rger, multi-site businesses. Initially they outsourced the The Telecom Handbook or 297 UNDERSTANDING THE INDUSTRY Information Technology systems, but have added Telecom- munications to their capabilities. Large Telecommunications Vendors. Some large telecom- munications installation and maintenance companies or local and long distance network service providers will take on a complete outsourcing of telecommunications equip- ment and services. Consulting Firms. Some consulting firms also provide ongoing support which may include Telecommunications Management Outsourcing or Out-Tasking in specific areas of expertise. The consulting firm will assess your requirements and may provide management of the Out- Tasking, which may make it a better choice than simply hiring a group of subcontractors from separate firms or from a temporary agency. Specialized Support Firms. Some firms provide support spe- cific to a certain type of product or service or, in some cases, specializing in services relating to equipment from a particu- lar telecommunications vendor. Temporary Agencies Specializing in Telecommunications Staffing. These firms operate like any temporary agency, but maintain resumes on people with different capabilities in the telecommunications arena. Try to find a firm that is truly a temporary staffing firm, rather than a company whose spe- cialty is really permanent placement and only dabbles in the temporary market. This concludes our explanation of the Telecommunications Industry. It is varied and continually changing as the forces of both governments and the marketplace continue to shape it. 298 * The Telecom Handbook CHAPTER 14 Historical Perspective on The United States Telecommunications Industry The Saga Continues. In order to understand today's telecommunications in- dustry and services, it helps to have a perspective on how things have developed. On March 10, 1876 Alexander Graham Bell invented the tele- phone. He filed his application for a patent just hours before his competitor, Elisha Gray. While we'