Western Electric

Western Electric Co., Inc. was an American electrical engineering and manufacturing company that operated from 1869 to 1996. A subsidiary of AT&T Corporation for most of its lifespan, Western Electric was the primary manufacturer, supplier, and purchasing agent for all telephone equipment for the Bell System from 1881 until 1984, when the Bell System was dismantled. For much of the 20th century, Western Electric's equipment, especially their telephones, was ubiquitous throughout most of the United States and Canada. This was a result of the Bell System's near-total monopoly on phone service, combined with the legal ban on connecting third-party premises equipment to the telephone network. The company was responsible for many technological innovations, as well as developments in industrial management.