COMPANY·HISTORIES
NAIC 334210

Telephone and Telegraph Apparatus Manufacturing

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

50companies1865–1998founding years46still active4no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedNokia Corporation
1865
FoundedAT&T Corporation
1885
FoundedMarconi plc
1886
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedOlivetti S.p.A.
1908
FoundedNortel Networks Corporation
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedMotorola, Inc.
1928
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedRicoh Company, Ltd.
1936
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
FoundedKoor Industries Ltd.
1944
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedSANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
1950
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedRadioShack Corporation
1960
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedJabil Circuit, Inc.
1966
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedZoom Technologies, Inc.
1977
Founded3Com Corporation
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedCypress Semiconductor Corporation
1982
FoundedCisco Systems, Inc.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedTollgrade Communications, Inc.
1986
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
FoundedCIENA Corporation
1992
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedBroadwing Corporation
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Nokia Corporation →
Active · founded 1865 · Finland
Nokia Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones, with a worldwide market share of about 27…
Nokia Corporation →
Active · founded 1865 · Finland
Nokia Corporation is the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones, with a worldwide market share of about 27…
AT&T Corporation →
Active · founded 1885
AT&T Corporation organizes its business into two segments, business services and consumer services.
AT&T Corporation →
Active · founded 1885
AT&T Corporation organizes its business into two segments, business services and consumer services.
Marconi plc →
Active · founded 1886 · United Kingdom
The British company Marconi plc had been known as The General Electric Co.
Marconi plc →
Active · founded 1886 · United Kingdom
The British company Marconi plc had been known as The General Electric Co.
NEC Corporation →
Active · founded 1899 · Japan
Early 1920s:NEC, IWE, and a division of the Sumitomo group form a joint venture to produce electrical cables, marking…
NEC Corporation →
Active · founded 1899 · Japan
Early 1920s:NEC, IWE, and a division of the Sumitomo group form a joint venture to produce electrical cables, marking…
Olivetti S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1908 · Italy
Olivetti S.p.A.
Olivetti S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1908 · Italy
Olivetti S.p.A.
Nortel Networks Corporation →
Active · founded 1914 · Canada
Nortel Networks Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of networking products and services, with a…
Nortel Networks Corporation →
Active · founded 1914 · Canada
Nortel Networks Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of networking products and services, with a…
Motorola, Inc. →
Active · founded 1928
Electronic communications pioneer Motorola, Inc.
Motorola, Inc. →
Active · founded 1928
Electronic communications pioneer Motorola, Inc.
Bogen Communications International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
With headquarters in New Jersey, Bogen Communications International, Inc., develops, manufactures, and markets…
Bogen Communications International, Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
With headquarters in New Jersey, Bogen Communications International, Inc., develops, manufactures, and markets…
Ricoh Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1936 · Japan
Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Ricoh Company, Ltd. →
Active · founded 1936 · Japan
Ricoh Company, Ltd.
Koor Industries Ltd. →
Active · founded 1944 · Israel
Koor Industries Ltd.
Koor Industries Ltd. →
Active · founded 1944 · Israel
Koor Industries Ltd.
Andrew Corporation →
Active · founded 1947
Andrew Corporation is an international supplier of communications equipment, systems, and services.
Andrew Corporation →
Active · founded 1947
Andrew Corporation is an international supplier of communications equipment, systems, and services.
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1950 · Japan
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. →
Defunct · founded 1950 · Japan
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.
RadioShack Corporation →
Active · founded 1960
RadioShack Corporation--known as Tandy Corporation from its founding in 1960 until mid-2000--is one of the largest…
RadioShack Corporation →
Active · founded 1960
RadioShack Corporation--known as Tandy Corporation from its founding in 1960 until mid-2000--is one of the largest…
Jabil Circuit, Inc. →
Active · founded 1966
Jabil Circuit, Inc.
Jabil Circuit, Inc. →
Active · founded 1966
Jabil Circuit, Inc.
Intel Corporation →
Active · founded 1968
Intel Corporation is the largest semiconductor manufacturer in the world, with major facilities in the United States,…
Intel Corporation →
Active · founded 1968
Intel Corporation is the largest semiconductor manufacturer in the world, with major facilities in the United States,…
Zoom Technologies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
Zoom Technologies, Inc.
Zoom Technologies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1977
Zoom Technologies, Inc.
3Com Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1979
3Com Corporation is the world's number two provider of computer networking products, systems, and services, trailing…
3Com Corporation →
Defunct · founded 1979
3Com Corporation is the world's number two provider of computer networking products, systems, and services, trailing…
Westell Technologies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1980
Westell Technologies, Inc.
Westell Technologies, Inc. →
Active · founded 1980
Westell Technologies, Inc.
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation →
Active · founded 1982
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation designs, manufactures, and distributes a range of integrated circuits for the…
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation →
Active · founded 1982
Cypress Semiconductor Corporation designs, manufactures, and distributes a range of integrated circuits for the…
Cisco Systems, Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
Cisco Systems, Inc.
Cisco Systems, Inc. →
Active · founded 1984
Cisco Systems, Inc.
Tollgrade Communications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1986
Tollgrade Communications, Inc.
Tollgrade Communications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1986
Tollgrade Communications, Inc.
Advanced Fibre Communications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
Operating out of Petaluma, California, publicly traded Advanced Fibre Communications, Inc.
Advanced Fibre Communications, Inc. →
Active · founded 1992
Operating out of Petaluma, California, publicly traded Advanced Fibre Communications, Inc.
CIENA Corporation →
Active · founded 1992
CIENA Corporation is a leading maker of advanced optical networking components for telecommunications.
CIENA Corporation →
Active · founded 1992
CIENA Corporation is a leading maker of advanced optical networking components for telecommunications.
Broadwing Corporation →
Active · founded 1997
Broadwing Corporation operates two divisions that serve different segments of the telecommunications industry.
Broadwing Corporation →
Active · founded 1997
Broadwing Corporation operates two divisions that serve different segments of the telecommunications industry.
Sycamore Networks, Inc. →
Active · founded 1998
Sycamore Networks, Inc.
Sycamore Networks, Inc. →
Active · founded 1998
Sycamore Networks, Inc.
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