RBOC stands for "Regional Bell Operating Company," a term used in the telecommunications industry to refer to seven American telephone companies that emerged after the breakup of the Bell System. The Bell System was a regulated monopolistic telecommunications system in the United States that was divided into several smaller entities as a result of an antitrust suit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in the early 1980s.
The RBOCs were created as a means to introduce competition in the telecommunications industry and to promote greater efficiency and innovation. Each RBOC was given the exclusive rights to provide telephone services in a specific geographic region in the country. The seven RBOCs were Ameritech (now part of AT&T), Bell Atlantic (now part of Verizon), BellSouth (now part of AT&T), NYNEX (now part of Verizon), Pacific Telesis (now part of AT&T), Southwestern Bell (now part of AT&T), and US West (now part of CenturyLink).
These RBOCs were subject to certain regulatory requirements and restrictions, including providing interconnection to other telecom providers and adhering to affordable and universal service obligations. Over time, with further legislative and regulatory developments, the regional telecommunications landscape would continue to change, leading to mergers, acquisitions, and the emergence of new players in the industry.
The RBOC system served as a significant milestone in the transformation of the telecommunications sector in the United States, leading to increased competition, technological advancements, and the development of a more diverse and dynamic telecommunications market.
