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They Were Invented
Home phones were invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell. Antonio Meucci also had the idea but Antonio could make the home phone, Bell had already put a patent on it. -
Home Phones In Early 1900's
By 1900 there were nearly 600,000 phones in Bell's telephone system. By 1905 that number shot up to 2.2 million, then in 1910 there were 5.8 million. -
World War I
During World War I, the government nationalized telephone lines for about a year (June 1918 to July 1919) after a joint resolution of Congress, President Wilson put them under the U.S. Post Office. A year later the phones were returned to private ownership. -
1930's to 1940's
By 1934 the government acted again, now allowing it to operated as a "regulated monopoly" under the jurisdiction of the FCC. Also by 1948, the 30 millionth phone was connected to the United States. -
1960's
By 1960, there were more than 80 million phone hookups in the U.S. and 160 million in the world. -
1980's to 1990's
By 1980, there were more than 175 million telephone subscriber lines in the U.S. In 1993, the first digital cellular network went online. -
Death of Landlines
Ever since cell phones came around the landline/ home phone started dying out and less people are using it each year. -
now
Now it is very hard to find a home phone/ landline in the average home. Most people carry around a smartphone/cellphone.
