When did Alexander Graham Bell patent the telephone?
Alexander Graham Bell received his patent for the telephone on March 7, 1876.
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Telephone Facts
Telephone facts and facts about telephones, from the Random Facts shelf.
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What were the first words spoken on the telephone?
The first words spoken by telephone were Alexander Graham Bell saying "Mr. Watson, come here, I want to see you" to his assistant on March 10, 1876.
Who else tried to patent the telephone?
Inventor Elisha Gray filed paperwork for a similar telephone design at the patent office on the same day as Alexander Graham Bell, which led to years of legal fights.
Who was Antonio Meucci?
Italian inventor Antonio Meucci developed an early telephone-like device decades before Bell, and in 2002 the US House of Representatives passed a resolution recognizing his work.
What did Alexander Graham Bell want people to say when answering the phone?
Alexander Graham Bell wanted people to answer the phone by saying "ahoy," but Thomas Edison's suggestion of "hello" caught on instead.
When was the first phone book published?
The first phone book was published in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1878 and listed only about 50 names.
When was the first coast-to-coast phone call?
The first transcontinental phone call was made in 1915, when Alexander Graham Bell in New York called Thomas Watson in San Francisco.
When was the first 911 call made?
The first 911 emergency call in the US was made in Haleyville, Alabama, in 1968.
When were area codes created?
US telephone area codes were created in 1947 to make long-distance dialing easier.
Did Western Union pass on buying the telephone?
According to a popular story, Western Union turned down a chance to buy Alexander Graham Bell's telephone patent for $100,000, one of the worst business decisions in history.