Regional Bell Operating Company
Encyclopedia
The Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOC) are the result of United States v. AT&T
, the U.S. Department of Justice antitrust
suit against the former American Telephone & Telegraph Company (later known as AT&T Corp.). On January 8, 1982, AT&T Corp. settled the suit and agreed to divest ("spin off") its local exchange service operating companies. Effective January 1, 1984, AT&T Corp.'s local operations were split into seven independent Regional Bell Operating Companies known as "Baby Bells." RBOCs were originally known as Regional Holding Companies (RHCs).
, the resulting Baby Bells were originally:
Prior to 1984, AT&T Corp. also held investments in two smaller and otherwise independent companies, Cincinnati Bell
and Southern New England Telephone (SNET). Following the 1984 breakup, these became fully independent as well. All nine local-exchange holding companies were assigned a share of the rights to the Bell trademark. Additionally, there was one comparably-sized independent (non-Bell) company, GTE
.
After divestiture AT&T Corp. was prohibited from using the Bell name or logo (with the notable exception of AT&T's Bell Laboratories) and those trademarks which would be shared by the RBOCs and the two companies AT&T partially owned. Since the BellSouth acquisition, Cincinnati Bell has been the only former AT&T associated company still carrying the "Bell" name.
Additionally, Bell Canada
, the former Bell Telephone Company of Canada (founded in 1880) and which started separating from the Bell System
in 1956, and completely by 1975, continues to use the "Bell" trademarks, which it owns outright in Canada.
Verizon continues to use the Bell logo on its payphones (including former GTE
payphones), hard hats, trucks, and buildings likely intending to display continued use in order to maintain the company's trademark rights. Malheur Bell
, an autonomous local phone company owned by Qwest
, used the Bell name and logo until its merger into Qwest in 2009.
Apart from historical documents, AT&T does not presently make active use of the Bell marks. Its local exchange companies have retained the "Bell" names; however, they have been doing business under other names since 2002.
was split off into Bellcore, which would serve as an R&D and standards body for the seven Baby Bells. In 1997, Bellcore was acquired by Science Applications International Corporation
where it became a wholly owned subsidiary and was renamed Telcordia.
, which changed its name to SBC Communications in 1995, acquired Pacific Telesis
in 1997, SNET (a former independent Bell System franchise not part of divestiture) in 1998, and Ameritech
in 1999. In February 2005, SBC announced its plans to acquire former parent company AT&T Corp. for over $16 billion. SBC took on the AT&T name upon merger closure on November 18, 2005. SBC began trading as AT&T Inc.
on December 1, 2005 but began re-branding as early as November 21.
On March 5, 2006, it was announced that AT&T Inc. would purchase BellSouth
for $67 billion, in an all-stock deal. On December 29, 2006, the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) approved the merger, worth $86 billion. http://money.cnn.com/2006/12/29/news/companies/att_bellsouth/?postversion=2006122919
was acquired by Bell Atlantic (taking the Bell Atlantic name), which later, in 2000, acquired GTE
, the largest independent telephone company, and renamed itself Verizon.
In 2005, following a protracted bidding war with rival RBOC Qwest, Verizon announced that it would acquire long distance company MCI
. The Verizon and MCI merger closed on January 6, 2006.
, the former local operations of Sprint Nextel
, which also includes the former operations of Centel
. The company, as CenturyTel, had acquired some Wisconsin Bell
lines from Ameritech
in 1998.
CenturyLink
announced in April 2010 it would buy Qwest for US$10.6 billion. The deal was completed April 2011. Qwest
, a Denver-based fiber optics long-distance company, had taken over U S WEST in 2000.
franchise Cincinnati Bell
, which was not part of the 1984 divestiture because AT&T held only a minority stake in the company, remains independent of the RBOCs.
, an independent provider based in North Carolina
, acquired Northern New England Telephone Operations
, an operating company split from the original New England Telephone
, to serve access lines in Maine
, New Hampshire
, and Vermont
. The sale of these lines by Verizon to FairPoint closed in 2008. Telephone Operating Company of Vermont
, a company created following FairPoint's acquisition, is an operating company wholly owned by Northern New England Telephone Operations.
, one of the original Bell Operating Companies known as The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia, in a larger deal including some former GTE
companies with Verizon Communications
.
was divested from AT&T Corp. starting in 1956 and completed in 1975, and was not part of the 1984 agreement.
