WI Western Union buys the Telephone?

[John Fredrick Parker]

Around 1879, Western Union was offered the telephone patent for about $100,000, but turned it down; AT&T was founded by Bell and colleagues a few years later.

What if the deal had been made?

 

[Kevin Renner]

Don Ameche still plays Alexander G Bell

 

[DirtyCommie]

Western Union becomes THE telephone company in the U.S., much as AT&T later did. I could see major butterflies in this, with Western Union gradually creating a monopoly over most of the communications and shipping industries.

 

[Mr Qwerty]

Western Union becomes THE telephone company in the U.S., much as AT&T later did. I could see major butterflies in this, with Western Union gradually creating a monopoly over most of the communications and shipping industries.

On the other hand, they might try to use their ownership of the patents to bury the competing technology (stupid, yes, but that can happen), in which case the telephone is reinvented by someone else and lengthy court battles ensue.

 

[John Fredrick Parker]

Western Union becomes THE telephone company in the U.S., much as AT&T later did. I could see major butterflies in this, with Western Union gradually creating a monopoly over most of the communications and shipping industries.

Could they find themselves a trustbuster target?

 

[Nicole]

Could they find themselves a trustbuster target?

AT&T avoided that kind of thing by presenting themselves as providing a public service: "one system, universal service". I wonder if WU could do the same thing, though, given that they also own the telegraph system they could fall under more scrutiny.

 

[DirtyCommie]

I doubt they could present their services as public. Though who knows; with the political power gained from owning most of the communications industry, they might even be able to stand up to the U.S. government. For this reason: I imagine that any trustbusting attempt on the part of the Federals would be wildly unpopular with the people. Think about it. If you busted 'em, what would replace them would be sub-par competition techs. So like I said, wildly unpopular with the people. Not that that would really change anything, but it might.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Yes, I think they would be a trustbuster target.