AT&T, which stands for American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American multinational telecommunications holding company. It is one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world and is headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas.
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AT&T is the world’s fourth-largest telecommunications company by revenue and the largest wireless carrier in the United States. As of 2023, AT&T was ranked 13th on the Fortune 500 rankings of the largest United States corporations, with revenues of $120.7 billion.

AT&T began its history as the American District Telegraph Company, formed in St. Louis in 1878. After expanding services to Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas through a series of mergers, it became Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in 1920, which was then a subsidiary of American Telephone and Telegraph Company.
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The latter was a successor of the original Bell Telephone Company founded by Alexander Graham Bell in 1877. The American Bell Telephone Company formed the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) subsidiary in 1885. In 1899, AT&T became the parent company after the American Bell Telephone Company sold its assets to its subsidiary.
AT&T is a publicly-traded company, meaning it is owned by shareholders who own its common stock. The largest shareholders of AT&T include institutional investors like Vanguard Group Inc., BlackRock Inc., and State Street Corp. The company’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “T”.
AT&T owns several subsidiaries and has stakes in various companies. One of the most notable is DirecTV, a direct broadcast satellite service provider in which AT&T owns a 70% stake. AT&T also owns WarnerMedia, which includes brands like HBO, CNN, and Warner Bros. Furthermore, AT&T owns Cricket Wireless, a prepaid wireless service provider in the United States.
In conclusion, AT&T is a leading telecommunications company that is owned by shareholders who own its common stock. It owns several subsidiaries and has stakes in various companies, providing a wide range of telecommunications and media services.


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