List of historical British telcos

This list of historical British telcos is a list of telecommunications companies that either existed prior to British Telecom's (BT) privatisation, or, if created subsequently to BT's privatisation, took over telecoms networks that existed prior to the privatisation.

BT and predecessors edit

These are the early British telecommunications companies that were nationalised by the British government, the nationalised government organisations that succeeded them, and the privatisation entity that in turn succeeded those.

Telegraph companies edit

Between 1846 and 1868, that is, from the formation of the first company until the announcement of nationalisation, 64 telegraph companies were formed. However, 68% of them failed, and only a handful of them grew to any significant size.^[1]

Telephone companies edit

Nationalised successors edit

Post-privatisation edit

British Telecommunications plc

Early BT competitors edit

References edit

^ Kieve, Jeffrey L., The Electric Telegraph: A Social and Economic History, p. 96, David and Charles, 1973 OCLC 655205099.

External links edit

Distant Writing - The History of the Telegraph Companies in Britain between 1838 and 1868
https://web.Archive.org/web/20100527143141/http://www.BTplc.com/Thegroup/BTsHistory/History.htm

[1] Kieve, Jeffrey L., The Electric Telegraph: A Social and Economic History, p. 96, David and Charles, 1973 OCLC 655205099.

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