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                                Proudly Presents 
                       The History of Telecommunications 
                                   Taken from 
        The MCI School of Telecommunications Management Reference Guide 
                      Typed and edited by Knight Lightning 
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	This file is to help clear up how the phone companies began and
what has transpired to create our current fucked up phone system.
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Telephone History: 

2/14/1876 BELL AND GRAY FILE PATENTS 3 HOURS APART- 

1877      FIRST PUBLIC USE - NEWS DISPATCH SENT TO BOSTON GLOBE FOUR
          YEARS LATER - 132,500 PHONES IN USE-

1878      FIRST COMMERCIAL SWITCHBOARD INSTALLED AT NEW HAVEN, CT.-

1878      WESTERN UNION PURCHASES GRAY'S PATENT - PATENT SUIT FILED
          BY BELL-

1879      BELL AND W.U. AGREE: 
          1. BELL PURCHASES W.U. TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT
          2. BELL PAYS W.U. SMALL ROYALTY
          3. BELL AGREES NOT TO ENTER TELEGRAPH BUSINESS DURING LIFE
             OF DISPUTED PATENTS
          4. W.U. AGREES: TO STAY OUT OF TELEPHONY FOR SAME PERIOD -
             TO DROP PATENT SUITS- ESTABLISHED MONOPOLY GROUNDWORK OF
             TODAY-

1881      BELL PURCHASES W.E. CO.-

1888      SUPREME COURT FINDS BELL'S PATENTS VALID - PATENT
          MONOPOLY UNTIL 1893- 

1888      BELL DEVELOPS LUCRATIVE URBAN REGIONS-

1893      NEW COMPANIES STARTED IN SMALL COMMUNITIES AND RUAL AREAS,
          BELL DOES NOT ALLOW INTERCONNECTION-

1907      BELL CENTRALIZES R & D EFFORTS BELL LABS FORMALLY
          INCORPORATED IN 1925 TRIES TO BUY STROMBERG-CARLSON-

1904-1919 MOST STATES REQUIRE INTERCONNECTION OF ALL PHONE COMPANIES
          34 STATES PASS LAWS REGULATING TELEPHONY- 

1913      BELL CONTROLS 50% OF U.S. MARKET- KINGSBURY COMMITTEMENT -
          BELL AND JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AGREE:
          1. ALLOW INDEPENDENT PHONE COMPANIES TO INTERCONNECT
          2. NOT ACQUIRE OTHER INDEPENDENTS WITHOUT GOVERNMENT
             APPROVAL
          3. RELINQUISH CONTROL OVER W.U. (IN 1909, BELL HAD
             PURCHASED CONTROLLING STOCK IN W.U.)-

1921      AT&T FREED OF ACQUISITION RESTRAINTS WITH WILLIS-GRAHAM
          ACT-

1922      9000 PHONE COMPANIES IN EXISTANCE - TODAY 1500

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Regulatory: 
1876      BELL AND GRAY PATENTS

1877      BELL OFFERS PATENT TO WESTERN UNION

1878      FIRST COMMERCIAL SWITCHBOARD

1879      AGREEMENT BETWEEN BELL AND WESTERN UNION

1881      BELL PURCHASE WESTERN ELECTRIC

1883      SUPREME COURT PATENT MONOPOLY

1888      BELL DEVELOPS URBAN REGIONS

1893      RURAL TELEPHONE COMPANIES

1907      BELL R & D

1904-19   - INTERCONNECTION OF RURAL AND URBAN REQUIRED - STATE
          REGULATORY COMMISSION - KINGSBURY AGREEMENT - ACQUISITION
          RESTRAINTS

1921      WILLIS-GRAHAM ACT FREES BELL OF ACQUISITION RESTRAINTS

1934      COMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1934 
          FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC) FORMED
          PRINCIPLES:
          1.  Service must be just and resonable; must be profitable
          2. No cross-subsidization
          3. No dicrimination between groups of customers
          4. Public notic of rate change

1968      CARTERFONE

1969      MCI DECISION

1971      SPECIALIZED CARRIER PROCEEDING - PRIVATE LINES

1978      EXECUNET DECISION ENFIA AGREEMENT

1978      1934 COMMUNICATIONS ACT REWRITE

1956      CONSENT DECREE, BELL TO OFFER REGULAR COMMUNICATIONS
          SERVICES ONLY

1966      FCC COMPUTER INQUIRY I

1971      FCC DISTINCTION BETWEEN DP AND MEASURED SWITCHING

1976      FCC COMPUTER INQUIRY II

1978      AT&T REORGANIZATION BUSINESS/RESIDENTIAL

1980      FCC ENHANCED VS. BASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES

1982      DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CONSENT DECREE
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1986?

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                           Dedicated to The 2600 Club 
                              Thanx to Taran King
