From History of the Public Switched Telephone Network:
- 1884
- AT&T is incorporated as a subsidiary of American Bell
- Bell Telephone creates the first long distance connection from Boston to New York City
- 1891
- Almon Strowger receives patent for his automated electromechanical call switching device
“No longer will my competitor steal all my business just because his wife is a BELL operator.”- 1899
- AT&T buys out American Bell assets.
- Cleyson Brown founds Bell System competitor Brown Telephone (eventually becomes Sprint)
Somehow that comment seems relevant given the current net neutrality debate.
