Federal Antitrust Action Against AT&T Sparked the Rise of Silicon Valley

By Cameron Armstrong · Fast Company · 2026-08-04

According to Fast Company, the modern semiconductor industry owes its existence to a 1956 consent decree that forced AT&T to license its massive patent portfolio royalty-free. This government intervention effectively dismantled the intellectual property barriers surrounding Bell

According to Fast Company, the modern semiconductor industry owes its existence to a 1956 consent decree that forced AT&T to license its massive patent portfolio royalty-free. This government intervention effectively dismantled the intellectual property barriers surrounding Bell