Baby Bell

Baby Bell definition - business

Baby Bell

One of several integrated-communications providers that were formerly part of AT&T but became independent in 1984 following AT&T's court-ordered divestiture. The seven original Baby Bells were once operating subsidiaries of AT&T that provided local and intrastate long-distance service. In 2006 the former parent was acquired by SBC, a reconfigured Baby Bell that adopted the AT&T name following the acquisition.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Business Terms Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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