Scenarios about 'Bell System'

The Bell System was the American telephone monopoly, led by AT&T, that dominated telecommunications in the United States from 1877 until its breakup in 1984. This vertically integrated system controlled everything from telephone equipment manufacturing to local and long-distance service, establishing nationwide communication standards while wielding enormous economic and technological influence. In alternate history scenarios, different regulatory decisions or technological developments affecting the Bell System could dramatically alter the evolution of American telecommunications, computing, and internet infrastructure.