SBC Communications, Incorporated

SBC Communications, Inc. was an American telecommunications holding company that eventually became AT&T Corporation. Its history traces back to Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone in 1876. For nearly a century, the company, often called "Ma Bell," held a monopoly over U.S. telephone services and pioneered numerous communication technologies through its Bell Labs subsidiary.1

In 1984, the U.S. government broke up this monopoly, dividing the company into seven regional operating companies known as the "Baby Bells". SBC Communications was one of these Baby Bells. Under the leadership of Edward Whitacre, SBC Communications grew significantly through acquisitions, eventually merging with AT&T Corp. in 2005 and adopting the AT&T name. The company now focuses on broadband, wireless, and fiber-optic services.1