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Siemens founds Siemens & Halske, designs pointing telegraph
Werner von Siemens
1847
Photo: 109 Court St, Boston (Charles Williams Jr.'s shop)
109 Court St, Boston (Charles Williams Jr.'s shop)
1870
Meucci files caveat for talking telegraph
Antonio Meucci
1871
Gray and Barton incorporate Western Electric, with funding from Western Union
Enos M. Barton Elisha Gray
1872
Bell and Watson start working together at Williams' shop
Alexander Graham Bell Thomas A. Watson Charles Williams, Jr.
1874
Western Union rates range from four to 25 cents per word based on distance
Western Union rates range from four to 25 cents per word based on distance
1874
Bell Patent Association formed so Sanders and Hubbard can share in proceeds from Bell's patents
Alexander Graham Bell Gardiner Greene Hubbard Thomas S. Sanders +1
1875
Bell completes the specifications for his telephone patent application
Alexander Graham Bell
1875
Feb 14, 11:30am: Alexander Graham Bell's lawyer files his telephone patent
Alexander Graham Bell
1876
Feb 14: Elisha Gray files telephone caveat
Elisha Gray
1876
Patent #174,465 for the telephone is issued to Bell
Patent #174,465 for the telephone is issued to Bell
1876
Western Union's Orton declines to buy Bell's patent for $100k
Gardiner Greene Hubbard William Orton
1876
Mabel insists Bell go to the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibit, where his phone is a huge hit
Alexander Graham Bell Mabel Gardiner Hubbard
1876
Lars Magnus Ericsson founds Ericsson as a mechanical engineering shop
Lars Magnus Ericsson founds Ericsson as a mechanical engineering shop
1876
Ad: Bell telephone roadshow
Bell telephone roadshow
1877
First public exhibition of the telephone, in Salem, Mass.
First public exhibition of the telephone, in Salem, Mass.
1877
Sold-out Salem phone exhibition with two-way speech to/from Boston
Sold-out Salem phone exhibition with two-way speech to/from Boston
1877
Thomas Edison patents his carbon button transmitter
Thomas Edison
1877
Berliner files caveat for improved telephone transmitter
Berliner files caveat for improved telephone transmitter
1877
Bell and Gower exhibit the telephone in Lawrence, Mass.
Bell and Gower exhibit the telephone in Lawrence, Mass.
1877
Bell Telephone founded
Bell Telephone founded
1877
Bell patents transfers 75% of his Canadian patent rights to his father
Alexander Graham Bell Alexander Melville Bell
1877
Scientific American write-up of Bell's hand telephones
Scientific American write-up of Bell's hand telephones
1877
Holmes Burglar Alarm of Boston installs first telephone exchange
Holmes Burglar Alarm of Boston installs first telephone exchange
1877
Doolittle files patent for 'direct-connecting' switchboard
Thomas B. Doolittle
1877
First telephone directory published
First telephone directory published
1878
Blake invents and patents his carbon microphone transmitter
Blake invents and patents his carbon microphone transmitter
1878
Bell sues Western Union for patent infringement
Bell sues Western Union for patent infringement
1878
Bell and New England Telephone merge to become National Bell Telephone
Bell and New England Telephone merge to become National Bell Telephone
1879
Bell wins its patent lawsuit against Western Union
Bell wins its patent lawsuit against Western Union
1879
French Postes & Telegraphs founded
French Postes & Telegraphs founded
1879
Bell acquires Edison's carbon microphone patents from Western Union
Bell acquires Edison's carbon microphone patents from Western Union
1879
Blake and his transmitter join Bell Telephone
Blake and his transmitter join Bell Telephone
1879
National Bell merges with American Speaking Tel. to become American Bell Telephone Co.
National Bell merges with American Speaking Tel. to become American Bell Telephone Co.