United States v. AT&T
United States v. AT&T was the antitrust case in the United States that led to the 1984 Bell System divestiture, the breakup of the old American Telephone & Telegraph into the new, seven regional Bell operating companies s and the much smaller new AT&T.In the 1970s, the Federal Communications...
, the U.S. Department of Justice antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
suit against the former American Telephone & Telegraph Company (later known as AT&T Corp.). On January 8, 1982, AT&T Corp. settled the suit and agreed to divest ("spin off") its local exchange service operating companies. Effective January 1, 1984, AT&T Corp.'s local operations were split into seven independent Regional Bell Operating Companies known as "Baby Bells." RBOCs were originally known as Regional Holding Companies (RHCs).
"Baby Bells"
After the Modification of Final JudgmentModification of Final Judgment
In United States telecommunication law, Modification of Final Judgment is the August 1982 agreement approved by the court settling United States v. AT&T, a landmark antitrust suit, originally filed on January, 14, 1949 and modifying the previous Final Judgment of January 24, 1956...
, the resulting Baby Bells were originally:
- AmeritechAmeritechAT&T Teleholdings, Inc., formerly known as Ameritech Corporation , was a U.S. telecommunications company that arose out of the 1984 AT&T divestiture. Ameritech was one of the seven Regional Bell Operating Companies that was created following the breakup of the Bell System...
(acquired by SBC in 1999, which is now AT&TAT&TAT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
) - Bell Atlantic (changed its name to Verizon in 2000 after acquiring GTEGTEGTE Corporation, formerly General Telephone & Electronics Corporation was the largest independent telephone company in the United States during the days of the Bell System....
) - BellSouthBellSouthBellSouth Corporation is an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies after the U.S...
(acquired by AT&TAT&TAT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
in 2006) - NYNEXNYNEXNYNEX Corporation was a telephone company that served five New England states as well as most of New York state, except the Rochester area, from 1984 through 1997....
(acquired by Bell Atlantic in 1997, which is now Verizon) - Pacific TelesisPacific TelesisPacific Telesis Group was one of the seven Regional Bell Operating Companies, sometimes also referred to as "RBOCs" or "Baby Bells", created in 1983 in preparation of the breakup of AT&T as a holding company for Pacific Bell and Nevada Bell, Pacific Telesis International and several other...
(acquired by SBC in 1997, which is now AT&T) - Southwestern Bell (changed its name to SBC Communications in 1995; acquired AT&T Corp. and changed its name to AT&TAT&TAT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
in 2005) - U S WEST (acquired by QwestQwestQwest Communications International, Inc. was a large United States telecommunications carrier. Qwest provided local service in 14 western U.S. states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.On April...
in 2000; Qwest was acquired by CenturyLinkCenturyLinkCenturyLink, Inc. is a United States telecommunications firm, headquartered in Monroe, Louisiana. The company, founded as Central Telephone & Electronics Corporation in 1968, later changed its name to Century Telephone Enterprises, Inc. in 1971, and then was called CenturyTel, Inc. from 1999 to 2010...
in 2011)
Prior to 1984, AT&T Corp. also held investments in two smaller and otherwise independent companies, Cincinnati Bell
Cincinnati Bell
Cincinnati Bell is the dominant telephone company for Cincinnati, Ohio, and its nearby suburbs in the U.S. states of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. The parent company is named Cincinnati Bell Inc. Its incumbent local exchange carrier subsidiary uses the name Cincinnati Bell Telephone Company LLC,...
and Southern New England Telephone (SNET). Following the 1984 breakup, these became fully independent as well. All nine local-exchange holding companies were assigned a share of the rights to the Bell trademark. Additionally, there was one comparably-sized independent (non-Bell) company, 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....
.
Shared trademarks
Additionally, 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,...
, the former Bell Telephone Company of Canada (founded in 1880) and which started separating from 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...
in 1956, and completely by 1975, continues to use the "Bell" trademarks, which it owns outright in Canada.
Verizon continues to use the Bell logo on its payphones (including former 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....
payphones), hard hats, trucks, and buildings likely intending to display continued use in order to maintain the company's trademark rights. Malheur Bell
Malheur Bell
Malheur Home Telephone Company, commonly known as Malheur Bell, was a rural telephone company operating in Oregon. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Qwest Corporation, the Bell Operating Company of Qwest Communications International....
