Independent telephone company
Encyclopedia
An Independent telephone company in the United States
was a telephone company providing local service that was not part of the Bell System
group of companies, "Ma Bell", before the 1984 Bell System divestiture
or breakup of the Bell system. They usually operated in rural or less densely populated areas than those of the Bell operating companies.
The second fundamental Bell patent for telephones had expired on 30 January 1894, and the way was now open for independent companies, although some had been established before that date. The Strowger Automatic Telephone Exchange company had been formed on 30 October 1891. The first Strowger switch
went into operation on 3 November 1892 in LaPorte, Indiana
, with 75 subscribers and capacity for 99. Independent manufacturing companies were established, Stromberg-Carlson
in 1894 and Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company
in 1897.
By 1903 while the Bell system had 1,278,000 subscribers on 1514 main exchanges, the independents (excluding non-profit rural cooperatives) claimed about 2 million subscribers on 6150 exchanges. Later (see Western Electric
) one estimate was that there were 1300 "independent" telephone companies.
The size ranged up from the small “mom and pop” companies run by a husband and wife team, with the husband doing the outside lines work and the wife operating a manual switchboard. Later these small companies would have a Class 5 telephone switch providing local automatic service (sometimes called a Community Dial Office
), probably manufactured by the Automatic Electric Company
, Stromberg-Carlson
or the Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company
.
Large independent companies like GTE
, Theodore Gary & Company
, United Telecom, ConTel
and Centel
resembled the Bell system with vertical integration
. GTE was the largest non-RBOC domestic telco, and included local operating companies, long line (toll) companies and manufacturing companies.
From 1949 the Rural Electrification Authority (REA), now the Rural Utilities Service
, could provide assistance to telephone co-operatives to extend telephone service in rural areas.
The voice of the smaller independents were the two magazines, Telephony and Telephone Engineer and Management (TE&M), both from Chicago. The United States Independent Telephone Association (USITA), their trade association, became the United States Telecom Association
Bryant Pond in Woodstock, Maine
was famous as having the last manual magneto
(hand-crank) telephone exchange in America. The family-owned Bryant Pond Telephone Company was operated from a two-position magneto switchboard in the living room of owners Barbara and Elden Hathaway. In 1981 the company was purchased by the Oxford County Telephone & Telegraph Company, a nearby larger independent company, and automatic service was provided in 1983.
In Canada, Bell Canada
has a dominant position as a local service provider, particularly east of Manitoba
and in the Northern territories, and many of the independent telephone companies are in British Columbia
, Ontario
and Quebec
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
was a telephone company providing local service that was not part of the Bell System
Bell 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...
group of companies, "Ma Bell", before the 1984 Bell System divestiture
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...
or breakup of the Bell system. They usually operated in rural or less densely populated areas than those of the Bell operating companies.
The second fundamental Bell patent for telephones had expired on 30 January 1894, and the way was now open for independent companies, although some had been established before that date. The Strowger Automatic Telephone Exchange company had been formed on 30 October 1891. The first Strowger switch
Strowger switch
The Strowger switch, also known as Step-by-Step or SXS, is an early electromechanical telephone switching system invented by Almon Brown Strowger...
went into operation on 3 November 1892 in LaPorte, Indiana
LaPorte, Indiana
La Porte is a city in La Porte County, Indiana, United States, of which it is the county seat. Its population was 22,053 at the 2010 census. It is one of the two principal cities of the Michigan City-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the...
, with 75 subscribers and capacity for 99. Independent manufacturing companies were established, Stromberg-Carlson
Stromberg-Carlson
Stromberg-Carlson was a telecommunications equipment and electronics manufacturing company formed in 1894 as a partnership of Alfred Stromberg and Androv Carlson. Along with four other companies, it controlled the United States national supply of telephone equipment until after World War...
in 1894 and Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company
Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company
Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company was a major manufacturer of telephone exchange equipment. It was founded in Chicago, Illinois, by Milo G. Kellogg, an electrical engineer...
in 1897.
By 1903 while the Bell system had 1,278,000 subscribers on 1514 main exchanges, the independents (excluding non-profit rural cooperatives) claimed about 2 million subscribers on 6150 exchanges. Later (see 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...
) one estimate was that there were 1300 "independent" telephone companies.
