The Telecommunications Industry (Emerging Industries in the United States)
Publisher: Greenwood Press
Published: August 30, 2002
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 208
ISBN-13: 9780313316012
Subjects: History of engineering & technology; History of specific subjects; Postal & telecommunications industries; 20th century; 21st century; c 1800 to c 1900; Technology; Technology & Industrial Arts; Business/Economics; USA; Industries - Media & Communications Industries; Telecommunications; Technology / Telecommunications; History; Telecommunication policy; Telephone; United States
Description: "The phone used to be a luxury item. Today, 95% of Americans have telephone service, and many carry their phones wherever they go. Few inventions have contributed more to modern culture and society than the telephone, yet almost no one recognized the true potential upon its introduction.".

"This book presents the development of the telephone from its invention in 1875 to the present day. Over the course of the 20th century, the interactions between corporate, technological, and legislative and judicial factors determined the course of the industry. Battles were fought over patents, monopolies, regulation, and deregulation. AT&T became, for a time, the largest company in the world - and a protected monopoly.

The move from monopoly to competitive services was long and difficult, and its complexity has only grown."--BOOK JACKET.