History of the Telephone

The First Basic Phone

1849

In 1849, Italian innovator Antonio Meucci is credited with inventing the first basic phone.

Devised a Phone

1854

In 1854, Frenchman Charles Bourseul devised the phone.

The Telephone Prototype

1876

In 1876, Elisha Gray developed the telephone prototype.

The First Commercial Telephone

Mar 7, 1876

On March 7, 1876, the first commercial telephone was created by Alexander Graham Bell.

The First Telephone and The First Call

Mar 10, 1876

On March 10, 1876, the Telephone was created by Alexander Graham Bell and the first call was made by Alexander Graham Bell to his assistant, Thomas Watson.

Company Merge

Jul 9, 1877

Alexander Graham Bell organized the first telephone company, The Bell Telephone Company. The company started as a joint-stock company and was founded in Boston, Massachusetts on July 9, 1877.

AT&T

Mar 3, 1885

In 1885, The Bell Telephone Company merged with American Telegraph and Telephone Company, which is AT&T.

Western Union Purchase

1907

By 1907 AT&T had a near hold on phone and telegraph services, because of the Western Union purchase. The Western Union held so much more powerful financial and technological resources and withdrew from the rapidly growing telephone market.

Kingsbury Agreement

1913

In 1913 Kingsbury had an agreement with AT&T, Vice President Nathan Kingsbury, and the office of the U.S. Attorney General. AT&T agreed to divest itself of Western Union and provide long-distance services to independent phone exchanges.

The First Telephone Line

Jun 17, 1914

On July 6, 1914, AT&T boosted the last of 130,000 poles at Wendover, and the wires were spliced, joining more than 3,400 miles.

The Transcontinental Telephone

1915

In 1915 the transcontinental telephone line began operating from Denver to San Francisco.