Final answer:
Alexander Graham Bell patented the first practical telephone in 1876, which led to the rise of AT&T and transformed communication during the Industrial Revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alexander Graham Bell was a Scottish-born inventor known for patenting the first practical telephone in 1876. Although Thomas Edison later developed a version that resembled more closely the modern telephone, it was Bell's initial invention and patent that ultimately led to the establishment of a communications empire. The National Bell Telephone Company, which later became the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T), brought profound changes to American life by rapidly enhancing long-distance communication. In the span of a few decades, the telephone substantially reduced rural isolation and played a significant role in the transformation of society, as well as the rise of big business during the Industrial Revolution.