house phone By k.jones@prentiss.k12.ms.us Jan 1, 1849 Antonio Meucci is credited with inventing the first basic phone in 1849 Jan 1, 1854 Frenchman Charles Bourseul devised a phone in 1854 Jan 1, 1876 Alexander Graham Bell won the first U.S. patent for the device in 1876. Jan 1, 1915 n 1915 the transcontinental telephone line began operating. Jan 1, 1990 A typical cordless phone in the 1990s. Jan 1, 2010 house phones used less