, an autonomous local phone company owned by Qwest
Qwest Corporation
Qwest Corporation is a Bell Operating Company owned by CenturyLink. It was formerly named U S WEST Communications, Inc. from 1991 to 2000, and also formerly named The Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company from 1911 to 1991...
, used the Bell name and logo until its merger into Qwest in 2009.
Apart from historical documents, AT&T does not presently make active use of the Bell marks. Its local exchange companies have retained the "Bell" names; however, they have been doing business under other names since 2002.
Mergers
Many of these companies have since merged; by the end of 2000, there were only three of the original Baby Bells left in the United States. After the 1984 breakup, part of AT&T Corp.'s Bell LabsBell 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...
was split off into Bellcore, which would serve as an R&D and standards body for the seven Baby Bells. In 1997, Bellcore was acquired by Science Applications International Corporation
Science Applications International Corporation
SAIC is a FORTUNE 500 scientific, engineering and technology applications company headquartered in the United States with numerous federal, state, and private sector clients...
where it became a wholly owned subsidiary and was renamed Telcordia.
AT&T Inc.
Southwestern Bell CorporationAT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
, which changed its name to SBC Communications in 1995, acquired Pacific Telesis
Pacific Telesis
Pacific Telesis Group was one of the seven Regional Bell Operating Companies, sometimes also referred to as "RBOCs" or "Baby Bells", created in 1983 in preparation of the breakup of AT&T as a holding company for Pacific Bell and Nevada Bell, Pacific Telesis International and several other...
in 1997, SNET (a former independent Bell System franchise not part of divestiture) in 1998, and Ameritech
Ameritech
AT&T Teleholdings, Inc., formerly known as Ameritech Corporation , was a U.S. telecommunications company that arose out of the 1984 AT&T divestiture. Ameritech was one of the seven Regional Bell Operating Companies that was created following the breakup of the Bell System...
in 1999. In February 2005, SBC announced its plans to acquire former parent company AT&T Corp. for over $16 billion. SBC took on the AT&T name upon merger closure on November 18, 2005. SBC began trading as AT&T Inc.
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
on December 1, 2005 but began re-branding as early as November 21.
On March 5, 2006, it was announced that AT&T Inc. would purchase BellSouth
BellSouth
BellSouth Corporation is an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies after the U.S...
for $67 billion, in an all-stock deal. On December 29, 2006, the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
(FCC) approved the merger, worth $86 billion. http://money.cnn.com/2006/12/29/news/companies/att_bellsouth/?postversion=2006122919
Verizon Communications
In 1997, NYNEXNYNEX
NYNEX Corporation was a telephone company that served five New England states as well as most of New York state, except the Rochester area, from 1984 through 1997....
was acquired by Bell Atlantic (taking the Bell Atlantic name), which later, in 2000, acquired 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....
, the largest independent telephone company, and renamed itself Verizon.
In 2005, following a protracted bidding war with rival RBOC Qwest, Verizon announced that it would acquire long distance company MCI
MCI Inc.
MCI, Inc. is an American telecommunications subsidiary of Verizon Communications that is headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia...
. The Verizon and MCI merger closed on January 6, 2006.
CenturyLink
CenturyLink was originally Century Telephone (CenturyTel), and took its current name in 2009 when it acquired EmbarqEmbarq
Embarq Corporation was the largest independent local exchange carrier in the United States , serving customers in 18 states and providing local, long distance, high-speed data and wireless services to residential and business customers...
, the former local operations of Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel
Sprint Nextel Corporation is an American telecommunications company based in Overland Park, Kansas. The company owns and operates Sprint, the third largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, with 53.4 million customers, behind Verizon Wireless and AT&T Mobility...
, which also includes the former operations of 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....
. The company, as CenturyTel, had acquired some Wisconsin Bell
Wisconsin Bell
Wisconsin Bell, Inc. is the name of the Bell Operating Company serving Wisconsin. They were a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T Inc.....
lines from Ameritech
Ameritech
AT&T Teleholdings, Inc., formerly known as Ameritech Corporation , was a U.S. telecommunications company that arose out of the 1984 AT&T divestiture. Ameritech was one of the seven Regional Bell Operating Companies that was created following the breakup of the Bell System...
in 1998.
