Verizon South

Verizon South, Inc. is a Verizon operating company providing local telephone services to portions of Virginia and North Carolina in the United States.

History

Verizon South was originally established in 1947 as The Bluefield Telephone Corporation, providing telephone service to communities in Virginia including its namesake Bluefield. The company's first president was R.A. Phillips and was formally incorporated by Judson Large, Dean A. Esling, Richard L. Merrick, William W. Darrow, and Roland K. Smith, Jr.

The company changed its name to Bluefield Telephone Company on January 16, 1948.

Acquisition by GTE

Bluefield Telephone was acquired by GTE and in 1954 changed its name to General Telephone Company of the Southeast on June 25, 1954. The company began expansion under GTE ownership, absorbing a large group of telephone companies acquired in 1957. These companies included Durham Telephone Company of North Carolina, Georgia Continental Telephone Company, South Carolina Continental Telephone Company, Southeastern Carolina Telephone Company, Southern Continental Telephone Company, and Sumter Telephone Company. In 1970, the company absorbed more GTE companies, including General Telephone Company of Georgia, General Telephone Company of North Carolina, Mutual Telephone Company, Inc., and Pee Dee Telephone Company, Inc.