The size ranged up from the small “mom and pop” companies run by a husband and wife team, with the husband doing the outside lines work and the wife operating a manual switchboard. Later these small companies would have a Class 5 telephone switch providing local automatic service (sometimes called a Community Dial Office
Community Dial Office
A "Community Dial Office" was a small Class 5 telephone exchange in a rural area. CDOs could be step by step, all relay or crossbar. They provided capacity for 1000 or fewer customers. Late in the 20th century they were replaced by remote concentrators connected to the host office, which may be...
), probably manufactured by the Automatic Electric Company
Automatic Electric Company
Automatic Electric Company was a telephone equipment supplier for independent telephone companies, comparable to the Bell System's Western Electric. It was located in Northlake, Illinois, with research and development labs in Melrose Park and Elmhurst, Illinois...
, Stromberg-Carlson
Stromberg-Carlson
Stromberg-Carlson was a telecommunications equipment and electronics manufacturing company formed in 1894 as a partnership of Alfred Stromberg and Androv Carlson. Along with four other companies, it controlled the United States national supply of telephone equipment until after World War...
or the Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company
Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company
Kellogg Switchboard & Supply Company was a major manufacturer of telephone exchange equipment. It was founded in Chicago, Illinois, by Milo G. Kellogg, an electrical engineer...
.
Large independent companies like GTE
GTE
GTE Corporation, formerly General Telephone & Electronics Corporation was the largest independent telephone company in the United States during the days of the Bell System....
, Theodore Gary & Company
Theodore Gary & Company
Theodore Gary & Company was a 20th century independent telephone firm in the United States. Among its subsidiaries was the Associated Telephone and Telegraph Company, which controlled telephone companies in Latin America and telephone manufacturing interests in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. In...
, United Telecom, ConTel
Contel
ConTel Corporation was the third largest independent phone company in the United States prior to the 1996 telecom deregulation. It was acquired by GTE in 1991.-Early 20th Century:...
and Centel
Centel
Centel Corporation was an American telecommunications company, with primary interests in providing basic telephone service, cellular phone service and cable television service. It was founded in 1900 as an electric company....
resembled the Bell system with vertical integration
Vertical integration
In microeconomics and management, the term vertical integration describes a style of management control. Vertically integrated companies in a supply chain are united through a common owner. Usually each member of the supply chain produces a different product or service, and the products combine to...
. GTE was the largest non-RBOC domestic telco, and included local operating companies, long line (toll) companies and manufacturing companies.
From 1949 the Rural Electrification Authority (REA), now the Rural Utilities Service
Rural Utilities Service
is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture , one of the federal executive departments of the United States government charged with providing public utilities to rural areas in the United States via public-private partnerships...
, could provide assistance to telephone co-operatives to extend telephone service in rural areas.
The voice of the smaller independents were the two magazines, Telephony and Telephone Engineer and Management (TE&M), both from Chicago. The United States Independent Telephone Association (USITA), their trade association, became the United States Telecom Association
United States Telecom Association
The United States Telecom Association , founded in 1897, is the trade association for broadband service providers and their suppliers. The Association represents the broadband industry before the United States Congress, the United States federal courts, and the White House.-External links:* * *...
Bryant Pond in Woodstock, Maine
Woodstock, Maine
Woodstock is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,307 at the 2000 census. The village of Bryant Pond, on State Route 26 in the northern part of Woodstock, is the town's urban center and largest settlement.-Geography:...
was famous as having the last manual magneto
Telephone magneto
A magneto is an electrical generator that uses permanent magnets to produce alternating current. Owing to their simplicity and reliability, they were widely used in early telephone systems.- Telegraphy :...
(hand-crank) telephone exchange in America. The family-owned Bryant Pond Telephone Company was operated from a two-position magneto switchboard in the living room of owners Barbara and Elden Hathaway. In 1981 the company was purchased by the Oxford County Telephone & Telegraph Company, a nearby larger independent company, and automatic service was provided in 1983.
In Canada, Bell Canada
Bell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
has a dominant position as a local service provider, particularly east of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and in the Northern territories, and many of the independent telephone companies are in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
See also
- List of United States telephone companies
- List of Canadian telephone companies
- Canadian Independent Telephone AssociationCanadian Independent Telephone AssociationThe Canadian Independent Telephone Association is a nationwide association of companies that provide telephone service within British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, founded in 1905.- Active Members List :* Amtelecom Inc.* Brooke Telecom...