Calling Code

AT&T; Corp is restricted in its business activities thanks to a 1982 agreement with the Justice Department that broke up the old AT&T; telephone monopoly. The consent decree:

Bars AT&T;, or any of its successors, from investing in any of the seven regional Bell operating companies.

Allowed AT&T; to enter the computer business and continue producing telephone equipment and conducting telephone research and development, but barred AT&T; from providing local telephone exchange service.

Took away AT&T;’s control over the Yellow Pages phone directories and transferred the lucrative publishing business to the regional Bells.