1880
British government rules for Bell against Edison
Thomas Edison
1880
Bell Telephone Company of Canada founded
Bell Telephone Company of Canada founded
1880
Photo: Western Union Charleston West Virginia office, 1880
Western Union Charleston West Virginia office, 1880
1880
National Telephone Co formed by merger of Bell and Edison interests
National Telephone Co formed by merger of Bell and Edison interests
1881
Bell acquires Western Electric, and Enos Barton takes over engineering
Enos M. Barton
1881
Bell Telephone Manufacturing Co. founded in Antwerp
Bell Telephone Manufacturing Co. founded in Antwerp
1882
Ericsson opens its first major factory at Tulegatan
Ericsson opens its first major factory at Tulegatan
1884
Woods patents improved telephone transmitter
Granville Woods
1884
American Bell forms AT&T as subsidiary to operate long distance network
1885
Supreme Court upholds Bell's patent
Supreme Court upholds Bell's patent
1888
Gray patents the coin-operated payphone
William Gray
1889
Gray Telephone Pay Station Co. founded
Gray Telephone Pay Station Co. founded
1891
Strowger forms Automatic Electric Company, receives switch patent
Almon Strowger
1891
Bell's patent expires; independent telephone movement begins
Bell's patent expires; independent telephone movement begins
1894
Stromberg and Carlson found Stromberg-Carlson
Androv Carlson Alfred Stromberg
1894
GPO takes over UK trunk network from National Telephone
GPO takes over UK trunk network from National Telephone
1896
Milo Kellogg founds Kellogg Switchboard and Supply
Milo G. Kellogg
1897
NEC founded as Japan's first foreign joint venture
1899
AT&T becomes holding co for American Bell's assets
1899
First Los Angeles Pay Station
First Los Angeles Pay Station
1899
Harry Fuld founds H. Fuld & Co
Harry Fuld
1899
Pupin loading coils patented
Pupin loading coils patented
1900
Western Electric Hawthorne Works opens in Chicago
Western Electric Hawthorne Works opens in Chicago
1905
AT&T acquires struggling independent telcos, funded by J.P. Morgan
AT&T acquires struggling independent telcos, funded by J.P. Morgan
1907
Theodore Vail returns to AT&T as President, backed by J.P. Morgan
J. P. Morgan Theodore Vail
1907
Photo:
1908
Photo: Western Electric Hawthorne Works
Western Electric Hawthorne Works
1908
AT&T buys Western Union controlling interest, gaining access to its network
AT&T buys Western Union controlling interest, gaining access to its network
1909
Photo: Lincoln Telephone Office in Nebraska
Lincoln Telephone Office in Nebraska
1909
Photo: Strowger factory
Strowger factory
1909
Photo: Delivering phone directories in 1910
Delivering phone directories in 1910
1910
Slideshow: Pac Tel 1912: Buildings and Vehicles
Pac Tel 1912: Buildings and Vehicles
Slideshow: 20 photos
1912
GPO takes over entire UK telephone network
GPO takes over entire UK telephone network
1912
Photo: SF's first telephone exchange (33 Grant Ave)
SF's first telephone exchange (33 Grant Ave)
1912
AT&T divests Western Union
AT&T divests Western Union
1913
AT&T forced to open up its long-distance lines to independent competitors
AT&T forced to open up its long-distance lines to independent competitors
1913
U.S. drops antitrust suit against AT&T, cementing its quasi-monopoly
U.S. drops antitrust suit against AT&T, cementing its quasi-monopoly
1913
500 Western Electric employees die in disaster on way to company picnic
500 Western Electric employees die in disaster on way to company picnic
1915
Theodore Gary acquires Automatic Electric
Theodore Gary
1919
Julia O'Connor leads the first operators' strike
Julia O'Connor
1919
After acquiring Puerto Rican and Cuban telephone companies, the Behn brothers found ITT
Sosthenes Behn
1920
Photo: AT&T truck leaving 195 Broadway carrying shareholder dividend payments
AT&T truck leaving 195 Broadway carrying shareholder dividend payments
