Working for a telephone company (or "telco," if you like) has given me a new appreciation for the telecom industry. After all, it was a telco (Bell Labs, to be specfic) that gave us UNIX, C, C++, and even some of the earliest music software. Given this newfound interest, I thought it might be instructive also to have some knowledge of the industry's fascinating history. Here is a summary of what I have learned. Enjoy!
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