AT&T

Type: Public (NYSE: T)
Founded: 1983
Headquarters: San Antonio, Texas, USA
Key people: Randall L. Stephenson, Chairman/CEO; Richard Lindner, CFO
Industry: Telecommunications
Products: Wireless, Telephone, Internet, Television
Website: www.att.com

General Information

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is the largest provider of both local and long distance telephone services, wireless service, and DSL Internet access in the United States. AT&T is based in San Antonio, Texas, United States. Formerly SBC Communications, Inc., the company shed its name and took on the iconic AT&T moniker and the T stock-trading symbol (for 'telephone') after its acquisition of AT&T Corporation.

Since the break-up of American Telephone and Telegraph Company in 1984, most of the companies spun off from it (the 'Baby Bells') have merged into three major US telecommunications groups: Verizon, Qwest, and AT&T Inc. Most of these companies are made up primarily of former components of American Telephone and Telegraph Company. For the new AT&T, these include many Bell Operating Companies and the long distance division.

Founding

AT&T Inc. was founded in 1983 as Southwestern Bell Corporation, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. It was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies, or 'Baby Bells.' The company — a holding company for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company — was created as a result of U.S. antitrust action against American Telephone & Telegraph in 1983. It took full control of Southwestern Bell Telephone on January 1, 1984.