1922
France creates PTT Administration
1923
AT&T sells European subsidiaries to ITT
1925
Bell Labs founded, in NYC
Bell Labs founded, in NYC
1925
Photo: C&P Telephone repair shop
C&P Telephone repair shop
1925
Automatic Electric acquires American Electric and Monarch Telephone
Theodore Gary
1926
Photo: Fuld & Co Telephone and Telegraph Works
Fuld & Co Telephone and Telegraph Works
1926
Photo: New York Telephone building at 140 West Street
New York Telephone building at 140 West Street
1927
Photo: Building for expanding telephone demand, 1928
Building for expanding telephone demand, 1928
1928
Sallie Mead becomes first woman to hold a patent at AT&T
Sallie Pero Mead
1929
Photo: Western Electric Hawthorne Works
Western Electric Hawthorne Works
1930
Communications Act of 1934
Communications Act of 1934
1934
Ad: Night rates to Europe
Night rates to Europe
1935
Ad: Special Sunday Rates
Special Sunday Rates
1936
Ad: Long Distance Rate Reductions
Long Distance Rate Reductions
1937
National Federation of Telephone Workers (NFTW) formed
National Federation of Telephone Workers (NFTW) formed
1938
Slideshow: Bell System Stats 1925-1940
Bell System Stats 1925-1940
Slideshow: 36 photos
1941
Western Electric pivots to produce wartime systems
Western Electric pivots to produce wartime systems
1941
Photo: Bell Labs moves to Murray Hill, NJ
Bell Labs moves to Murray Hill, NJ
1941
Hedy Lamarr patents Secret Communications System
Hedy Lamarr
1942
Photo: London overseas telephone office for American GI's
London overseas telephone office for American GI's
1944
1947 NFTW telephone strike
1947 NFTW telephone strike
1947
Communication Workers of America (CWA) formed
Communication Workers of America (CWA) formed
1947
Crystal Clear
Crystal Clear
1948
Automatic Electric acquires Gray Manufacturing Co.
Automatic Electric acquires Gray Manufacturing Co.
1948
IT&T acquires Kellogg
IT&T acquires Kellogg
1952
Pfann invents zone refining (melting), enabling purer silicon for transistors and semiconductors
Pfann invents zone refining (melting), enabling purer silicon for transistors and semiconductors
1952
Ad: 'Making dials'
'Making dials'
1953
Ad: Refurbishing pay phones
Refurbishing pay phones
1954
GTE Acquires Automatic Electric
1955
AT&T settles U.S. antitrust suit
AT&T settles U.S. antitrust suit
1956
INTELSAT founded for global satellite communications
INTELSAT founded for global satellite communications
1964
Bell Canada acquires Northern Electric
1964
Nokia Corporation formed by three-way merger
1967
Carterfone decision lets consumers attach their own telephone equipment
Carterfone decision lets consumers attach their own telephone equipment
1968
Pollution (Western Electric)
Pollution (Western Electric)
1969
Joel patents cellular call handoff
Amos E. Joel Jr.
1972
The Copper Trail (AT&T)
The Copper Trail (AT&T)
1978
We Make Telephones (Western Electric)
We Make Telephones (Western Electric)
1980
British Telecom separates from Post Office
British Telecom separates from Post Office
1981
AT&T's workforce peaks at 1,009,000
AT&T's workforce peaks at 1,009,000
1982
AT&T antitrust settlement
AT&T antitrust settlement
1982
Judge Greene orders breakup of Bell System
Harold H. Greene
1982
1983 Telephone Strike
1983 Telephone Strike
1983
Photo: 1983 Telephone Strike
1983 Telephone Strike
1983
Designing, Building and Testing the Trimline Phone (AT&T)
Designing, Building and Testing the Trimline Phone (AT&T)
1985
NTT privatized in Japan
NTT privatized in Japan
1985
McCaw builds the largest U.S. cellular carrier
Craig McCaw
1986
French PTT becomes France Telecom
1991
Deutsche Telekom AG becomes independent company
1995
Northern Telecom becomes Nortel
1995
Telecommunications Act of 1996
1996
Slideshow: Telephone co. stock certificates
Telephone co. stock certificates
Slideshow: 25 photos