Brand - Licensing, Evolution and Domain Names

In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone, an innovation that revolutionized communication around the world. The following year, in 1877, the Bell Telephone Company was founded to commercialize this groundbreaking technology. In 1885, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) was established to build and operate the first long-distance telephone network, laying the foundation for a company that would become synonymous with innovation in communications.

In 1984, following an antitrust agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice, the former AT&T divested its local telephone operations, splitting into seven independent Regional Bell Operating Companies, known as the “Baby Bells.” AT&T retained its long-distance telephone service, manufacturing (Western Electric), and research and development arms (Bell Labs)—though the manufacturing and R&D units would later become Lucent Technologies in 1996. One of the Baby Bells, Southwestern Bell Corporation (later renamed SBC Communications Inc. in 1995), began its own path of growth and innovation.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 ushered in a new era of competition and deregulation, driving transformative changes in the industry. SBC expanded its U.S. presence through a series of landmark acquisitions, including Pacific Telesis Group in 1997 and Ameritech Corp. in 1999. In 2005, SBC acquired AT&T Corp., adopted the AT&T name, and created a new AT&T Inc.—emerging as a global leader in communications for businesses and consumers alike.

In 2006, AT&T acquired BellSouth, consolidating ownership of Cingular Wireless and establishing itself as a leading nationwide wireless provider. The company played a pivotal role in the rise of the mobile Internet, forging partnerships—like the 2007 exclusive launch of the iPhone—that helped drive the transformation of how people connect and communicate.

The momentum continued. In 2014, AT&T acquired Leap Wireless (operator of Cricket Wireless), expanding access to mobile Internet services for customers in the rapidly growing prepaid market. In 2015, AT&T completed the acquisitions of two Mexican wireless companies, Iusacell and Nextel Mexico, combining them under the AT&T Mexico brand and making significant investments to spur smartphone adoption and become a leading wireless provider in Mexico. That same year, AT&T finalized its acquisition of DIRECTV, briefly becoming the world’s largest pay TV provider.

This rich history supports our ongoing mission: to connect people with their world, everywhere they live, work, and play—and to do it better than anyone else.

Today, AT&T continues to innovate: mobilizing video the way we mobilized the Internet; securing business communications from the smartphone to the cloud; and enabling connected cars, homes, machines, and even cities. The company’s legacy of invention and transformation fuels anticipation and excitement for the next chapter in communications history.