AT&T Technologies
Encyclopedia
AT&T Technologies, Inc., was created in 1983 in preparation for the Bell System Divestiture
, which became effective as of January 1, 1984. It assumed the corporate charter of Western Electric Co., Inc.
, restructured its remaining companies into 3 core units. American Bell, Bell Labs
and Western Electric were fully absorbed into AT&T, and divided up as an umbrella of several specifically focused companies held by AT&T Technologies, including:
under the Western Electric
marking. "Bell System Property - Not For Sale" markings were eliminated from all telephones, replaced with "AT&T" in the plastic housing and "Western Electric" in the metal telephone bases.
Bell logos contained on the bottom of Trimline bases were filled in, leaving a giant lump next to "Western Electric".
, Western Electric telephones contained much more computer technology and more plastic over metal, since advances in electronics and manufacturing processes made it possible, and there was no longer the need to produce heavy duty, long-lasting telephones. In 1985, the 2220 Trimline
was heavily modified, including a touch-tone/pulse dial switch, eliminating the need for the 220 rotary phone, foreshadowing what was to come for other AT&T telephones. The 1985 Trimline, like other new telephones introduced after the AT&T breakup, was marked "AT&T TECHNOLOGIES - MADE IN U.S.A." IC
chips, used in these updated "electronic" telephones used WExxx model number nomenclature.
In 1986, AT&T closed the Western Electric
Indianapolis
Works plant, and Trimline and other residential telephone production was moved overseas. Production of the residential models of the 2500/2554 telephones were shifted overseas as well, both marketed under the "Traditional 100" brand. The 500/554 rotary phones ended production as they were no longer needed. A new Design Line telephone
was introduced and produced overseas as well, and many variations of single line telephone sets were manufactured over the years. AT&T Technologies kept the Shreveport Works open, and Princess & 2500/2554 business model production continued in the U.S.
. Also multiline key telephone systems, such as the Merlin
and the Spirit systems were manufactured there. Formerly Shreveport manufactured payphones.
Any phone made overseas by AT&T Technologies no longer had Western Electric
markings, except for plugs on modular telephone cords whose clips were marked with "WE" initials. Telephones made overseas by AT&T Technologies were produced in Thailand
, Hong Kong
, Singapore
, and China
. Telephones produced at these plants were also marked with "Custom Manufactured in (country) by AT&T"; China
-made telephones were marked "Custom Manufactured in China for AT&T".
Residential telephone production was shifted back to North America
in 1993 when AT&T opened established a subsidiary in Mexico and built a telephone plant. As a result, "WE" markings on modular telephone plugs were replaced with "HHE" or "ECI", marking the end of any Western Electric branding whatsoever on any part of an AT&T telephone. In 1994, AT&T discontinued production of the Princess telephone
.
, Bell Labs
and AT&T Technologies were to be spun off by 1997. In preparation for its spin-off, AT&T Technologies was renamed Lucent Technologies
. Lucent was completely spun off from AT&T in 1996.
Bell System divestiture
The Bell System divestiture, or the breakup of AT&T, was initiated by the filing in 1974 by the U.S. Department of Justice of an antitrust lawsuit against AT&T. The case, United States v...
, which became effective as of January 1, 1984. It assumed the corporate charter of Western Electric Co., Inc.
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
Creation
AT&T, after divesting ownership of the Bell SystemBell System
The Bell System was the American Bell Telephone Company and then, subsequently, AT&T led system which provided telephone services to much of the United States and Canada from 1877 to 1984, at various times as a monopoly. In 1984, the company was broken up into separate companies, by a U.S...
, restructured its remaining companies into 3 core units. American Bell, Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
and Western Electric were fully absorbed into AT&T, and divided up as an umbrella of several specifically focused companies held by AT&T Technologies, including:
- AT&T Bell Laboratories - R&D functions
- AT&T Consumer Products - Consumer telephone equipment sales
- AT&T International - International ventures
- AT&T Network Systems International
- Goldstar Semiconductor
- AT&T Taiwan
- AT&T Microelectronica de Espana
- Lycom
- AT&T Ricoh
- AT&T Network Systems Espana
- AT&T Network Systems - Large Business/Corporate equipment
- AT&T Technology Systems - Computer-focused R&D
Telephone production
From January 1, 1984 until mid-1986, AT&T Technologies continued to manufacture telephones that had been made before 1984 by Western ElectricWestern Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
under the Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
marking. "Bell System Property - Not For Sale" markings were eliminated from all telephones, replaced with "AT&T" in the plastic housing and "Western Electric" in the metal telephone bases.
Bell logos contained on the bottom of Trimline bases were filled in, leaving a giant lump next to "Western Electric".
