BellSouth Telecommunications
Encyclopedia
BellSouth Telecommunications, LLC is the Bell Operating Company of AT&T
that serves the southeastern United States. It absorbed the operations of South Central Bell
in 1992.
BellSouth Telecommunications was previously a holding of BellSouth Corporation
but was acquired by AT&T Inc on December 29, 2006. BellSouth Telecommunications/AT&T Southeast regional headquarters are located in the AT&T Midtown Center building in Atlanta, Georgia
. BellSouth Corporation's headquarters were located in the Campanile building in Atlanta.
Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Company was the Bell Operating Company serving the states of Georgia
, Florida
, North Carolina
and South Carolina
prior to the divestiture. Southern Bell began 1879 as The Atlanta Telephonic Exchange and was based in Atlanta
. It changed its name to Southern Bell. Southern Bell also operated in Charleston
and other parts of West Virginia
from 1883 until 1917, when The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia
took over operations.
On December 20, 1967 Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company formed South Central Bell Telephone Company to operate in five of its nine states (Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee). A similar arrangement occurred in 1961 when Pacific Northwest Bell
was formed from Pacific Telephone.
Southern Bell, originally incorporated in New York, was reincorporated in Georgia
in 1983.
Southern Bell was headquartered in (what is now) the AT&T Midtown Center building in Atlanta, Georgia
.
South Central Bell Telephone Company was the name of the Bell System's
operations in Alabama
, Kentucky
, Louisiana
, Mississippi
, and Tennessee
. South Central Bell was created in July 1968 when the Bell telephone operations in those states were split off from Southern Bell, similar to how Pacific Northwest Bell
split off from Pacific Telephone & Telegraph around the same time period.
South Central Bell was headquartered in (what is now) the AT&T City Center
building in Birmingham, Alabama
.
and information technology
across the nine state Southern Bell and South Central Bell operating region.
The division was headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama
in what is now the AT&T Colonnade North and South buildings.
, Southern Bell and South Central Bell were transferred to a new Regional Bell Operating Company
. Initially, they continued to operate as separate companies, with BellSouth effectively the holding company for both and for BellSouth Services.
BellSouth spun off its cellular telephone enterprise, BellSouth Mobility
, in 2000, and merged it with the cellular services of SBC Communications (former Southwestern Bell) to create Cingular Wireless
. BellSouth owned a 40% stake in the joint venture.
(SBC after acquiring the original AT&T
) announced its intentions to acquire BellSouth
Corporation, and on December 29, 2006 BellSouth Telecommunications became an operating company of AT&T
under the name AT&T-Southeast. The merger also consolidated the ownership of Cingular Wireless, which became AT&T Mobility.
BellSouth Telecommunications ceased doing business under the BellSouth name on June 30, 2007.
On July 1, 2011, BellSouth Telecommunications was converted into a limited liability company
, becoming known as BellSouth Telecommunications, LLC.
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...
that serves the southeastern United States. It absorbed the operations of South Central Bell
South Central Bell
South Central Bell Telephone Company, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, was the name of the Bell System's operations in Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee...
in 1992.
BellSouth Telecommunications was previously a holding of BellSouth Corporation
BellSouth
BellSouth Corporation is an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies after the U.S...
but was acquired by AT&T Inc on December 29, 2006. BellSouth Telecommunications/AT&T Southeast regional headquarters are located in the AT&T Midtown Center building in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. BellSouth Corporation's headquarters were located in the Campanile building in Atlanta.
Southern Bell
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
prior to the divestiture. Southern Bell began 1879 as The Atlanta Telephonic Exchange and was based in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. It changed its name to Southern Bell. Southern Bell also operated in Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
and other parts of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
from 1883 until 1917, when The Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of West Virginia
Frontier West Virginia
Frontier West Virginia, Inc. is one of the original Bell Operating Companies and provides local telephone service in West Virginia.-History:...
took over operations.
