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Advanced American Telephones is the d/b/a name of VTech Innovation, L.P., a telephone manufacturing company.
History
American Bell Consumer Products was created on January 1, 1983 as a unit of American Bell, Inc., upon declaration by the Modification of Final Judgment that AT&T had to sell equipment to the public through an entirely separate subsidiary. ABCP sold equipment traditionally available through the Bell System, plus terminal equipment, such as the Touchamatic. American Bell products could be found at Bell PhoneCenter Stores, whom opened under American Bell ownership on January 2, 1983, as well as department stores such as Sears and Target. American Bell products were not marked with any Bell name, simply marked "Western Electric" and the Bell logo, as any products sold through American Bell were not "Bell System Property".
Upon the divestiture of the Bell System from AT&T, American Bell Consumer Products was renamed AT&T Consumer Products, became a unit of AT&T Technologies, and Bell PhoneCenters were renamed AT&T Phone Centers. Bell and Western Electric markings were stripped from telephone housings. AT&T Consumer Products became responsible for leased telephones and manufactured telephones on January 1, 1984. AT&T Consumer Products ceased operations of AT&T Phone Centers in 1995, deciding to simply focus on sales at department stores and leasing equipment. It, along with the rest of AT&T Technologies and Bell Labs, became a part of Lucent Technologies in 1996, following completion of its spinoff from AT&T.
Lucent Technologies Consumer Products, L.P. became the new name of AT&T Consumer Products in 1996. Its operations remained largely unchanged from its operations at AT&T. In 1997, LTCP was placed in the unsuccessful Philips Consumer Communications joint venture. LTCP was retained after the venture failed.
In 2000, Lucent opted to reorganize its equipment units, spinning of its Networks Systems unit as Avaya, and selling off its Consumer Products unit. Its telephone leasing operation was sold to Consumer Phone Services, and its consumer telephone manufacturing division was purchased by VTech on April 2, 2000.
Today
Renamed VTech Innovation, L.P., the former LTCP manufacturing division does business as Advanced American Telephones. Telephone production was abruptly shifted to China. Advanced American Telephones also entered a 10-year licensing agreement with AT&T to use the AT&T brand on all telephones it would produce.
VTech Innovation does not produce "VTech" branded telephones.
Phones made to this day by AAT include the Trimline and the Design Line, both made famous during the days of the Bell System, along with other phones. AAT also holds the trademark rights to the Trimline & Design Line names, as well as others.
External links
Lucent Technologies | Telecommunications companies | AT&T | VTech
"Advanced American Telephones"