Predecessor companies Verizon New York

broadway festooned wires, 1885

western union subsidiaries, including atlantic & pacific telegraph, gold , stock telegraph, , american speaking telephone, based new york , san francisco operations on telephone exchange principle , larger , more advanced local bell operations. under november 1879 settlement of elisha gray patent infringement lawsuit, western union handed on telephone operations national bell telephone, renamed american bell telephone. merged local company called metropolitan telephone , telegraph company. in 1896 operations of metropolitan telephone , telegraph company , westchester telephone company (which served northern suburban areas, including parts of then-westchester county subsequently incorporated new york city borough of bronx) consolidated under name of new york telephone company.

new york , new jersey telephone company building

the new york , new jersey telephone company, bell licensee serving long island , staten island, broken , new york properties merged new york company city , suburban telephone company in 1897. american telephone , telegraph (at&t) acquired controlling interest , restored new york telephone name.