The Telecommunications Industry

The telephone 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.

McMaster considers the numerous roles of players who affected the industry, including telecommunications carriers-especially AT&T-the government and its agencies, and the courts. Technology's role is also examined throughout telephone's development and maturation. McMaster chronicles the fascinating story of the telephone's rise, its spread to ubiquity in today's society, and the billion-dollar industry it has engendered. This accessible history is ideal for students seeking a clear, concise introduction to one of the landmark American industries of the 20th century.

List of contents

Introduction
The Invention and Development of the Telephone and the Telephone Network: 1875-1913
The Move to Regulation: 1913-1934
Federal Regulation, New Beginning: 1934-1956
The Beginnings of Competition: 1956-1983
The Development of Long Distance Competition and More: 1982-1996
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 and Local Competition: 1996-2000
Bibliography
Index

About the author

SUSAN E. MCMASTER is Senior Managing Economist at Criterion Economics./e She has worked for the FCC and MCI.

Product details

• Authors: Susan McMaster, McMaster Susan
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.08.2002
• EAN: 9780313316012
• ISBN: 978-0-313-31601-2
• Series: Emerging Industries in the United States
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Technology > Electronics, electrical engineering, communications engineering; USA, History: specific events & topics, HISTORY / General, 20th Century, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Industries / Media & Communications, TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING / History, 21st Century, c 1800 to c 1900, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, 20th century, c 1900 to c 1999, 21st century, c 2000 to c 2100, United States of America, USA, History of engineering and technology, History: specific events and topics, History of engineering & technology, Business: E-Commerce and Technology, Postal & Telecommunications Industries