Changes

In 1997, the Federal Communications Commission approved the $23 billion dollar merger between Bell Atlantic Corp. and NYNEX.<ref>[http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/News_Releases/1997/nrcc7059.html FCC Press Release]</ref> Bell Atlantic was retained as the name of merged company and the main office in New York. Raymond W. Smith of Bell Atlantic  retained its  position as Chairman after the merger while Ivan G.  Seidenberg, of NYNEX, became Vice Chairman, President and Chief Operating Officer. When Smith retired in 1998, Seidenberg assumed as  Chairman and CEO of the company. The merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX is the beginning of the present Verizon Wireless.<ref>[http://www22.verizon.com/investor/investor.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=companyinfo_corporatehistory Bell Atlantic-NYNEX Merger]</ref>

In 1997, the Federal Communications Commission approved the $23 billion dollar merger between Bell Atlantic Corp. and NYNEX.<ref>[http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/News_Releases/1997/nrcc7059.html FCC Press Release]</ref> Bell Atlantic was retained as the name of merged company and the main office in New York. Raymond W. Smith of Bell Atlantic  retained its  position as Chairman after the merger while Ivan G.  Seidenberg, of NYNEX, became Vice Chairman, President and Chief Operating Officer. When Smith retired in 1998, Seidenberg assumed as  Chairman and CEO of the company. The merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEX is the beginning of the present Verizon Wireless.<ref>[http://www22.verizon.com/investor/investor.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=companyinfo_corporatehistory Bell Atlantic-NYNEX Merger]</ref>

===Bell Atlantic Cor., and GTE ===

===Bell Atlantic Corp. and GTE ===

GTE was the largest independent telephone company in the United States which was formed through mergers and acquisitions from independent small telecommunications companies apart from the Bell System. GTE was founded by John F. O'Connell, Sigurd L. Odegard and John A. Pratt in 1918 when the partners bought Richland Telephone Co. in Wisconsin and later acquired other telephone properties in Wisconsin. The partners formed a corporation in 1920 under the name Commonwealth Telephone Company.Sigurd L. Odegard became the company President.<ref>[http://www.shabee.info/?p=1726 GTE History]</ref>

GTE was the largest independent telephone company in the United States which was formed through mergers and acquisitions from independent small telecommunications companies apart from the Bell System. GTE was founded by John F. O'Connell, Sigurd L. Odegard and John A. Pratt in 1918 when the partners bought Richland Telephone Co. in Wisconsin and later acquired other telephone properties in Wisconsin. The partners formed a corporation in 1920 under the name Commonwealth Telephone Company.Sigurd L. Odegard became the company President.<ref>[http://www.shabee.info/?p=1726 GTE History]</ref>