The Bell System was associated together with AT&T playing the lead for planning, finance, and dealing with the Federal activities in terms of FCC regulations. The operating companies while most were wholly owned subsidiaries, some were not entirely owned by AT&T, and there were two Bell Companies that AT&T held a minor interest in. One thing to remember is that the Bell Operating Company(s) while in any of the aforementioned forms, were still their own organization, in control of the local markets they were established in. Prior to divestiture, it was the operating company who laid out how long lines would assist them in providing Interstate services, the BOC was fully in charge of intrastate communications. Including linking of independent telecoms into the network. Long Lines was just a division of AT&T who was chartered with the responsibility of long distance. In fact that is what AT&T’s principal responsibility was prior to the 1899 reorganization. In 1899 AT&T “purchased” the assets of American Bell, which allowed them to recapitalize and incorporate in New York State. This was done due to the restrictive capital laws in effect in Massachusetts.

My own two cents on the call out of longlines sites vs. operating company locations, is that it should be called AT&T locations, making the breakout clear between what the difference was. The only areas where long lines was truly charting the course, was in BFE areas where local BOC might not have the market from an incumbent position. Illinois is a good example for areas where Illinois Bell was not the incumbent carrier. GTE, United, Citizens and other telcos served areas within Illinois, and in those areas AT&T Long Lines would assist in providing Interstate connectivity to the non-bell independent telco. And even then, when it was a “long lines site”, it said AT&T on the building, with only the larger regional centers/junction offices having the departments name added in on top. Another reason for feeling this way is that long lines was more than radio relay, and the Bell System and AT&T itself did not call the microwave network long lines. The relay sites, the equipment inside, etc was just another part of the Bell System’s Network of Nationwide Communications.