ad-Rock Horovitz and the official DJ for the group Michael Mix Master Mike Schwartz. ... Sure shot is a song from the Beastie boys album ill communication which was released on may 31 1994 which brought the beasties back into the mainstream. ... Ill Communication is the fourth album by the Beastie Boys. ...

See also

• Bell System Divestiture
• RBOC
• American Telephone & Telegraph Company

The break up of AT&T was initiated in 1974 by the U.S. Department of Justice anti-trust suit against the telephone monopoly. ... The Regional Bell operating companies (RBOC) are the result of the United States antitrust action against AT&T in 1983. ... This article describes the former AT&T Corp. ...

References

1. ^ AT&T Corporation. AT&T History: The Bell System. Retrieved on 2006-11-28.

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 332nd day of the year (333rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Bell.com ^[2]
• Bell System Memorial
• Blue Bell Telephone Sign History — New England Telephone and Telegraph
• AT&T Corporation (1885-2005 company) History
• BellSouth vs. FCC — reference for company names
• USPTO — see trademark database