The breakup of the Bell System and its impact on US innovation

Martin Watzinger, Monika Schnitzer

We analyze the effects of the 1984 breakup of the Bell System on the rate, diversity, and direction of US innovation. In the antitrust case leading to the breakup, AT&T, the holding company of the Bell System, was accused of using exclusionary practices against competitors. The breakup was intended to end these practices. After the breakup, the scale and diversity of telecommunications innovation increased. Total patenting by US inventors related to telecommunications increased by 19%, driven by companies unrelated to the Bell System. Patenting by Bell's successor companies decreased, but not the number of top inventions.

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Year of publication:	[2022]
Authors:	Watzinger, Martin ; Schnitzer, Monika
Publisher:	[München] : Collaborative Research Center Transregio 190
Subject:	Antitrust \| Innovation \| Diversity \| Exclusionary practices \| USA \| United States \| Wettbewerbspolitik \| Competition policy \| Telekommunikation \| Telecommunications \| Innovationsmanagement \| Innovation management

Extent:	1 Online-Ressource (circa 75 Seiten) Illustrationen
Series:	Discussion paper. - München : Collaborative Research Center Transregio 190, ZDB-ID 2881680-8. - Vol. no. 341 (October 10, 2022)
Type of publication:	Book / Working Paper
Type of publication (narrower categories):	Graue Literatur ; Non-commercial literature ; Arbeitspapier ; Working Paper
Language:	English
Other identifiers:	hdl:10419/282033 [Handle]
Classification:	O30 - Technological Change; Research and Development. General ; K21 - Antitrust Law ; L40 - Antitrust Policy. General
Source:	ECONIS - Online Catalogue of the ZBW

Persistent link: https://www.econbiz.de/10014458851