On December 20, 1967 Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company formed South Central Bell Telephone Company to operate in five of its nine states (Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee). A similar arrangement occurred in 1961 when Pacific Northwest Bell
Pacific Northwest Bell
Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company was an AT&T majority-owned Bell System company that provided local telecommunications services in Oregon, Washington, and northern Idaho. Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company was formed on July 1, 1961 when it was spun off from the Pacific Telephone and...
was formed from Pacific Telephone.
Southern Bell, originally incorporated in New York, was reincorporated in Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
in 1983.
Southern Bell was headquartered in (what is now) the AT&T Midtown Center building in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
South Central Bell
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...
operations in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, and Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. South Central Bell was created in July 1968 when the Bell telephone operations in those states were split off from Southern Bell, similar to how Pacific Northwest Bell
Pacific Northwest Bell
Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company was an AT&T majority-owned Bell System company that provided local telecommunications services in Oregon, Washington, and northern Idaho. Pacific Northwest Bell Telephone Company was formed on July 1, 1961 when it was spun off from the Pacific Telephone and...
split off from Pacific Telephone & Telegraph around the same time period.
South Central Bell was headquartered in (what is now) the AT&T City Center
AT&T City Center
The AT&T City Center, is a 30 story, 390 foot office building located in Birmingham, Alabama. Completed in 1972,the building was originally known as the South Central Bell Building and served as the corporate headquarters for South Central Bell and its five-state operating territory.In 1998 the...
building in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
.
BellSouth Services
BellSouth Services, Inc. was the name of the shared service company formed to provide common functions such as engineeringEngineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
and information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
across the nine state Southern Bell and South Central Bell operating region.
The division was headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
in what is now the AT&T Colonnade North and South buildings.
Divestiture
In 1984, when AT&T divested the Baby BellsBell 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...
, Southern Bell and South Central Bell were transferred to a new 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...
. Initially, they continued to operate as separate companies, with BellSouth effectively the holding company for both and for BellSouth Services.
Operating Company Merger
On January 1, 1992, BellSouth merged South Central Bell and BellSouth Services into Southern Bell, creating a single operating company which was renamed BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., one year after U S WEST had done the same by creating U S WEST Communications. The merger reconstituted Southern Bell before the South Central Bell split-off. BellSouth Telecommunications continued to do business as Southern Bell and South Central Bell until 1995, when corporate name BellSouth was used.BellSouth spun off its cellular telephone enterprise, BellSouth Mobility
BellSouth Mobility
BellSouth Mobility, LLC headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, was a BellSouth subsidiary.BellSouth Mobility operated wireless networks using many different wireless communication standards. The most widely used of these technologies is called Digital AMPS, or D-AMPS...
, in 2000, and merged it with the cellular services of SBC Communications (former Southwestern Bell) to create Cingular Wireless
Cingular Wireless
AT&T Mobility LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T that provides wireless services to 100.7 million subscribers in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands...
. BellSouth owned a 40% stake in the joint venture.
Acquisition
On March 5, 2006, AT&TAT&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...
(SBC after acquiring the original AT&T
American Telephone & Telegraph
AT&T Corp., originally American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American telecommunications company that provides voice, video, data, and Internet telecommunications and professional services to businesses, consumers, and government agencies. AT&T is the oldest telecommunications company...
) announced its intentions to acquire BellSouth
BellSouth
BellSouth Corporation is an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies after the U.S...
Corporation, and on December 29, 2006 BellSouth Telecommunications became an operating company of 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...
under the name AT&T-Southeast. The merger also consolidated the ownership of Cingular Wireless, which became AT&T Mobility.
BellSouth Telecommunications ceased doing business under the BellSouth name on June 30, 2007.
On July 1, 2011, BellSouth Telecommunications was converted into a limited liability company
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
, becoming known as BellSouth Telecommunications, LLC.
See also
- BellSouth CorporationBellSouthBellSouth Corporation is an American telecommunications holding company based in Atlanta, Georgia. BellSouth was one of the seven original Regional Bell Operating Companies after the U.S...
- AT&TAT&TAT&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...
- American Telephone and Telegraph Company
- Bell SystemBell SystemThe 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...
- Bell System DivestitureBell System divestitureThe 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...