Telephone Changes
Toward the end of the Bell SystemBell System
The Bell System was the American Bell Telephone Company and then, subsequently, AT&T led system which provided telephone services to much of the United States and Canada from 1877 to 1984, at various times as a monopoly. In 1984, the company was broken up into separate companies, by a U.S...
, Western Electric telephones contained much more computer technology and more plastic over metal, since advances in electronics and manufacturing processes made it possible, and there was no longer the need to produce heavy duty, long-lasting telephones. In 1985, the 2220 Trimline
Trimline telephone
The Western Electric Trimline telephone is a variety of telephone set designed by Donald Genaro of Henry Dreyfuss Associates for the Bell System . It was built by the Bell System's manufacturing arm, Western Electric. The idea behind the Trimline telephone was to create an alternative telephone...
was heavily modified, including a touch-tone/pulse dial switch, eliminating the need for the 220 rotary phone, foreshadowing what was to come for other AT&T telephones. The 1985 Trimline, like other new telephones introduced after the AT&T breakup, was marked "AT&T TECHNOLOGIES - MADE IN U.S.A." IC
Integrated circuit
An integrated circuit or monolithic integrated circuit is an electronic circuit manufactured by the patterned diffusion of trace elements into the surface of a thin substrate of semiconductor material...
chips, used in these updated "electronic" telephones used WExxx model number nomenclature.
In 1986, AT&T closed the Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
Works plant, and Trimline and other residential telephone production was moved overseas. Production of the residential models of the 2500/2554 telephones were shifted overseas as well, both marketed under the "Traditional 100" brand. The 500/554 rotary phones ended production as they were no longer needed. A new Design Line telephone
Design Line telephone
Design Line is a brand that AT&T has used on several of its telephones, also known as Deco-Tel.-Pre-divestiture Design Line:In the early 1970s, before the Bell System divestiture, customers in increasing numbers chose to install and use telephones not manufactured by Western Electric, AT&T's wholly...
was introduced and produced overseas as well, and many variations of single line telephone sets were manufactured over the years. AT&T Technologies kept the Shreveport Works open, and Princess & 2500/2554 business model production continued in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Also multiline key telephone systems, such as the Merlin
AT&T Merlin
The AT&T Merlin telephone system was introduced in late 1983, branded American Bell Merlin. After the breakup of AT&T in 1984, it was rebranded AT&T Merlin. It was designed at the beginning of the 1980s prior to the Bell System Divestiture as a modern electronic replacement for the dated...
and the Spirit systems were manufactured there. Formerly Shreveport manufactured payphones.
Any phone made overseas by AT&T Technologies no longer had Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
markings, except for plugs on modular telephone cords whose clips were marked with "WE" initials. Telephones made overseas by AT&T Technologies were produced in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Telephones produced at these plants were also marked with "Custom Manufactured in (country) by AT&T"; China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
-made telephones were marked "Custom Manufactured in China for AT&T".
Residential telephone production was shifted back to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
in 1993 when AT&T opened established a subsidiary in Mexico and built a telephone plant. As a result, "WE" markings on modular telephone plugs were replaced with "HHE" or "ECI", marking the end of any Western Electric branding whatsoever on any part of an AT&T telephone. In 1994, AT&T discontinued production of the Princess telephone
Princess telephone
The Princess Phone was introduced by the Bell System in 1959. It was a compact telephone designed for convenient use in the bedroom, and contained a light-up dial for use as a night-light. It was commonly known with the slogan "It's little...It's lovely...It lights", which was suggested Robert Karl...
.
Spin-Off
AT&T announced in 1995 to split into three companies: a manufacturing/R&D company, a computer company, and a services company. NCRNCR Corporation
NCR Corporation is an American technology company specializing in kiosk products for the retail, financial, travel, healthcare, food service, entertainment, gaming and public sector industries. Its main products are self-service kiosks, point-of-sale terminals, automated teller machines, check...
, Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
and AT&T Technologies were to be spun off by 1997. In preparation for its spin-off, AT&T Technologies was renamed Lucent Technologies
Lucent Technologies
Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc., originally Lucent Technologies, Inc. is a French-owned technology company composed of what was formerly AT&T Technologies, which included Western Electric and Bell Labs...
. Lucent was completely spun off from AT&T in 1996.
See also
- Western ElectricWestern ElectricWestern Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
- Lucent TechnologiesLucent TechnologiesAlcatel-Lucent USA, Inc., originally Lucent Technologies, Inc. is a French-owned technology company composed of what was formerly AT&T Technologies, which included Western Electric and Bell Labs...
- Advanced American TelephonesAdvanced American TelephonesVTech Innovation, L.P., doing business as Advanced American Telephones, is a telephone manufacturing company.-History:American Bell Consumer Products was created on January 1, 1983 as a unit of American Bell, Inc., upon declaration by the Modification of Final Judgment that American Telephone &...