GTE Southwest

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GTE Southwest, Inc.
Type Holding of Verizon
Founded 1926
Headquarters Irving, Texas[1]
Industry Telecommunications
Products Local Telephone Service
Parent GTE (1926-2000)
Verizon (2000-present)
Website www.verizon.com

GTE Southwest, Inc. is a Verizon operating company serving a former GTE region. GTE Southwest, at its peak, originally served Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico.

Its original name upon founding was State Telephone Company of Texas. It later changed its name to Southwestern Associated Telephone Company, and General Telephone Company of the Southwest.

GTE Southwest underwent several changes in the states it served. The following changes include:

  • In 1996, ConTel of New Mexico was transferred from GTE West to GTE Southwest. ConTel of Texas was placed under control of GTE Southwest.
  • In 2000, Bell Atlantic purchased GTE, forming Verizon. As a result, GTE Southwest's operations in several states were sold off. GTE's Arkansas operations were sold to CenturyTel. GTE's operations in Oklahoma and New Mexico were sold to Valor Telecom. GTE Southwest is renamed "GTE Southwest, Inc. dba Verizon Southwest, Inc."

GTE Southwest, Inc. remains an operating company, continuing to serve former GTE and ConTel regions in Texas. It is only one of the only two former GTE operating companies that has not changed its official legal name under Verizon ownership. The other is Contel of the South.

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