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Bell System. The Bell System was a system of telecommunication companies, led by the Bell Telephone Company and later by the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T), that dominated the telephone services industry in North America for over 100 years from its creation in 1877 until its antitrust breakup in 1983.
The breakup of the Bell System was mandated on January 8, 1982, by a consent decree providing that AT&T Corporation would, as had been initially proposed by AT&T, relinquish control of the Bell Operating Companies, which had provided local telephone service in the United States.
Bell System, a former American telephone system, governed by American Telephone & Telegraph Company (now AT&T Corporation; q.v.) and including Western Electric Company (q.v.), the system’s manufacturer; Bell Laboratories (q.v.), the research and development facility; and other departments
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Learn about the origins, achievements, and demise of the Bell System, the former telecommunications giant that provided phone service to most Americans. Explore articles, photos, artifacts, and sound clips from the past and present of the Bell System.
Jan 1, 1984 · A new era for American telecommunications and for American business begins today as the once-unified Bell System begins life as eight separate companies. It is a time of great expectations and...
Learn how the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell led to the creation and dominance of the Bell System, a monopoly that was broken up in 1984. Explore the resources, guiding questions, and suggested activities to understand the impact of the Bell System on society and communication.
May 23, 2024 · Manhole cover in the French Quarter of New Orleans displaying the Bell System Logo. 2017. Photo courtesy of Nanette Gibbs. As far back as August 5, 1858, when the first transatlantic cable was completed, August has been a month of firsts and change for the Bell System.
