AT&T (Bell System)
United Kingdom (Scotland) → USA
Technology & Computing
Summary
AT&T traces its origins to Alexander Graham Bell, a Scottish-born inventor who emigrated to the United States via Canada in 1871. His invention of the telephone, patented in 1876, laid the foundation for modern telecommunications. The Bell Telephone Company was founded in 1877, and American Telephone and Telegraph was incorporated as a subsidiary in 1885, growing over the following century into one of the most influential communications companies in U.S. history.
European Contribution
Scientific education and acoustic engineering traditions from Britain.
American Impact
Creation of the national telecommunications infrastructure and long-distance communication systems.
Timeline Highlights
- 1871 Bell arrives in the U.S.
- 1876 Telephone patented
- 1877 Bell Telephone Company founded
- 1885 AT&T incorporated