Bell Telephone Labs

Bell Telephone Laboratories Inc. was established 1925 by Walter Gifford (then president of AT&T) as a separate entity which would take over the work being conducted by Western Electric's engineering department's research division. Ownership of Bell Labs was evenly split between AT&T and Western Electric. Its principal work was to design and support the equipment Western Electric built for Bell System operating companies, including switches. It also carried out consulting work for them, and US government work including Project Nike.