CenturyLink
CenturyLink
CenturyLink, Inc. is a United States telecommunications firm, headquartered in Monroe, Louisiana. The company, founded as Central Telephone & Electronics Corporation in 1968, later changed its name to Century Telephone Enterprises, Inc. in 1971, and then was called CenturyTel, Inc. from 1999 to 2010...
announced in April 2010 it would buy Qwest for US$10.6 billion. The deal was completed April 2011. Qwest
Qwest
Qwest Communications International, Inc. was a large United States telecommunications carrier. Qwest provided local service in 14 western U.S. states: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.On April...
, a Denver-based fiber optics long-distance company, had taken over U S WEST in 2000.
Cincinnati Bell
The former independent 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...
franchise Cincinnati Bell
Cincinnati Bell
Cincinnati Bell is the dominant telephone company for Cincinnati, Ohio, and its nearby suburbs in the U.S. states of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. The parent company is named Cincinnati Bell Inc. Its incumbent local exchange carrier subsidiary uses the name Cincinnati Bell Telephone Company LLC,...
, which was not part of the 1984 divestiture because AT&T held only a minority stake in the company, remains independent of the RBOCs.
FairPoint
FairPoint CommunicationsFairPoint Communications
FairPoint Communications, Inc. is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, and operates communication services in 32 markets in 18 states, mostly in rural areas....
, an independent provider based in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, acquired Northern New England Telephone Operations
Northern New England Telephone Operations
Northern New England Telephone Operations LLC is a telephone operating company founded in 2007 to take over the land lines in Maine and New Hampshire formerly operated by Verizon New England, a Bell Operating Company...
, an operating company split from the original New England Telephone
New England Telephone
The New England Telephone and Telegraph Company, more commonly known as New England Telephone, was a Bell Operating Company that served most of the New England area of the United States as a part of the original AT&T for seven decades, from the creation of the national monopoly in 1907 until...
, to serve access lines in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, and Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. The sale of these lines by Verizon to FairPoint closed in 2008. Telephone Operating Company of Vermont
Telephone Operating Company of Vermont
Telephone Operating Company of Vermont LLC is a telephone operating company owned by Northern New England Telephone Operations, a subsidiary of FairPoint....
, a company created following FairPoint's acquisition, is an operating company wholly owned by Northern New England Telephone Operations.
Frontier Communications
In 2010, Frontier Communications acquired Frontier West VirginiaFrontier West Virginia
Frontier West Virginia, Inc. is one of the original Bell Operating Companies and provides local telephone service in West Virginia.-History:...
, one of the original Bell Operating Companies known as The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia, in a larger deal including some former 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....
companies with Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications
Verizon Communications Inc. is a global broadband and telecommunications company and a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average...
.
Bell Canada
Bell CanadaBell 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,...
was divested from AT&T Corp. starting in 1956 and completed in 1975, and was not part of the 1984 agreement.
See also
- Incumbent local exchange carrierIncumbent local exchange carrierAn ILEC, short for incumbent local exchange carrier, is a local telephone company in the United States that was in existence at the time of the breakup of AT&T into the Regional Bell Operating Companies , also known as the "Baby Bells." The ILEC is the former Bell System or Independent Telephone...
(ILEC) - Competitive local exchange carrierCompetitive local exchange carrierA competitive local exchange carrier , in the United States, is a telecommunications provider company competing with other, already established carriers ....
(CLEC) - BellcoreTelcordia TechnologiesTelcordia Technologies, formerly Bell Communications Research, Inc. or Bellcore, is a telecommunications research and development company based in the United States created as part of the 1982 Modification of Final Judgment that broke up American Telephone & Telegraph...
(now known as TelcordiaTelcordia TechnologiesTelcordia Technologies, formerly Bell Communications Research, Inc. or Bellcore, is a telecommunications research and development company based in the United States created as part of the 1982 Modification of Final Judgment that broke up American Telephone & Telegraph...
) - Local access and transport areaLocal access and transport areaLocal access and transport area is a term used in U.S. telecommunications regulation. It represents a geographical area of the United States under the terms of the that precipitated the breakup of the original AT&T into the "Baby Bells" or created since that time for wireline...
(LATA) - Bell System DivestitureBell System divestitureThe 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...
External links
- Pre-divestiture RBOC map (from Bell System Memorial)
- Table of RBOC changes (from Bell System Memorial)
- Note: Does NOT include Verizon spinoffs.
- Bell Operating Companies (from Bell System Memorial)
- Qwest Communications
- AT&T Inc.
- Verizon Communications
- Cincinnati Bell
- Boston.com - FairPoint-Verizon deal comes to a close on Monday
