Michigan Bell
Encyclopedia
Michigan Bell is the subsidiary of AT&T
serving the state of Michigan
. Following the Bell System divestiture
on January 8, 1982, the company became a subsidiary of Ameritech
, the Regional Bell operating company
that served the midwestern United States
. Ameritech was subsequently acquired by SBC Communications, which later changed its name to AT&T
.
Michigan Bell was one of the 22 Local Exchange Carrier
s that were part of the original AT&T
Bell System
until the 1984 divestiture
, after which Michigan Bell and four other Midwestern telephone companies became part of Ameritech
, the midwestern Regional Holding Company. Ameritech was one of the 7 original Bell Regional Holding Companies, or "Baby Bells." By the early 90's Ameritech phased out state specific names such as Michigan Bell in favor of using the Ameritech name for marketing purposes. After Ameritech's acquisition by SBC Communications, the former Ameritech companies were briefly marketed as SBC Ameritech, as transition to a unified "SBC" brand name in all 13 states in which SBC then did business. No sooner had this been accomplished then, in 2005, SBC Communications acquired AT&T. The newly merged company began marketing itself throughout the United States as the "new" AT&T
. Michigan Bell is still the legal entity that provides telecommunications services in Michigan under the AT&T name. It is headquartered in Detroit.
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...
serving the state of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Following the 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...
on January 8, 1982, the company became a subsidiary of 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...
, the Regional Bell operating company
Regional Bell Operating Company
The Regional Bell Operating Companies are the result of United States v. AT&T, the U.S. Department of Justice antitrust suit against the former American Telephone & Telegraph Company . On January 8, 1982, AT&T Corp. settled the suit and agreed to divest its local exchange service operating...
that served the midwestern United States
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. Ameritech was subsequently acquired by SBC Communications, which later changed its name to AT&T
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...
.
Michigan Bell was one of the 22 Local Exchange Carrier
Local exchange carrier
Local Exchange Carrier is a regulatory term in telecommunications for the local telephone company.In the United States, wireline telephone companies are divided into two large categories: long distance and local...
s that were part of the original AT&T
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...
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...
until the 1984 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...
, after which Michigan Bell and four other Midwestern telephone companies became part of 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...
, the midwestern Regional Holding Company. Ameritech was one of the 7 original Bell Regional Holding Companies, or "Baby Bells." By the early 90's Ameritech phased out state specific names such as Michigan Bell in favor of using the Ameritech name for marketing purposes. After Ameritech's acquisition by SBC Communications, the former Ameritech companies were briefly marketed as SBC Ameritech, as transition to a unified "SBC" brand name in all 13 states in which SBC then did business. No sooner had this been accomplished then, in 2005, SBC Communications acquired AT&T. The newly merged company began marketing itself throughout the United States as the "new" AT&T
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...
. Michigan Bell is still the legal entity that provides telecommunications services in Michigan under the AT&T name. It is headquartered in Detroit.