Chronicles the fascinating story of the telephone's rise to its ubiquitous place in today's society and the billion-dollar industry it has engendered. The history might be hard to believe: telephones were not always a part of everyday existence. When the telephone was initially introduced, few if any saw its true potential. The Telecommunications Industry looks at the development of the telephone from its invention in 1875 and the industry it spawned through the present day. The book considers the role of all the different players who affected the industry, including telecommunications carriers, especially AT&T, the government and its agencies, and the courts. Attention is also paid to the role of technology in the development and maturation of the telephone throughout the century. This accessible history is ideal for students looking for a concise and understandable introduction to one of the landmark American industries of the 20th century. In the beginning of the century, the telephone was a luxury item. Today, 95 percent of Americans have telephone service, and many carry their phones everywhere they go. How did this happen? Over the course of the 20th century the interactions between corporate, technological, and legislative and judicial factors determined the course of the industry's history. Along the way battles were fought over patents, monopolies, regulation, and deregulation. At one point AT&T was the largest company in the world and a protected monopoly. The move from monopoly to competitive services was long and difficult, and has only gotten more and more complex. This book chronicles the fascinating story of the telephone's rise to its ubiquitous place in today's society and the billion-dollar industry it has engendered.